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White Pine County, Nevada

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
13th of 17highest risk in Nevada
$6Mexpected losses a year
5federal declarations
1 in 71homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

White Pine County, Nevada has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 88% of US counties. It ranks 13th of 17 counties in Nevada. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and wildfires. FEMA estimates about $5.5 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $613 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (1 major disaster). The most recent was in September 2005 (Hurricane Katrina Evacuation). About 1 in 71 homes here carry federal flood insurance (77 policies).

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in White Pine County

$2.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
$759,627 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$662,434 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 600 years.
  • Clear dry plants and debris within 5 feet of the house.
  • Get home insurance quotes early; availability varies by area.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low24.1
$3M
Cold waveLow43.3
$760K
WildfireLow84.2
$662K
EarthquakeLow65.2
$626K
Winter weatherHigh85.2
$289K
DroughtLow48.6
$134K
Heat waveVery Low20.0
$63K
LightningVery Low16.1
$56K
Strong windVery Low2.3
$11K
LandslideLow66.2
$4K
HailVery Low2.4
$3K
AvalancheVery Low55.6
$976
TornadoVery Low1.0
$161

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively low and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included White Pine County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Snowstorm2
Flood1
Drought1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Feb 23, 2005SnowEmergency
Feb 17, 2005Record And/Or Near Record SnowEmergency
Jun 11, 1977DroughtEmergency
Apr 19, 1969FloodingMajor disaster

Nevada also had 23 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1961

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 93 storm reports in White Pine County since 1961, with 0 deaths and 1 injury and about $44,100 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F0 tornado on September 11, 1975.

9tornadoes
9hail reports, largest 1.5 inches
43damaging thunderstorm winds
26floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Sep 11, 1975F0–0 / 0
Aug 20, 1984F0–0 / 0
May 17, 1987F0–0 / 0
Jun 12, 1988F0–0 / 0
Jun 23, 1998F0Ely0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 26, 1964Tornado–$25K
Aug 12, 2015Flash FloodBaker Arpt$5K
Sep 21, 2014Flash FloodPreston$2K
Aug 12, 2014Flash FloodWarm Spgs$2K
Aug 12, 2014Debris FlowBaker$2K
Aug 10, 2014Flash FloodLages Station$2K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 17, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Flood insurance in White Pine County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (77 policies)
11.7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1,511paid on 8 flood claims since 1978
2023costliest year, with $1,121 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in White Pine County

$220,000median home value (Nevada $435,400, US $332,700)
1970median year homes were built (Nevada 1996, US 1980)
63%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
20.7%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 4,160 housing units.

Compare in Nevada

All 17 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Clark CountyVery HighInland flooding
Washoe CountyHighEarthquake
Lyon CountyLowEarthquake
Carson City CityLowEarthquake
Elko CountyModerateWildfire
Nye CountyLowInland flooding
Douglas CountyModerateEarthquake
Churchill CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Tooele County, UTLow9
Elko CountyModerate17
Nye CountyLow3
Millard County, UTVery Low9
Juab County, UTVery Low7
Lincoln CountyVery Low6
Eureka CountyVery Low6

Common questions about White Pine County

What is the biggest natural hazard in White Pine County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in White Pine County, about $2.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $759,627.

How many federal disasters has White Pine County had?

White Pine County has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 1 major disaster. The most recent was Hurricane Katrina Evacuation in September 2005.

Is White Pine County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 13th highest of 17 in Nevada. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in White Pine County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 71 homes in White Pine County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has White Pine County had?

NOAA records list 9 tornadoes in White Pine County since 1950. The strongest was an F0 tornado on September 11, 1975. The weather service has also logged 9 hail reports and 26 floods here.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.