Washington counties: storms, hazards and tree rules
Washington has 39 counties. Spokane County logged the most tree-relevant NOAA storm reports since 2016 (707), Thurston County the fewest (21). Pick your county for its storm record, hazard ratings, burn rules, utilities and pests.
All 39 Washington counties
Each row links to the county page, which breaks the storm record down by year and month and adds the local utilities, pests, burn rules and the cities with their own pages. Storm reports count every NOAA Storm Events report of a tree-relevant type tied to the county, including forecast-zone reports assigned through the National Weather Service zone-county files.
| County | Storm reports since 2016 | Rank in Washington | Most-logged type | Peak months | FEMA strong wind | FEMA ice storm | FEMA wildfire | Burn rules set by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | 120 | 19 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Jan, Feb, Dec | Relatively Low | Very Low | Relatively Low | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Asotin County | 68 | 31 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Feb, Jan, Dec | Very Low | Very Low | Relatively Moderate | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Benton County | 57 | 33 of 39 | High Wind | Feb, May, Dec | Relatively Low | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Chelan County | 440 | 3 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Jan, Dec, Feb | Very Low | Very Low | Relatively High | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Clallam County | 72 | 29 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Feb, Dec, Jan | Very Low | Relatively Low | Very Low | Olympic Region Clean Air Agency |
| Clark County | 118 | 21 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Jan, Feb, Dec | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High | Relatively Low | Southwest Clean Air Agency |
| Columbia County | 69 | 30 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Feb, Dec, Jan | Very Low | Relatively Low | Relatively Low | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Cowlitz County | 154 | 12 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Feb, Jan, Dec | Relatively Low | Relatively Low | Very Low | Southwest Clean Air Agency |
| Douglas County | 291 | 7 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Jan, Feb, Dec | Relatively Low | Very Low | Relatively Moderate | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Ferry County | 158 | 10 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Jan, Feb, Nov | Very Low | Very Low | Relatively Moderate | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Franklin County | 52 | 35 of 39 | High Wind | Feb, Dec, Jan | Relatively Low | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Low | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Garfield County | 62 | 32 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Feb, Jan, Dec | Very Low | Very Low | Relatively Low | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Grant County | 151 | 13 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Jan, Feb, Dec | Relatively Low | Very Low | Relatively Moderate | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Grays Harbor County | 53 | 34 of 39 | High Wind | Dec, Feb, Jan | Very Low | Relatively High | Very Low | Olympic Region Clean Air Agency |
| Island County | 45 | 38 of 39 | High Wind | Jan, Feb, Nov | Very Low | Relatively Moderate | Very Low | Northwest Clean Air Agency |
| Jefferson County | 106 | 22 of 39 | High Wind | Feb, Dec, Nov | Very Low | Relatively Moderate | Very Low | Olympic Region Clean Air Agency |
| King County | 133 | 16 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Feb, Dec, Jan | Very Low | Relatively High | Relatively Low | Puget Sound Clean Air Agency |
| Kitsap County | 79 | 27 of 39 | Winter Weather | Feb, Dec, Nov | Very Low | Relatively Low | Very Low | Puget Sound Clean Air Agency |
| Kittitas County | 83 | 26 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Jan, Dec, Feb | Very Low | Very Low | Relatively High | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Klickitat County | 160 | 9 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Jan, Feb, Dec | Relatively Low | Relatively High | Relatively High | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Lewis County | 78 | 28 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Feb, Dec, Jan | Relatively Low | Relatively Low | Relatively Low | Southwest Clean Air Agency |
| Lincoln County | 310 | 6 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Jan, Feb, Dec | Relatively Low | Relatively Low | Relatively Moderate | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Mason County | 49 | 36 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Feb, Dec, Oct | Very Low | Very Low | Very Low | Olympic Region Clean Air Agency |
| Okanogan County | 581 | 2 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Jan, Dec, Feb | Relatively Low | Very Low | Relatively High | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Pacific County | 119 | 20 of 39 | High Wind | Dec, Jan, Feb | Very Low | Very Low | Very Low | Olympic Region Clean Air Agency |
| Pend Oreille County | 348 | 5 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Jan, Dec, Feb | Relatively Low | Relatively Low | Relatively Low | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Pierce County | 99 | 24 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Feb, Jan, Dec | Relatively Low | Relatively High | Relatively Low | Puget Sound Clean Air Agency |
| San Juan County | 48 | 37 of 39 | High Wind | Feb, Jan, Nov | Very Low | Very Low | Very Low | Northwest Clean Air Agency |
| Skagit County | 102 | 23 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Dec, Jan, Feb | Very Low | Relatively High | Very Low | Northwest Clean Air Agency |
| Skamania County | 162 | 8 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Jan, Feb, Dec | Very Low | Relatively Low | Relatively Moderate | Southwest Clean Air Agency |
| Snohomish County | 139 | 15 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Feb, Dec, Jan | Very Low | Very High | Very Low | Puget Sound Clean Air Agency |
| Spokane County | 707 | 1 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Jan, Dec, Feb | Relatively High | Very High | Relatively Moderate | Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency |
| Stevens County | 357 | 4 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Jan, Dec, Feb | Very Low | Relatively Low | Relatively Moderate | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Thurston County | 21 | 39 of 39 | Winter Weather | Feb, Dec, Oct | Relatively Low | Relatively Moderate | Very Low | Olympic Region Clean Air Agency |
| Wahkiakum County | 125 | 17 of 39 | High Wind | Feb, Jan, Dec | Very Low | Very Low | Very Low | Southwest Clean Air Agency |
| Walla Walla County | 121 | 18 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Feb, Dec, Jan | Relatively Low | Relatively High | Relatively Low | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Whatcom County | 155 | 11 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Dec, Jan, Feb | Very Low | Very High | Very Low | Northwest Clean Air Agency |
| Whitman County | 99 | 25 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Feb, Dec, Jan | Relatively Low | Relatively Low | Relatively Low | Washington Department of Ecology |
| Yakima County | 140 | 14 of 39 | Heavy Snow | Jan, Feb, Dec | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Low | Relatively High | Washington Department of Ecology |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, January 2016 to June 2026, with NWS zone-county correlation files; FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Burn authorities from state and regional clean-air agency pages.
How to read the table
A report is not a storm. One windstorm crossing several forecast zones produces a report for each zone, and a zone report counts for every county the zone covers, so a large county split across many zones collects more reports than a small one hit by the same storm. Compare counties with that in mind, and use the Washington storm records page for the statewide picture by decade, year and month.
The FEMA ratings come from the National Risk Index, which scores each county’s expected losses from a hazard against every other U.S. county. “Relatively High” for strong wind means the county’s modeled annual losses from wind rank high nationally, not that every year brings damaging wind.
Where storm reports pile up
- Spokane County: 707 reports, mostly heavy snow, peaking in Jan and Dec.
- Okanogan County: 581 reports, mostly heavy snow, peaking in Jan and Dec.
- Chelan County: 440 reports, mostly heavy snow, peaking in Jan and Dec.
- Stevens County: 357 reports, mostly heavy snow, peaking in Jan and Dec.
- Pend Oreille County: 348 reports, mostly heavy snow, peaking in Jan and Dec.
For the individual storms behind these numbers, see the storm history pages, and for what to do when a tree comes down, emergency tree service.
Counties with high hazard ratings
Wildfire, relatively high or very high: Chelan, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, Yakima. On those properties, tree spacing and limbing are part of fire protection; see defensible space in Washington and Oregon.
Strong wind, relatively high or very high: Spokane.
Ice storm, relatively high or very high: Benton, Clark, Grays Harbor, King, Klickitat, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Walla Walla, Whatcom.
Rules that change by county
Outdoor burning of yard debris is set by the agency in the last column, and cities often add their own bans. Tree removal permits are set by cities, not counties, so check the Washington tree removal permits guide, and the Washington yard debris burning rules before you burn storm debris.
Sources
- NOAA NCEI, Storm Events Database, checked 2026-10-02.
- NWS, zone-county correlation files, checked 2026-10-02.
- FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release, checked 2026-10-02.
Comparing quotes? Check these eight things first.
Two quotes for the same tree can differ by thousands. The gap is usually in what's included, not the cutting.
We don't vet or license anyone. These are the official lookups; each takes about a minute.
| What | Where | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon CCB license | CCB license search | Active status, bond, insurance on file, complaints |
| Oregon LCB license | LCB verify a license | Landscape contracting license, which covers tree work |
| Washington contractor registration | L&I Verify | Registration, bond, workers' comp, lawsuits, violations |
| ISA Certified Arborist | ISA directory | Current certification and credential number |
How to read them: Oregon guide · Washington guide
Westcoast-Tree.org is an independent information site. If you call a number on this site, the call goes to a tree service that covers your area and we may be paid a referral fee by that company. We don't perform tree work and we don't vet, license or insure anyone. Cost figures are modeled estimates, not quotes (method). Not affiliated with the former Westcoast Tree Care Inc of Tumwater, WA.