Oregon Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
The chance of earthquake damage in Oregon is lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Oregon is much lower than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #17
| Oregon | 0.62 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #2
| Oregon | 0.0291 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #47
| Oregon | 8.38 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 4,446 other weather extremes events from 1950 to 2010 were recorded in Oregon. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 10 | Blizzard: | 20 | Cold: | 203 | Dense Fog: | 18 | Drought: | 7 |
| Dust Storm: | 13 | Flood: | 369 | Hail: | 563 | Heat: | 11 | Heavy Snow: | 755 |
| High Surf: | 25 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 24 | Landslide: | 19 | Strong Wind: | 1,151 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 341 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 321 | Winter Storm: | 77 | Winter Weather: | 22 |
| Other: | 497 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
A total of 34 volcanoes are found in or near Oregon.
| Name | Region | Latitude | Longitude | Elevation (foot) | Type | Status | Last Eruption |
| Devils Garden | US-Oregon, United States | 43.512 | -120.861 | 1698 | Volcanic field | Holocene | Unknown |
| Newberry Volcano | US-Oregon, United States | 43.722 | -121.229 | 2434 | Shield volcano | Radiocarbon | Last known eruption A.D. 1-1499 |
| Squaw Ridge Field | US-Oregon, United States | 43.472 | -120.754 | 1711 | Volcanic field | Holocene | Unknown |
| Four Craters Lava Field | US-Oregon, United States | 43.361 | -120.669 | 1501 | Volcanic field | Holocene | Unknown |
| Bachelor | US-Oregon, United States | 43.979 | -121.688 | 2763 | Stratovolcano | Tephrochronology | Last known eruption B.C. (Holocene) |
| South Sister | US-Oregon, United States | 44.1 | -121.77 | 3157 | Complex volcano | Radiocarbon | Last known eruption B.C. (Holocene) |
| North Sister Field | US-Oregon, United States | 44.17 | -121.77 | 3074 | Complex volcano | Radiocarbon | Last known eruption A.D. 1-1499 |
| Belknap | US-Oregon, United States | 44.285 | -121.841 | 2095 | Shield volcano | Radiocarbon | Last known eruption A.D. 1-1499 |
| Blue Lake Crater | US-Oregon, United States | 44.42 | -121.77 | 1230 | Maar | Radiocarbon | Last known eruption B.C. (Holocene) |
| Washington | US-Oregon, United States | 44.332 | -121.837 | 2376 | Shield volcano | Radiocarbon | Last known eruption A.D. 1-1499 |
| Davis Lake | US-Oregon, United States | 43.57 | -121.82 | 2163 | Volcanic field | Radiocarbon | Last known eruption B.C. (Holocene) |
| Sand Mountain Field | US-Oregon, United States | 44.38 | -121.93 | 1664 | Cinder cone | Radiocarbon | Last known eruption B.C. (Holocene) |
| Jefferson | US-Oregon, United States | 44.692 | -121.8 | 3199 | Stratovolcano | Varve Count | Last known eruption A.D. 1-1499 |
| Cinnamon Butte | US-Oregon, United States | 43.241 | -122.108 | 1956 | Cinder cone | Holocene | Unknown |
| Crater Lake | US-Oregon, United States | 42.93 | -122.12 | 2487 | Caldera | Radiocarbon | Last known eruption B.C. (Holocene) |
| Hood | US-Oregon, United States | 45.374 | -121.694 | 3426 | Stratovolcano | Historical | Last known eruption 1800-1899 |
| Diamond Craters | US-Oregon, United States | 43.1 | -118.75 | 1435 | Volcanic field | Holocene | Unknown |
| Imagination Peak | US-Oregon, United States | 42.552 | -122.201 | 1986 | Pyroclastic cone | Holocene | Unknown |
| Indian Heaven | US-Washington, United States | 45.93 | -121.82 | 1513 | Shield volcano | Radiocarbon | Last known eruption B.C. (Holocene) |
| West Crater | US-Washington, United States | 45.88 | -122.08 | 1329 | Volcanic field | Radiocarbon | Last known eruption B.C. (Holocene) |
| Saddle Butte | US-Oregon, United States | 43 | -117.8 | 1700 | Volcanic field | Holocene | Unknown |
| Adams | US-Washington, United States | 46.206 | -121.49 | 3742 | Stratovolcano | Tephrochronology | Last known eruption A.D. 1-1499 |
| St. Helens | US-Washington, United States | 46.2 | -122.18 | 2549 | Stratovolcano | Historical | Last known eruption 1964 or later |
| Medicine Lake | US-California, United States | 41.58 | -121.57 | 2412 | Shield volcano | Radiocarbon | Last known eruption A.D. 1-1499 |
| Jordan Craters | US-Oregon, United States | 43.03 | -117.42 | 1473 | Volcanic field | Holocene | Undated, but probable Holocene eruption |
| Jackies Butte | US-Oregon, United States | 42.606 | -117.589 | 1420 | Volcanic field | Holocene | Unknown |
| Shasta | US-California, United States | 41.42 | -122.2 | 4317 | Stratovolcano | Historical | Last known eruption 1700-1799 |
| Brushy Butte | US-California, United States | 41.178 | -121.443 | 1174 | Shield volcano | Holocene | Unknown |
| Rainier | US-Washington, United States | 46.87 | -121.758 | 4392 | Stratovolcano | Dendrochronology | Last known eruption 1800-1899 |
| Big Cave | US-California, United States | 40.955 | -121.365 | 1259 | Shield volcano | Holocene | Unknown |
| Twin Buttes | US-California, United States | 40.78 | -121.6 | 1631 | Cinder cone | Holocene | Unknown |
| Eagle Lake Field | US-California, United States | 40.63 | -120.83 | 1652 | Fissure vent | Holocene | Unknown |
| Tumble Buttes | US-California, United States | 40.68 | -121.55 | 2191 | Cinder cone | Holocene | Unknown |
| Potato Butte | US-California, United States | 40.63 | -121.43 | 1532 | Shield volcano | Holocene | Unknown |
Historical Earthquake Events
A total of 21 historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in Oregon.
| Date | Magnitude | Depth (km) | Latitude | Longitude |
| 1964-10-01 | 5.3 | N/A | 45.7 | -122.8 |
| 1968-05-30 | 5.1 | N/A | 42.3 | -119.8 |
| 1968-06-03 | 5 | N/A | 42.2 | -119.8 |
| 1968-06-05 | 4.7 | N/A | 42.3 | -119.9 |
| 1968-06-04 | 4.7 | N/A | 42.3 | -119.9 |
| 1963-03-07 | 4.6 | N/A | 44.9 | -123.5 |
| 1976-04-13 | 4.6 | 15 | 45.22 | -120.77 |
| 1980-05-03 | 4.5 | 5 | 41.94 | -118.84 |
| 1961-08-19 | 4.5 | N/A | 44.7 | -122.5 |
| 1963-12-27 | 4.5 | N/A | 45.7 | -123.4 |
| 1968-06-04 | 4.3 | N/A | 42.2 | -119.8 |
| 1968-06-12 | 4.3 | N/A | 42.1 | -119.9 |
| 1968-06-04 | 4.2 | N/A | 42.3 | -119.9 |
| 1976-04-17 | 4.2 | 2 | 45.08 | -120.8 |
| 1984-01-31 | 4.1 | 5 | 45.58 | -116.57 |
| 1968-06-04 | 4 | N/A | 42.3 | -119.8 |
| 1984-08-10 | 4 | 5 | 44.99 | -116.95 |
| 1971-07-13 | 3.9 | 33 | 44.8 | -117.9 |
| 1985-02-10 | 3.9 | 18 | 45.7 | -119.63 |
| 1971-06-17 | 3.5 | 15 | 43.28 | -124.38 |
| 1984-07-30 | 3.5 | 8 | 42.15 | -121.88 |
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 3 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in Oregon.
| Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County | |
| 1972-04-05 | 3 | 45°36'N / 122°38'W | 45°36'N / 122°38'W | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Multnomah | |||
| 1968-06-11 | 2 | 45°50'N / 117°20'W | 45°54'N / 117°09'W | 9.60 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25.0M | 0 | Wallowa | |
| 2010-12-14 | 2 | 44°50'N / 122°52'W | 44°51'N / 122°49'W | 5.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 2 | 1.2M | 0K | Marion | |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: On December 14th at 11:40 AM PST, a tornado with an Enhanced Fujita Scale rating of EF2 moved northeast across the community of Aumsville, Oregon. The estimated length of the tornado path was 5 miles with a width of 150 yards. There were two minor injuries, fifty structures damaged, more than thirty large trees blown down or snapped off, five sheds damaged and two semi-trailers tipped over. The estimated value of the damage was $1.2 million. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A strong cold pool of air aloft produced a very unstable airmass over western Oregon. A vigorous low pressure center was just off the Washington Coast with a surface trough moving through western Oregon. This trough served as a focus for thunderstorms during the day. One of these thunderstorms produced a tornado that wreaked havoc on the community of Aumsville. | |||||||||||
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.