Merced County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
The chance of earthquake damage in Merced County is much lower than California average and is much higher than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Merced County is about the same as California average and is much lower than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #39
| Merced County | 3.95 |
| California | 21.80 |
| 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, #31
| Merced County | 0.0046 |
| California | 0.0068 |
| 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, #6
| Merced County | 18.44 |
| California | 18.56 |
| 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 1,076 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Merced County were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 1 | Cold: | 0 | Dense Fog: | 5 | Drought: | 3 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 240 | Hail: | 154 | Heat: | 1 | Heavy Snow: | 2 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 0 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 34 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 91 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 56 | Winter Storm: | 3 | Winter Weather: | 0 |
| Other: | 486 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
A total of 5 volcanoes are found in or near Merced County.
| Distance (miles) | Name | Region | Latitude | Longitude | Elevation (foot) | Type | Status | Last Eruption |
| 95.5 | Red Cones | US-California, United States | 37.58 | -119.05 | 2748 | Cinder cone | Holocene | Undated, but probable Holocene eruption |
| 99.5 | Inyo Craters | US-California, United States | 37.692 | -119.02 | 2629 | Lava dome | Radiocarbon | Last known eruption A.D. 1-1499 |
| 105.5 | Mono Craters | US-California, United States | 37.88 | -119 | 2796 | Lava dome | Radiocarbon | Last known eruption A.D. 1-1499 |
| 107.4 | Long Valley | US-California, United States | 37.7 | -118.87 | 3390 | Caldera | Pleistocene-Fumarol | Quaternary eruption(s) with the only known Holocene activity being hydrothermal |
| 108.0 | Mono Lake Volc Field | US-California, United States | 38 | -119.03 | 2121 | Cinder cone | Tephrochronology | Last known eruption 1700-1799 |
Historical Earthquake Events
A total of 96 historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Merced County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Depth (km) | Latitude | Longitude |
| 43.3 | 1979-08-06 | 5.9 | 6 | 37.1 | -121.5 |
| 47.7 | 1961-04-09 | 5.6 | N/A | 36.68 | -121.3 |
| 49.4 | 1951-07-29 | 5.4 | N/A | 36.58 | -121.18 |
| 43.4 | 1949-03-09 | 5.3 | N/A | 37.02 | -121.48 |
| 47.1 | 1974-11-28 | 5.2 | 9 | 36.91 | -121.5 |
| 49.4 | 1972-02-24 | 5.1 | 6 | 36.59 | -121.2 |
| 48.4 | 1960-01-20 | 5 | N/A | 36.78 | -121.43 |
| 48.8 | 1967-09-28 | 5 | N/A | 37.22 | -121.61 |
| 49.4 | 1967-09-28 | 5 | N/A | 37.22 | -121.62 |
| 47.6 | 1985-11-28 | 4.9 | 10 | 36.56 | -121.06 |
| 41.5 | 1945-01-07 | 4.7 | N/A | 36.73 | -121.2 |
| 42.0 | 1970-03-31 | 4.7 | 10 | 36.86 | -121.36 |
| 46.4 | 1959-12-29 | 4.7 | N/A | 36.9 | -121.48 |
| 47.5 | 1973-10-03 | 4.7 | 8 | 37.28 | -121.58 |
| 48.2 | 1973-10-03 | 4.7 | 6 | 37.2 | -121.6 |
| 48.4 | 1972-09-04 | 4.7 | 2 | 36.64 | -121.26 |
| 48.9 | 1972-02-27 | 4.7 | 10 | 36.55 | -121.09 |
| 49.0 | 1962-04-15 | 4.7 | N/A | 36.52 | -120.45 |
| 44.3 | 1945-05-17 | 4.6 | N/A | 36.85 | -121.4 |
| 46.2 | 1969-10-27 | 4.6 | N/A | 36.79 | -121.39 |
| 48.3 | 1951-08-06 | 4.6 | N/A | 36.62 | -121.22 |
| 45.5 | 1932-04-16 | 4.5 | N/A | 36.67 | -121.22 |
| 47.7 | 1963-11-30 | 4.5 | 16 | 36.58 | -120.33 |
| 48.7 | 1941-05-28 | 4.5 | N/A | 37.1 | -121.6 |
| 49.7 | 1957-09-28 | 4.5 | N/A | 36.6 | -121.23 |
| 42.1 | 1948-04-27 | 4.4 | N/A | 36.77 | -121.27 |
| 43.8 | 1979-08-06 | 4.4 | 4 | 37 | -121.48 |
| 49.9 | 1964-05-13 | 4.4 | N/A | 36.55 | -121.13 |
| 33.7 | 1976-03-17 | 4.3 | 8 | 36.83 | -121.13 |
| 45.6 | 1947-08-10 | 4.3 | N/A | 36.88 | -121.45 |
| 47.1 | 1981-06-08 | 4.3 | 10 | 36.74 | -121.36 |
| 48.4 | 1947-07-07 | 4.3 | N/A | 36.77 | -121.42 |
| 35.6 | 1983-02-05 | 4.2 | 8 | 36.69 | -120.85 |
| 40.0 | 1945-11-03 | 4.2 | N/A | 36.7 | -121.1 |
| 42.0 | 1979-08-09 | 4.2 | 6 | 37.01 | -121.45 |
| 42.4 | 1981-08-14 | 4.2 | 9 | 36.78 | -121.29 |
| 46.6 | 1942-01-14 | 4.2 | N/A | 36.65 | -121.22 |
| 48.8 | 1969-11-15 | 4.2 | N/A | 36.75 | -121.41 |
| 48.8 | 1973-06-22 | 4.2 | 9 | 36.6 | -121.2 |
| 49.0 | 1984-06-05 | 4.2 | 6 | 37.27 | -121.61 |
| 11.7 | 1954-11-01 | 4 | N/A | 37.07 | -120.58 |
| 42.0 | 1975-08-10 | 4 | N/A | 37.37 | -119.99 |
| 43.5 | 1951-10-31 | 4 | N/A | 36.9 | -121.42 |
| 43.5 | 1951-10-30 | 4 | N/A | 36.9 | -121.42 |
| 45.0 | 1942-04-11 | 4 | N/A | 36.75 | -121.32 |
| 46.1 | 1977-01-19 | 4 | 4 | 36.93 | -121.49 |
| 46.1 | 1968-12-11 | 4 | N/A | 37.16 | -121.56 |
| 46.7 | 1959-09-11 | 4 | N/A | 36.7 | -121.3 |
| 46.7 | 1973-01-15 | 4 | 8 | 36.7 | -121.3 |
| 47.7 | 1980-10-13 | 4 | 11 | 36.57 | -121.09 |
| 48.8 | 1948-06-11 | 4 | N/A | 36.6 | -121.2 |
| 48.8 | 1936-03-17 | 4 | N/A | 36.6 | -121.2 |
| 49.4 | 1932-01-08 | 4 | N/A | 36.67 | -121.33 |
| 49.9 | 1967-04-22 | 4 | N/A | 36.62 | -121.27 |
| 22.5 | 1981-05-20 | 3.9 | 8 | 36.98 | -121.03 |
| 35.0 | 1963-07-31 | 3.9 | N/A | 36.87 | -121.21 |
| 43.5 | 1951-11-01 | 3.9 | N/A | 36.9 | -121.42 |
| 43.9 | 1957-09-03 | 3.9 | N/A | 37.05 | -121.5 |
| 49.4 | 1958-04-04 | 3.9 | N/A | 36.67 | -121.33 |
| 43.8 | 1951-04-27 | 3.8 | 16 | 36.67 | -121.17 |
| 46.1 | 1968-02-21 | 3.8 | N/A | 37.18 | -121.56 |
| 46.1 | 1977-07-30 | 3.8 | 11 | 36.91 | -121.48 |
| 46.2 | 1960-10-23 | 3.8 | N/A | 36.8 | -121.4 |
| 22.6 | 1945-06-14 | 3.7 | N/A | 36.9 | -120.9 |
| 25.4 | 1977-10-13 | 3.7 | 10 | 37.47 | -121.03 |
| 42.8 | 1951-10-03 | 3.7 | N/A | 36.78 | -121.3 |
| 42.9 | 1982-05-22 | 3.7 | 6 | 37.05 | -121.48 |
| 43.7 | 1982-11-13 | 3.7 | 9 | 36.69 | -121.2 |
| 45.6 | 1972-03-31 | 3.7 | 2 | 36.86 | -120.01 |
| 46.8 | 1984-04-26 | 3.7 | 5 | 37.14 | -121.57 |
| 47.2 | 1977-03-12 | 3.7 | 2 | 36.89 | -121.49 |
| 46.9 | 1970-08-30 | 3.6 | 10 | 36.9 | -121.49 |
| 47.3 | 1984-04-26 | 3.6 | 5 | 37.14 | -121.58 |
| 47.7 | 1951-08-25 | 3.6 | N/A | 36.63 | -121.22 |
| 48.4 | 1951-10-23 | 3.6 | N/A | 36.92 | -121.53 |
| 36.8 | 1942-08-08 | 3.5 | N/A | 36.9 | -121.28 |
| 42.0 | 1962-04-02 | 3.5 | N/A | 37.07 | -121.47 |
| 42.3 | 1983-09-27 | 3.5 | 8 | 37.05 | -121.47 |
| 42.5 | 1961-05-26 | 3.5 | N/A | 36.93 | -121.42 |
| 42.7 | 1983-05-02 | 3.5 | 6 | 37.06 | -121.48 |
| 43.2 | 1979-08-09 | 3.5 | 3 | 36.98 | -121.46 |
| 43.5 | 1932-07-19 | 3.5 | N/A | 36.67 | -121.16 |
| 43.7 | 1932-02-02 | 3.5 | N/A | 36.57 | -120.6 |
| 43.7 | 1966-01-21 | 3.5 | N/A | 36.98 | -121.47 |
| 44.2 | 1977-12-29 | 3.5 | 8 | 36.86 | -120.04 |
| 45.3 | 1984-04-27 | 3.5 | 8 | 37.12 | -121.54 |
| 46.0 | 1932-01-29 | 3.5 | N/A | 36.83 | -121.42 |
| 46.3 | 1977-01-18 | 3.5 | 9 | 36.92 | -121.49 |
| 46.3 | 1963-02-02 | 3.5 | N/A | 36.82 | -121.42 |
| 47.2 | 1976-10-23 | 3.5 | 11 | 36.89 | -121.49 |
| 47.7 | 1960-11-20 | 3.5 | N/A | 36.82 | -121.45 |
| 47.8 | 1976-09-05 | 3.5 | 9 | 37.6 | -121.43 |
| 49.2 | 1972-03-04 | 3.5 | 10 | 36.55 | -121.1 |
| 49.2 | 1951-07-29 | 3.5 | N/A | 36.57 | -121.15 |
| 49.2 | 1982-07-18 | 3.5 | 10 | 36.83 | -121.49 |
| 49.5 | 1963-07-16 | 3.5 | N/A | 36.88 | -121.53 |
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 2 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Merced County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 34.9 | 1953-04-27 | 2 | 37°39'N / 121°00'W | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Stanislaus | |||
| 44.3 | 1985-03-11 | 2 | 36°51'N / 121°24'W | 0.50 Mile | 20 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | San Benito |
* 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.