Adams County, Pennsylvania
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 42001 · population 103,797 · 519 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 528 records for Adams County, Pennsylvania from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 393 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (281 records). The deadliest single record is the July 22, 2018 flood: 1 death. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1972, 18 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm” on March 23, 2016.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 528on 393 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 31 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $22Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 17strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 2020
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Adams County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 281 since 1955. 51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among Pennsylvania's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 281 | 197 | 1955-2026 | 1 | 0 | $11M | 16 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 75 | 75 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $11K | 37 of 67 |
| Floods | 52 | 48 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 0 | $181K | 30 of 67 |
| Hail | 52 | 44 | 1980-2024 | 0 | 0 | $20K | 25 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 20 | 20 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 1 | $92K | 31 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 17 | 14 | 1951-2021 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 24 of 67 |
| Drought | 11 | 11 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 67 |
| Heat | 11 | 11 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 4 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 60 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2023-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 21 of 67 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | $51K | 39 of 67 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Adams County had?
NOAA records 17 tornadoes in Adams County from 1951 to 2021, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 24th of 67 Pennsylvania counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 17 tornadoes whose track touched Adams County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 17, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980-06-07 17:00, as SPC files it | East Berlin | F3 | 1.5 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Pennsylvania.
Every tornado record filed for Adams County (17)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-08-18 | Hampton, Adams County | EF0 0.62 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2005-08-30 | Seven Stars, Adams County | F1 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-08-30 | Fountain Dale, Adams County | F1 3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-08-30 | Gettysburg, Adams County | F1 7 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-08-20 | Littlestown, Adams County | F1 0.2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-03-03 | Heidlersburg, Adams County | F0 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 1998-04-01 | Table Rock, Adams County | F1 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-09-06 | York Spgs, Adams County | F1 0.8 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-07-19 | McKnightstown, Adams County | F1 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-06-24 | McKnightstown, Adams County | F1 5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1980-06-07 | Adams County | F3 1.5 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1980-06-07 | Adams County | F2 2.3 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1978-08-28 | Adams County | F2 3.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1976-03-21 | Adams County | F2 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1971-09-16 | Adams County | F1 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1954-04-25 | Adams County | F2 13.3 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1951-03-30 | Adams County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Adams County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 6, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($3,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindGranite, Adams County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtAdams County · forecast zone Adams | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-12 | DroughtAdams County · forecast zone Adams | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindHampton, Adams County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindYork Spgs, Adams County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtAdams County · forecast zone Adams | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | Heavy SnowAdams County · forecast zone Adams | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtAdams County · forecast zone Adams | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Heavy SnowAdams County · forecast zone Adams | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-13 | DroughtAdams County · forecast zone Adams | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-25 | Thunderstorm WindTrust, Adams County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-09-03 | Dust DevilGettysburg, Adams County | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-07-22 | FloodHeidlersburg, Adams County On Wednesday, July 25th, An 18 year old boy was found deceased along Conewago Creek by Stone Jug Road and Benders Church Road in Butler Township. His family reported him missing on July 23rd, and it is believed he was last seen on Sunday evening. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2006-06-27 | Flash FloodCountywide, Adams County Heavy rain associated with a stalled frontal boundary, interacting with the remnants of a weak tropical system, caused flash flooding throughout central and eastern Pennsylvania from June 27 through June 28. While flash flooding ended on the 28th, flood waters continued in some locations until July 1st. In all, the ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1987-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindAdams County | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-04-30 | High WindAdams County · forecast zone Adams High winds were estimated to have gusted to near 60 mph in Adams County on April 30, 2021. These winds knocked down a tree onto an occupied porta-potty at Gettysburg National Battlefield, entrapping and causing minor injuries to the occupant. | 52 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-06-21 | Thunderstorm WindCashtown, Adams County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $8.7M |
| 1994-07-06 | Thunderstorm WindGettysburg, Adams County | 0 | 0 | $995K | |
| 2020-08-06 | Thunderstorm WindEast Berlin, Adams County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $103K |
| 2010-06-04 | Thunderstorm WindMc Sherrystown, Adams County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 1999-03-03 | TornadoHeidlersburg, Adams County | F0 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindHampton, Adams County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2015-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindLittlestown, Adams County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2025-04-19 | Thunderstorm WindLittlestown, Adams County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 7, 1980 (tornado, Adams County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Adams County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 3 | 6 | 19 | 48 | 57 | 95 | 50 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 31 | 23 | 12 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 11 | 18 | 20 | 3 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 22 | 9 | 5 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 30 · Feb 36 · Mar 25 · Apr 36 · May 44 · Jun 108 · Jul 87 · Aug 68 · Sep 48 · Oct 11 · Nov 15 · Dec 20 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Adams County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Adams County: 14 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (7) and snowstorm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-30 | DR-4506 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3441 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-03-23 | DR-4267 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3356 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-09-12 | DR-4030 | Flood | Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011-09-08 | EM-3340 | Flood | Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2010-04-16 | DR-1898 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 2006-06-30 | DR-1649 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3235 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2004-09-19 | DR-1555 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Frances |
| 2004-09-19 | DR-1557 | Hurricane | Tropical Depression Ivan |
| 2003-03-14 | EM-3180 | Severe Storm | Snow |
| 1996-06-18 | DR-1120 | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms |
| 1996-01-21 | DR-1093 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1085 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1994-03-10 | DR-1015 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3105 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1976-10-20 | DR-523 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1975-09-26 | DR-485 | Flood | Severe Storms, Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1972-06-23 | DR-340 | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Adams County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 52 flood or flash flood records for Adams County from 1996 to 2025, on 48 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Adams County ranks 599th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $6.7 million on 400 claims filed in Adams County; the most in one year was 133 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 9 · 1979: 11 · 1980: 1 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 2 · 1985: 8 · 1987: 2 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 4 · 1992: 2 · 1993: 20 · 1995: 8 · 1996: 97 · 1998: 1 · 2000: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 5 · 2004: 5 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 3 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 133 · 2012: 19 · 2013: 15 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2018: 7 · 2019: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 23 · 2022: 1 · 2024: 5 · 2026: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Adams County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Adams County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $27.2 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | 3.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $3.4M | once in about 13 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $17M | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | 6.5 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $141K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $977K | once in about 895 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $882K | 4.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $301K | 37 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Adams County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in PennsylvaniaEvery Pennsylvania tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in PennsylvaniaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Pennsylvania recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Adams CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Adams County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis