Baltimore (city), Maryland
City storm and disaster record · FIPS 24510 · population 585,581 · 81 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 998 records for Baltimore (city), Maryland from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 660 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (325 records). 728 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the July 2, 2002 heat, filed for the forecast zone Southern Baltimore, which covers the county: 17 deaths. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1971, 20 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on January 24, 2026.
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
- 998on 660 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 100336 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $690Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 2026
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 Baltimore (city) most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 325 since 1996. 66% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. Census land area gives no figure for Baltimore (city) under this code, so it carries no per-area rank.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 325 | 217 | 1996-2026 | 4 | 19 | $2.7M | – |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 150 | 105 | 1957-2024 | 0 | 21 | $1.6M | – |
| Heat | 120 | 83 | 1996-2025 | 85 | 281 | – | – |
| Floods | 95 | 70 | 1996-2025 | 4 | 1 | $6.7M | – |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 87 | 63 | 1997-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| High wind and dust storms | 82 | 49 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 9 | $14M | – |
| Extreme cold | 59 | 43 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $55K | – |
| Hail | 24 | 21 | 1957-2023 | 0 | 0 | $9K | – |
| Drought | 19 | 10 | 1997-2007 | 0 | 0 | $7.7M | – |
| Heavy rain | 19 | 18 | 1997-2005 | 1 | 1 | – | – |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 7 | 4 | 1999-2011 | 1 | 0 | $654M | – |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 5 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 3 | $2.9M | – |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 1996-2005 | 2 | 1 | $56K | – |
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 Baltimore (city) had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Baltimore (city) from 1996 to 2025, the strongest rated EF1, with 2 deaths and 3 injuries recorded in the county. 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 6 tornadoes whose track touched Baltimore (city) since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-11-02 19:42, as SPC files it | Baltimore | EF1 | 2.72 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Maryland.
Every tornado record filed for Baltimore (city) (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-16 | Canton, Baltimore (city) | EF1 2.74 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $500K |
| 2025-05-16 | Port Covengton, Baltimore (city) | EF1 0.21 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2024-06-05 | Lansdowne, Baltimore (city) | EF1 0.49 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
| 2024-06-05 | Canton, Baltimore (city) | EF0 0.43 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | $235K |
| 2018-11-02 | Penn Mary Jct, Baltimore (city) | EF1 1.5 mi x 150 yd | 2 | 0 | – |
| 2010-11-17 | Raspeburg, Baltimore (city) | EF1 0.1 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 3 | $271K |
| 1996-07-19 | Ne Portion, Baltimore (city) | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Baltimore (city)?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 16, 2025 tornado ($500,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
After cross the tidal Patapsco River, a tornado came back onshore in the Canton area. A path of uprooted trees and snapped branches was noted in Canton Waterfront Park, from the shoreline through the park. After this, the tornado moved east towards The Shops at Canton Crossing. This is where the tornado punched a hole near the roofline of the west-facing wall of a fitness facility. Once wind entered the building, it lifted off part of the east roof and blew it to the east-southeast. Areas east of the shopping mall consist of rail yards and industrial facilities, where no damage was noted by survey or reported. From Canton Crossing, the storm turned slightly right to the east-southeast, towards Dundalk. …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1250152)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-03 | Winter WeatherBaltimore County and Baltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | Winter WeatherBaltimore County and Baltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillBaltimore County and Baltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillBaltimore County and Baltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormBaltimore County and Baltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillBaltimore County and Baltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | Winter WeatherBaltimore County and Baltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-14 | Winter WeatherBaltimore County and Baltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-05 | Winter WeatherBaltimore County and Baltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-14 | Flash FloodHillen, Baltimore (city) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-24 | Excessive HeatBaltimore County and Baltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-23 | Excessive HeatBaltimore County and Baltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-07-02 | HeatBaltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore High pressure remained stationary off the Delmarva coastline during the 1st week of July. This resulted in a prolonged period of hot and humid weather across the Mid Atlantic region. Between July 2nd and 4th, high temperatures rose into the lower to middle 90s and dew points reached into the lower 70s. This resulted ... | 17 | 0 | – | |
| 1999-07-04 | HeatBaltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore High pressure sat off the Mid-Atlantic coast from the 4th through the 7th, acting like a heat pump drawing in extremely warm and humid air. Temperatures on the 4th through early on the 7th were oppressively hot, and extremely humid conditions added to the misery. These conditions continued until a cold front swept ... | 15 | 200 | – | |
| 2018-07-03 | Excessive HeatBaltimore County and Baltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore Heat indices around 110 degrees were reported. The Maryland Department of Health reported 8 fatalities due to the excessive heat in Baltimore City. The fatalities occurred during the week of July 3rd to July 9th. | 8 | 0 | – | |
| 2002-08-01 | HeatBaltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore High pressure off the Atlantic Coast pumped hot and humid air into the Mid-Atlantic region. This caused high temperatures to reach between 92 and 100 degrees August 1st through the 5th. Dew points in the upper 60s to mid 70s forced heat indexes to soar to between 98 and 110 degrees. Seven residents of Baltimore County ... | 5 | 0 | – | |
| 2006-08-01 | HeatBaltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore Excessive heat conditions occurred on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, August 1-3, across much of Maryland. Afternoon heat index values ranged between 105 to as high as 115 degrees. Six people lost their lives in Central Maryland due to the excessive heat conditions during this heat wave. Five people, including one ... | 4 | 0 | – | |
| 2003-11-19 | Flash FloodBaltimore (city) Creeks and roads were flooded. | 4 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-07-16 | HeatBaltimore County and Baltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore Heat indices were close to 100 degrees. The Maryland Department of Health reported three fatalities due to the heat during the week of July 10th through July 16th. | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-07-05 | Excessive HeatBaltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore Heat indices were measured up to 112 degrees at the Maryland Science Center. There were three fatalities reported due to the heat. | 3 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-09-18 | Tropical StormBaltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore | 0 | 0 | $404M | |
| 2003-09-18 | Tropical StormBaltimore (city) · forecast zone Northern Baltimore | 1 | 0 | $249M | |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindBaltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore | 59 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $9.2M |
| 1997-07-01 | DroughtBaltimore (city) · forecast zone Northern Baltimore | 0 | 0 | $4.7M | |
| 2018-05-27 | Flash FloodCatonsville, Baltimore (city) | 0 | 0 | $3.5M | |
| 1998-11-01 | DroughtBaltimore (city) · forecast zone Northern Baltimore | 0 | 0 | $3.0M | |
| 2003-02-14 | Winter StormBaltimore (city) · forecast zone Southern Baltimore | 0 | 1 | $2.4M | |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindBaltimore (city) · forecast zone Northern Baltimore | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
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 Baltimore (city)'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 38 | 114 | 137 | 36 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 14 | 37 | 40 | 32 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 17 | 39 | 51 | 13 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 31 | 42 | 14 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 2 | 14 | 57 z | 14 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 24 | 39 | 16 | 3 |
Fog, smoke and funnel clouds in the 2010s: 57 records against 14 in the decade before, 57 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Baltimore (city) days with a record above.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
66% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 164 · Feb 144 · Mar 83 · Apr 41 · May 37 · Jun 106 · Jul 132 · Aug 68 · Sep 31 · Oct 39 · Nov 40 · Dec 113 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Baltimore (city)
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Baltimore (city): 15 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for snowstorm (6) and hurricane (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3634 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020-03-26 | DR-4491 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3430 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-03-04 | DR-4261 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2012-11-20 | DR-4091 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3349 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-08-02 | DR-4075 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2011-09-16 | DR-4034 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-27 | EM-3335 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-05-06 | DR-1910 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 2010-02-19 | DR-1875 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3251 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-09-19 | DR-1492 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 2003-03-14 | EM-3179 | Severe Storm | Snow |
| 2000-04-10 | DR-1324 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1996-01-11 | DR-1081 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3100 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1979-09-14 | DR-601 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1977-01-26 | DR-524 | Snowstorm | Ice Conditions |
| 1975-10-04 | DR-489 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1972-06-23 | DR-341 | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes |
| 1971-08-17 | DR-309 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
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 Baltimore (city) had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 95 flood or flash flood records for Baltimore (city) from 1996 to 2025, on 70 days, with 4 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Baltimore (city) ranks 318th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 2 | 1 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $26.7 million on 1,065 claims filed in Baltimore (city); the most in one year was 188 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 15 · 1979: 188 · 1980: 2 · 1981: 64 · 1982: 3 · 1983: 13 · 1984: 68 · 1985: 15 · 1986: 4 · 1987: 6 · 1989: 7 · 1993: 4 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 25 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 7 · 1999: 44 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 155 · 2004: 28 · 2005: 6 · 2006: 22 · 2007: 4 · 2008: 13 · 2009: 5 · 2010: 9 · 2011: 42 · 2012: 33 · 2013: 18 · 2014: 59 · 2015: 6 · 2016: 31 · 2017: 5 · 2018: 80 · 2019: 18 · 2020: 9 · 2021: 10 · 2022: 6 · 2023: 21 · 2024: 7 · 2025: 4 · 2026: 3; 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 Baltimore (city)
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Baltimore (city) Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $136 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Very High | $944K | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | $38M | 6.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $12M | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $2.7M | 8.1 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $10M | once in about 14 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $52M | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.1M | 39 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $6.9M | once in about 926 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Baltimore (city)
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 MarylandEvery Maryland tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in MarylandThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Maryland recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Baltimore (city)The hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Baltimore (city)'s FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis