Bedford County, Pennsylvania
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 42009 · population 47,550 · 1,012 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 410 records for Bedford County, Pennsylvania from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 302 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (172 records). The deadliest single record is the November 15, 2022 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Bedford, which covers the county: 1 death, 2 injuries and $20,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1972, 19 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Remnants of Hurricane Ida” on September 10, 2021.
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
- 410on 302 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 36 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $3.0Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 2021
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 Bedford County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 172 since 1961. 49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1961 fell in May and June. 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 | 172 | 117 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 2 | $600K | 66 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 75 | 73 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 3 | $29K | 65 of 67 |
| Floods | 58 | 50 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 0 | $271K | 51 of 67 |
| Hail | 41 | 30 | 1989-2020 | 0 | 0 | $12K | 59 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 24 | 23 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | $259K | 54 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 10 | 1991-2025 | 0 | 1 | $1.8M | 59 of 67 |
| Drought | 12 | 12 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 9 | 2007-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 53 of 67 |
| Heat | 3 | 3 | 2006-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 35 of 67 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2022-2022 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 49 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 Bedford County had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in Bedford County from 1991 to 2025, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 1 injury 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 13 tornadoes whose track touched Bedford County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Pennsylvania.
Every tornado record filed for Bedford County (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-17 | Purcell, Bedford County | EF1 1.06 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2018-05-13 | Bard, Bedford County | EF0 0.49 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-06-11 | Lutzville, Bedford County | EF1 10.98 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2012-06-01 | Alum Bank, Bedford County | EF0 1.51 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $32K |
| 2004-09-17 | Bedford County | F1 2.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-17 | Everett, Bedford County | F1 3.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-01-18 | Bedford County | F0 2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $89K |
| 1996-11-08 | Wolfsburg, Bedford County | F1 15 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $941K |
| 1996-07-19 | Penwood, Bedford County | F0 5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-04-24 | Bedford County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1991-04-09 | Bedford County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1991-04-09 | Bedford County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1991-04-09 | Bedford County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Bedford County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 14, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindPavia, Bedford County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindYellow Creek, Bedford County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindWeyant, Bedford County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindImler, Bedford County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindEverett, Bedford County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindRobinsonville, Bedford County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindNew Buena Vista, Bedford County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindBedford Spgs, Bedford County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindPenwood, Bedford County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtBedford County · forecast zone Bedford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtBedford County · forecast zone Bedford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Heavy SnowBedford County · forecast zone Bedford | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-11-15 | Winter WeatherBedford County · forecast zone Bedford A period of moderate snow led to slick roads and a two-vehicle accident with one fatality and two injuries (one serious) on the 3000 block of Route 96 (Hyndman Road) near Hyndman. The road was closed for over three hours, with traffic being rerouted around the scene of the accident. | 1 | 2 | $20K | |
| 1996-07-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Bedford County | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1996-01-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Bedford County One flood related death occurred in Bedford County. A 62 year old died when her husband made two attempts to cross a flooded road. The truck was swept away and the woman was lost. The husband was rescued downstream. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-12-15 | Winter StormBedford County · forecast zone Bedford A winter storm produced around an inch of snow, half an inch of sleet, and 0.10 to 0.20 of freezing rain across Bedford County on December 15, 2022. As a result, a PennDOT fuel truck overturned on PA Route 31 near Allegheny Road in Harrison Township. The driver of the truck was injured, and the road was closed for ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1998-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindOsterburg, Bedford County | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1998-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindHyndman, Bedford County Thunderstorm winds blew down trees across the county. In Osterburg a woman suffered a broken arm when a tree fell on her near the ballfield. A farmer in Menoh escaped injury when he sought shelter in a milking parlor section of a barn, only to have the barn flattened around him. Fortunately, he was in a cinder block ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1996-11-08 | TornadoWolfsburg, Bedford County A tornado moved northeast across Bedford County causing intermittent damage along a 15 mile path initially touching down ini Wolfsburg and causing damage for about 2 miles, then touching down again northwest of New Enterprise for another 2 mile strip, and then finally destroying a barn near Bakers Summit. Along the ... | F1 15 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $941K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-11-08 | TornadoWolfsburg, Bedford County | F1 15 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $941K |
| 2011-09-09 | Flash FloodDefiance, Bedford County | 0 | 0 | $262K | |
| 1999-01-18 | TornadoBedford County | F0 2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $89K |
| 2025-06-17 | TornadoPurcell, Bedford County | EF1 1.06 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2022-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindImlertown, Bedford County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2012-06-01 | TornadoAlum Bank, Bedford County | EF0 1.51 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $32K |
| 2016-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindBard, Bedford County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2022-11-15 | Winter WeatherBedford County · forecast zone Bedford | 1 | 2 | $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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 9, 1991 (tornado, Bedford 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 Bedford 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 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 47 | 28 | 41 | 38 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 25 | 27 | 14 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 16 | 20 | 13 | 9 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 1 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 9 | 8 | 6 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1961 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 35 · Feb 34 · Mar 23 · Apr 31 · May 53 · Jun 88 · Jul 47 · Aug 29 · Sep 21 · Oct 8 · Nov 20 · Dec 21 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Bedford County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Bedford County: 15 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (7) and hurricane (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-09-10 | DR-4618 | Hurricane | Remnants of Hurricane Ida |
| 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 |
| 2013-01-10 | DR-4099 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1984-08-27 | DR-721 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-07-21 | DR-537 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 Bedford County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 58 flood or flash flood records for Bedford County from 1996 to 2025, on 50 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Bedford County ranks 292nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Lee | 2011-09-09 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $13.4 million on 1,185 claims filed in Bedford County; the most in one year was 354 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 9 · 1979: 37 · 1980: 6 · 1981: 6 · 1982: 3 · 1983: 168 · 1984: 91 · 1985: 2 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 4 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 18 · 1993: 111 · 1994: 4 · 1995: 3 · 1996: 354 · 1997: 55 · 1998: 6 · 1999: 2 · 2001: 2 · 2003: 24 · 2004: 114 · 2005: 2 · 2008: 1 · 2010: 27 · 2011: 5 · 2012: 11 · 2014: 19 · 2015: 1 · 2018: 31 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 63 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 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 Bedford County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Bedford County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $24.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $68K | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $21M | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $540K | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $1.3M | once in about 25 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $163K | 37 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $38K | 14 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $1K | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $180K | once in about 1,621 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Bedford 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 Bedford CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Bedford County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis