Berks County, Pennsylvania
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 42011 · population 428,624 · 856 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 2,021 records for Berks County, Pennsylvania from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 1,084 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (886 records). The deadliest single record is the July 11, 2019 flash flood: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1965, 21 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
- 2,021on 1,084 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 18195 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $154Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 30strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 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 Berks County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 886 since 1960. 46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 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 | 886 | 334 | 1960-2026 | 0 | 7 | $4.0M | 14 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 297 | 293 | 1996-2026 | 9 | 138 | $10M | 11 of 67 |
| Floods | 238 | 139 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 2 | $59M | 11 of 67 |
| Hail | 142 | 79 | 1956-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 125 | 123 | 1996-2021 | 4 | 4 | $7.6M | 10 of 67 |
| Heat | 70 | 70 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 20 | – | 9 of 67 |
| Lightning | 49 | 41 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 10 | $1.7M | 7 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 47 | 41 | 1996-2017 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 10 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 46 | 43 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 67 |
| Drought | 44 | 44 | 1997-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 35 | 34 | 1996-2022 | 1 | 0 | $24M | 12 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 30 | 25 | 1950-2025 | 0 | 11 | $48M | 20 of 67 |
| Wildfires | 10 | 10 | 2000-2012 | 0 | 3 | – | 6 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 2 | 2008-2011 | 0 | 0 | $137K | 16 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 Berks County had?
NOAA records 30 tornadoes in Berks County from 1950 to 2025, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 11 injuries recorded in the county. That is 20th 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 29 tornadoes whose track touched Berks County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 30: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-05-31 19:00, as SPC files it | Fleetwood to Lyons | F3 | 8.3 mi | 0 |
| 1950-11-04 17:00, as SPC files it | Reading | F3 | 15.9 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Pennsylvania.
Every tornado record filed for Berks County (30)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-01 | Yellow House, Berks County | EF0 0.9 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-04 | Mohrsville, Berks County | EF0 1.7 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-04 | Mt Pleasant, Berks County | EFU 0.4 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-04-22 | Womelsdorf Station, Berks County | EF1 1 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-08-18 | Berne, Berks County | EF1 1.07 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-07-29 | Stony Run, Berks County | EF1 0.62 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-05-28 | Morgantown, Berks County | EF2 2.8 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-06-19 | Shartlesville, Berks County | EF0 2.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-07-09 | Jalappa, Berks County | EF1 0.74 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 1 | $934K |
| 2002-06-27 | Stouchsburg, Berks County | F0 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-05-31 | Evansville, Berks County | F3 8.3 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 7 | $2.5M |
| 1998-03-09 | Blandon, Berks County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $181K |
| 1994-06-06 | Frystown, Berks County | F1 0.4 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 1992-08-28 | Berks County | F1 2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1992-07-17 | Berks County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1984-07-05 | Berks County | F2 2.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1984-07-05 | Berks County | F2 2.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1984-07-05 | Berks County | F2 3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1984-07-05 | Berks County | F2 3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1984-07-05 | Berks County | F2 7 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 2 | $2.5M step |
| 1979-10-05 | Berks County | F2 1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1979-10-03 | Berks County | F1 1.9 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1979-09-05 | Berks County | F2 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1978-08-28 | Berks County | F1 2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-06-30 | Berks County | F1 0.8 mi x 53 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1973-05-28 | Berks County | F1 1.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1963-04-21 | Berks County | F1 0.2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1960-06-24 | Berks County | F2 9.4 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1954-04-17 | Berks County | F1 2 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1950-11-04 | Berks County | F3 11.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K 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 Berks County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 31, 2025 flash flood ($25,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindDauberville, Berks County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindCenterport, Berks County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindCharming Forge, Berks County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindSchubert, Berks County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindMt Penn, Berks County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindMonocacy, Berks County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindBaumstown, Berks County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindHamburg, Berks County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindStouchsburg, Berks County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindVinemont, Berks County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindStouchsburg, Berks County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindStouchsburg, Berks County | 50 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-07-11 | Flash FloodPine Forge, Berks County A pregnant woman and her son were trapped in a car that flipped over after being swept against a guardrail on Grist Mill Road near Locust Road along the Ironstone Creek. The two were trapped inside the vehicle, where they both perished. The rescue crew could not reach them until the water receded about 5 hours later. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindBerks County · forecast zone Berks Post Tropical Storm Sandy caused an initial estimate of $20 million dollars in damage in Pennsylvania and directly or indirectly caused 15 deaths across the state. Most of the damage in the eastern part of the state was wind related as wind gusts reached as high as 81 mph. Some moderate creek flooding occurred in the ... | 56 kt wind | 2 | 0 | $3.2M |
| 2009-02-26 | Winter WeatherBerks County · forecast zone Berks A mixture of light freezing rain and sleet fell across parts of Berks County, the Lehigh Valley and Poconos during the morning of the 26th. Precipitation started around 7 a.m. EST and temperatures rose above freezing after 9 a.m. EST. The wintry mix contributed to many accidents, especially in Berks County. In Berks ... | 1 | 12 | – | |
| 2016-12-10 | Winter WeatherBerks County · forecast zone Berks One death and eight injuries in accidents due to a snow squall. | 1 | 8 | – | |
| 2013-12-08 | Winter WeatherBerks County · forecast zone Berks A complex low pressure system tracked across the Great Lakes during the 8th and the 9th, allowing an associated frontal boundary to move over the northern Mid Atlantic Region on the 8th, with a secondary area of low pressure forming off the Mid Atlantic coast. Significant forcing and lift within the atmosphere ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2008-02-12 | Winter StormBerks County · forecast zone Berks A protracted winter storm of snow, sleet and freezing rain affected Eastern Pennsylvania from the late morning of the 12th into the morning of the 13th. More snow fell across the Poconos, while more freezing rain and sleet fell from the Lehigh Valley south through Philadelphia. This led to a very slippery and ... | 1 | 1 | $69K | |
| 2008-02-10 | Strong WindBerks County · forecast zone Berks An arctic front swept across Pennsylvania during the morning hours of the 10th. Northwesterly winds increased in its wake and became rather gusty during the afternoon and evening hours. The strongest wind gusts averaged around 50 mph. The winds knocked down weak trees, weak tree limbs and power lines throughout the ... | 43 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $69K |
| 2007-12-13 | Winter StormBerks County · forecast zone Berks A cold front moved through the region on December 12th. Behind this front, high pressure settled into northern New England providing colder air into the region. An area of low pressure then developed along the aforementioned front across the Tennessee Valley. This storm then tracked northeastward on December 13th, ... | 1 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-06-27 | FloodBerne, Berks County | 0 | 0 | $27M | |
| 2001-06-22 | Flash FloodCountywide, Berks County | 0 | 0 | $25M | |
| 1997-04-09 | Cold/Wind ChillBerks County · forecast zone Berks | 0 | 0 | $24M | |
| 1996-01-07 | BlizzardBerks County · forecast zone Berks | 0 | 0 | $8.5M | |
| 2004-07-27 | Flash FloodSoutheast Portion, Berks County | 0 | 0 | $3.3M | |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindBerks County · forecast zone Berks | 56 kt wind | 2 | 0 | $3.2M |
| 1998-05-31 | TornadoEvansville, Berks County | F3 8.3 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 7 | $2.5M |
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Berks County | 0 | 0 | $1.8M |
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: July 5, 1984 (tornado, Berks County); July 5, 1984 (tornado, Berks County); July 5, 1984 (tornado, Berks 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 Berks 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 | 8 | 19 | 32 | 77 | 108 | 246 | 396 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 30 | 116 | 109 | 42 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 16 | 59 | 109 | 54 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 14 | 33 | 54 | 27 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 70 | 36 | 2 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 21 | 26 | 18 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 154 · Feb 153 · Mar 107 · Apr 81 · May 210 · Jun 288 · Jul 387 · Aug 253 · Sep 124 · Oct 53 · Nov 92 · Dec 119 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Berks County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include Berks County: 17 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) and flood (6).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2004-08-06 | DR-1538 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-03-14 | EM-3180 | Severe Storm | Snow |
| 2001-06-21 | DR-1383 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Allison |
| 1999-09-18 | DR-1294 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1998-06-08 | DR-1219 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes,and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 1975-09-26 | DR-485 | Flood | Severe Storms, Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1973-07-17 | DR-400 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1972-06-23 | DR-340 | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes |
| 1965-08-18 | DR-206 | Drought | Water Shortage |
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 Berks County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 238 flood or flash flood records for Berks County from 1996 to 2025, on 139 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Berks County ranks 269th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Allison | 2001-06-22 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $23.6 million on 1,313 claims filed in Berks County; the most in one year was 182 in 2006. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 53 · 1979: 149 · 1980: 3 · 1982: 21 · 1983: 43 · 1984: 23 · 1985: 10 · 1986: 9 · 1987: 74 · 1988: 4 · 1989: 18 · 1990: 1 · 1991: 1 · 1992: 1 · 1993: 12 · 1994: 20 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 67 · 1998: 3 · 1999: 48 · 2000: 10 · 2001: 31 · 2002: 3 · 2003: 22 · 2004: 27 · 2005: 41 · 2006: 182 · 2007: 6 · 2008: 2 · 2009: 4 · 2010: 6 · 2011: 93 · 2012: 4 · 2013: 4 · 2014: 8 · 2015: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 39 · 2019: 26 · 2020: 96 · 2021: 38 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 93 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 10 · 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 Berks County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Berks County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $120 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 | $2.1M | 13 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $4.9M | 6.2 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.9M | 35 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $69M | 4.8 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $8.8M | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively High | $1.8M | 2.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $7.1M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.0M | 6.3 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Berks 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 Berks CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Berks County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis