Blair County, Pennsylvania
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 42013 · population 122,666 · 525 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 458 records for Blair County, Pennsylvania from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 312 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (229 records). The deadliest single record is the December 14, 2013 winter storm, filed for the forecast zone Blair, which covers the county: 2 deaths and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1972, 16 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
- 458on 312 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 44 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $9.9Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 18latest 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 Blair County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 229 since 1960. 48% 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 | 229 | 137 | 1960-2026 | 0 | 0 | $943K | 41 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 87 | 82 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 1 | $8K | 32 of 67 |
| Floods | 57 | 46 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 0 | $475K | 33 of 67 |
| Hail | 30 | 25 | 1976-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 43 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 30 | 29 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $323K | 20 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 9 | 2007-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 of 67 |
| Drought | 6 | 6 | 1997-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 of 67 |
| Heat | 3 | 3 | 2006-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 1988-1998 | 0 | 0 | $6.2M | 64 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2015-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 of 67 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2024-2024 | 0 | 3 | $1.9M | 12 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 Blair County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Blair County from 1988 to 1998, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 0 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 4 tornadoes whose track touched Blair County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 3: 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.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Pennsylvania.
Every tornado record filed for Blair County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-06-02 | Tyrone, Blair County | F1 4 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-07-19 | Sickles Corner, Blair County | F1 1.5 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-11-05 | Blair County | F1 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M 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 Blair County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 14, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindBlue Knob, Blair County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindWilliamsburg, Blair County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindCross Keys, Blair County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindCross Keys, Blair County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindJuniata Run Gap, Blair County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindTyrone, Blair County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindBlair County · forecast zone Blair | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindBlair Co Airport A, Blair County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindSproul, Blair County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-01-24 | Heavy SnowBlair County · forecast zone Blair | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-11 | Winter WeatherBlair County · forecast zone Blair | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-11 | Winter WeatherBlair County · forecast zone Blair | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-12-14 | Winter StormBlair County · forecast zone Blair Light snow started in the morning and became heavy at times through the afternoon and evening. Snow changed to sleet and then freezing rain/drizzle with a glaze of ice topping storm total snow accumulations between 4 and 8 inches. Two people lost their lives on a snow-covered Sugar Run Road in Allegheny Township, when ... | 2 | 1 | – | |
| 2004-09-17 | FloodBlair County · forecast zone Blair | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1996-01-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Blair County Two people died in Blair County. One was a drowning directly related to the flooding, and the second a heart attack. A 17 year male was walking home from a store near Geeseytown when he was trapped by rising water on the Frankstown branch of the Juniata River. Rescue attempts by jet ski and helicopter failed when the ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-11-08 | WildfireBlair County · forecast zone Blair A wildfire developed during the afternoon of November 8, 2024 in Frankstown Township near Canoe Creek State Park in Blair County. The wildfire occurred during a stretch of unseasonably warm and dry weather along with gusty winds, and it quickly expanded in size to around 300 acres. At the fire's peak, aerial support ... | 0 | 3 | $1.9M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11-08 | WildfireBlair County · forecast zone Blair | 0 | 3 | $1.9M | |
| 2003-08-09 | Flash FloodAltoona, Blair County | 0 | 0 | $401K | |
| 2025-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindGeeseytown, Blair County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $80K |
| 2025-04-29 | Thunderstorm WindSickles Corner, Blair County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $40K |
| 2021-10-21 | Thunderstorm WindMill Run, Blair County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 2025-02-16 | High WindBlair County · forecast zone Blair | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-04-15 | Strong WindBlair County · forecast zone Blair | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-10-19 | Strong WindBlair County · forecast zone Blair | 39 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
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: November 5, 1988 (tornado, Blair 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 Blair 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 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 39 | 33 | 72 | 71 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 11 | 28 | 21 | 27 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 13 | 19 | 13 | 12 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 15 | 5 | 9 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
48% 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 42 · Feb 35 · Mar 30 · Apr 33 · May 46 · Jun 67 · Jul 74 · Aug 48 · Sep 25 · Oct 9 · Nov 24 · Dec 25 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Blair County
FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Blair County: 12 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (6) 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 |
| 2011-09-08 | 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 |
| 2003-08-23 | DR-1485 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2003-03-14 | EM-3180 | Severe Storm | Snow |
| 1996-07-26 | DR-1130 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 1996-01-21 | DR-1093 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1085 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 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 Blair County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 57 flood or flash flood records for Blair County from 1996 to 2025, on 46 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Blair County ranks 303rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Depression Ivan | 2004-09-17 | 1 | 1 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $8.5 million on 1,117 claims filed in Blair County; the most in one year was 302 in 2004. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 13 · 1979: 32 · 1980: 4 · 1981: 4 · 1982: 6 · 1983: 5 · 1984: 43 · 1985: 2 · 1986: 2 · 1987: 9 · 1989: 15 · 1990: 3 · 1991: 2 · 1993: 60 · 1994: 9 · 1995: 25 · 1996: 278 · 1997: 83 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 3 · 2003: 35 · 2004: 302 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 2 · 2009: 3 · 2010: 22 · 2011: 15 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 6 · 2015: 6 · 2017: 3 · 2018: 58 · 2019: 13 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 34 · 2022: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2026: 5; 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 Blair County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Blair County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $33.9 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 | Relatively High | $448K | 14 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $27M | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $574K | 37 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $861K | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $30K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $1.4M | once in about 21 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $463K | once in about 1,852 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.5M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Blair 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 Blair CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Blair County's FEMA declarations (CSV)18 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis