Bradford County, Pennsylvania
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 42015 · population 59,840 · 1,147 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 756 records for Bradford County, Pennsylvania from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 412 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (329 records). The deadliest single record is the July 6, 2020 lightning: 2 deaths and 2 injuries. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1972, 19 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Flooding” on November 27, 2018.
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
- 756on 412 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 322 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $240Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 21strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 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 Bradford County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 329 since 1969. 50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 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 | 329 | 177 | 1969-2026 | 0 | 15 | $3.7M | 63 of 67 |
| Floods | 199 | 97 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $184M | 35 of 67 |
| Hail | 83 | 45 | 1971-2022 | 0 | 0 | $120K | 54 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 82 | 82 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 66 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 21 | 20 | 1951-2019 | 0 | 1 | $5.6M | 41 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 13 | 13 | 1996-2012 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 67 of 67 |
| Lightning | 12 | 11 | 1996-2020 | 2 | 6 | $203K | 16 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 9 | 9 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $7.5M | 59 of 67 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2001-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 36 of 67 |
| Drought | 3 | 3 | 1997-1999 | 0 | 0 | $36M | 64 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2019-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 45 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 Bradford County had?
NOAA records 21 tornadoes in Bradford County from 1951 to 2019, the strongest rated EF2, 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 21 tornadoes whose track touched Bradford County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 21, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Pennsylvania.
Every tornado record filed for Bradford County (21)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-05-28 | Ghent, Bradford County | EF1 3.2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $23K |
| 2018-06-13 | Bailey Corners, Bradford County | EF2 5.16 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $588K |
| 2017-06-19 | East Smithfield, Bradford County | EF0 1.05 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2016-07-25 | Monroeton, Bradford County | EF1 0.11 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2016-02-24 | Limehill, Bradford County | EF1 1.09 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2014-07-08 | New Albany, Bradford County | EF1 4.5 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $125K |
| 2012-07-15 | Troy, Bradford County | EF0 1.24 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2011-05-26 | Milan, Bradford County | EF1 0.39 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $26K |
| 2010-06-22 | Windham Center, Bradford County | EF1 1.03 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $135K |
| 2005-08-12 | Towanda, Bradford County | F0 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $151K |
| 1999-07-01 | Overton, Bradford County | F0 2.7 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 1998-06-02 | Terrytown, Bradford County | F1 6 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $724K |
| 1996-06-22 | Wyalusing, Bradford County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $941K |
| 1992-07-05 | Bradford County | F1 8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1977-07-06 | Bradford County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1977-07-06 | Bradford County | F1 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-07-29 | Bradford County | F1 | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1973-06-28 | Bradford County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1964-07-01 | Bradford County | F1 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1954-09-19 | Bradford County | F2 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1951-07-21 | Bradford County | F0 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 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 Bradford County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 11, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindStevensville, Bradford County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindBurlington, Bradford County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-19 | Frost/FreezeBradford County · forecast zone Bradford | 0 | 0 | $7.5M | |
| 2026-04-15 | Thunderstorm WindMilan, Bradford County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-04-15 | Thunderstorm WindMosherville, Bradford County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormBradford County · forecast zone Bradford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-05 | Thunderstorm WindWilmot, Bradford County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-11-05 | Thunderstorm WindNew Era, Bradford County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-14 | Flash FloodWyalusing, Bradford County | 0 | 0 | $50K | |
| 2025-07-14 | Flash FloodNew Albany, Bradford County | 0 | 0 | $2K | |
| 2025-07-08 | Flash FloodTroy, Bradford County | 0 | 0 | $2K | |
| 2025-07-08 | Flash FloodWetona, Bradford County | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-07-06 | LightningBailey Corners, Bradford County Lightning from a nearby thunderstorm struck four individuals under a tree stand in the area of 447 Tube Drive in Granville Township. Two of these people were killed and the other two were injured. They were holding a metal latter at the time they were struck. | 2 | 2 | – | |
| 2011-09-07 | FloodTowanda, Bradford County Major flooding occurred along the Susquehanna River near Towanda, PA. The river crested at 30.52 feet on September 8, 2011 at 10:45 AM. | 1 | 0 | $6.6M | |
| 1986-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindBradford County | 0 | 14 | – | |
| 2003-08-16 | LightningWest Burlington, Bradford County Lightning struck a tree in a picnic area at Mount Pisgah State Park. A man and a woman near the tree were injured. The man had lightning burns, while the woman "suffered some pain". | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2022-07-24 | Thunderstorm WindNorth Towanda, Bradford County Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree and a pedestrian sustained injuries from the falling tree. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $1K |
| 2008-06-10 | LightningTroy, Bradford County A truck driver was struck by lightning while driving his truck. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1996-05-21 | LightningEast Athens, Bradford County One man was struck by lightning in East Athens. He was working in a barn when lightning struck a nearby house. The lightning traveled through power lines from the house into the barn, striking him and throwing him a distance of 10 to 12 feet. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1976-07-29 | TornadoBradford County | F1 | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-01-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Bradford County | 0 | 0 | $40M | |
| 2006-06-27 | Flash FloodEast Portion, Bradford County | 0 | 0 | $37M | |
| 1999-09-01 | DroughtBradford County · forecast zone Bradford | 0 | 0 | $35M | |
| 2004-09-17 | Flash FloodCountywide, Bradford County | 0 | 0 | $31M | |
| 2011-09-07 | FloodEast Athens, Bradford County | 0 | 0 | $20M | |
| 2006-06-27 | FloodSayre, Bradford County | 0 | 0 | $15M | |
| 2026-04-19 | Frost/FreezeBradford County · forecast zone Bradford | 0 | 0 | $7.5M | |
| 2011-09-07 | FloodTowanda, Bradford County | 1 | 0 | $6.6M |
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: July 1, 1964 (tornado, Bradford 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 Bradford 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 | 1 | 11 | 18 | 49 | 85 | 81 | 84 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 56 | 89 | 46 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 21 | 40 | 4 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 13 | 37 | 17 | 15 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 43 · Feb 23 · Mar 41 · Apr 45 · May 79 · Jun 118 · Jul 171 · Aug 97 · Sep 47 · Oct 26 · Nov 30 · Dec 36 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Bradford County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Bradford County: 16 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) and flood (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-30 | DR-4506 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3441 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-11-27 | DR-4408 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2016-12-02 | DR-4292 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2011-07-13 | DR-4003 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2007-02-23 | DR-1684 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2006-06-30 | DR-1649 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3235 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2005-04-14 | DR-1587 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 Bradford County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 199 flood or flash flood records for Bradford County from 1996 to 2025, on 97 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Bradford County ranks 351st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Lee | 2011-09-07 | 8 | 1 |
| Tropical Depression Ivan | 2004-09-17 | 3 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $24.8 million on 898 claims filed in Bradford County; the most in one year was 329 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 7 · 1979: 59 · 1980: 2 · 1981: 2 · 1982: 4 · 1983: 46 · 1984: 9 · 1986: 2 · 1990: 1 · 1993: 34 · 1994: 5 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 121 · 1998: 2 · 1999: 2 · 2000: 3 · 2001: 1 · 2003: 3 · 2004: 75 · 2005: 40 · 2006: 32 · 2008: 3 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 3 · 2011: 329 · 2013: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2017: 23 · 2018: 72 · 2019: 5 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 5 · 2023: 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 Bradford County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Bradford County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $32.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.3M | 31 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $28M | 3.3 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $19K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $561K | once in about 30 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $83K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $700K | 3.2 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $565K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $271K | 1.7 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 Bradford 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 Bradford CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Bradford County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis