Carbon County, Pennsylvania
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 42025 · population 64,728 · 381 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,115 records for Carbon County, Pennsylvania from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 943 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (455 records). 774 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 January 28, 2013 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Carbon, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1965, 16 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Sandy” on October 29, 2012.
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
- 1,115on 943 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1262 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $25Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 4strongest F2
- 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 Carbon County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 455 since 1996. 50% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 455 | 448 | 1996-2026 | 6 | 20 | $11M | 2 of 67 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 188 | 130 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 19 | $14K | 25 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 134 | 132 | 1996-2021 | 1 | 1 | $3.2M | 3 of 67 |
| Floods | 60 | 54 | 1996-2021 | 2 | 0 | $8.7M | 16 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 48 | 46 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 67 |
| Hail | 44 | 36 | 1966-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | 21 of 67 |
| Drought | 40 | 40 | 1997-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 37 | 34 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 36 | 32 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 2 | – | 6 of 67 |
| Heat | 35 | 35 | 1996-2012 | 2 | 7 | – | 8 of 67 |
| Lightning | 18 | 16 | 1997-2021 | 1 | 12 | $71K | 10 of 67 |
| Wildfires | 15 | 15 | 2000-2015 | 0 | 0 | $156K | 2 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 4 | 1978-2018 | 0 | 1 | $191K | 57 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 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 Carbon County had?
NOAA records 4 tornadoes in Carbon County from 1978 to 2018, the strongest rated F2, 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 4 tornadoes whose track touched Carbon County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 4, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Pennsylvania.
Every tornado record filed for Carbon County (4)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-10-02 | Lake Harmony, Carbon County | EF1 1.01 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-05-23 | Weissport, Carbon County | EF0 0.43 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $98K |
| 1981-04-29 | Carbon County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1978-08-07 | Carbon County | F0 1.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Carbon County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the August 13, 2016 lightning (1 death and 2 injuries).
Lightning struck in the Beltzville Lake. The lightning strike spread through the water and injured several people and killing a man. Details still unknown on number of injuries etc.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 643846)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindLittle Gap, Carbon County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindLake Harmony, Carbon County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindHickory Run, Carbon County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-25 | Dense FogCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-03 | Winter WeatherCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | Winter WeatherCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-15 | Winter WeatherCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-10 | Winter WeatherCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-18 | Winter WeatherCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-17 | Winter WeatherCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-06 | Dense FogCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-01-28 | Winter WeatherCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon A wintry mix of precipitation affected the Poconos throughout the day on the 28th and the rest of Eastern Pennsylvania into the early afternoon of the 28th. The effects of the wintry mix increased markedly farther north in Pennsylvania, but had some impact as far south as Philadelphia. Snowfall average around one inch ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-02-22 | Winter WeatherCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon A protracted winter storm dropped a wintry mix of snow. sleet and freezing rain from the Lehigh Valley into the Poconos and affected Monroe County the most. The wintry conditions led to numerous accidents including a fatal one in Carbon County. Snow spread north from the Lehigh Valley into the Poconos during the ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-06-07 | Excessive HeatCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon The most oppressive heat wave of the meteorological summer affected Eastern Pennsylvania from June 7th through the 10th. There were about twenty heat related deaths, eighteen within Philadelphia. There were also a couple of drownings within rivers. The combination of high temperatures well into the 90s and dew point ... | 1 | 4 | – | |
| 2016-08-13 | LightningStemlersville, Carbon County Lightning struck in the Beltzville Lake. The lightning strike spread through the water and injured several people and killing a man. Details still unknown on number of injuries etc. | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon 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 | 1 | 1 | $9K |
| 2011-08-28 | FloodAlbrightsville, Carbon County On the morning of the 28th, a 39-year-old man skidded over an embankment and into a tree and died on the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The Aquashicola Creek at Palmerton had moderate flooding and was above its 7 foot flood stage from 1052 a.m. EDT through 935 p.m. EDT on the 28th. It crested at ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-12-24 | Winter WeatherCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon A wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain fell from the late evening of the 23rd into the morning on the 24th across eastern Pennsylvania. The resulting glaze on untreated roadways led to numerous accidents. Precipitation was spottier right around the local Philadelphia area, but was steadier elsewhere. Ice accretions ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-07-16 | Excessive HeatCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon The longest heat wave of the summer affected eastern Pennsylvania from July 16th through the 22nd. The heat wave ended on the 22nd as thunderstorms kept temperatures below 90 degrees on the 23rd. a cold front overnight then brought in drier air. High temperatures were mainly in the lower to mid 90s throughout the heat ... | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-01-05 | Winter StormCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon | 0 | 0 | $7.6M | |
| 1996-01-19 | FloodCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon | 0 | 0 | $5.6M | |
| 2006-06-27 | Flash FloodCountywide, Carbon County | 0 | 0 | $3.1M | |
| 2007-08-17 | HailWeatherly, Carbon County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 1999-09-16 | High WindCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon | 0 | 0 | $709K | |
| 2011-05-23 | TornadoWeissport, Carbon County | EF0 0.43 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $98K |
| 2011-05-26 | HailLansford, Carbon County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $66K |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindCarbon County · forecast zone Carbon | 56 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $9K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 29, 1981 (tornado, Carbon 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 Carbon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 45 | 190 | 158 | 62 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 0 | 6 | 16 | 25 | 39 | 49 | 52 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 69 | 47 | 1 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 10 | 32 | 17 | 1 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 4 | 22 | 21 | 1 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 9 | 4 |
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 winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 176 · Feb 163 · Mar 121 · Apr 54 · May 59 · Jun 79 · Jul 95 · Aug 79 · Sep 29 · Oct 34 · Nov 67 · Dec 159 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Carbon County
FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Carbon County: 11 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (4) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-30 | DR-4506 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3441 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3356 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 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 |
| 2003-03-14 | EM-3180 | Severe Storm | Snow |
| 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 |
| 1985-10-08 | DR-745 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gloria |
| 1977-01-29 | EM-3026 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
| 1972-06-23 | DR-340 | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes |
| 1969-08-19 | DR-273 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 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 Carbon County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 60 flood or flash flood records for Carbon County from 1996 to 2021, on 54 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Carbon County ranks 1335th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-28 | 1 | 1 |
| Tropical Depression Ivan | 2004-09-18 | 1 | 1 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $451,000 on 94 claims filed in Carbon County; the most in one year was 22 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 2 · 1983: 4 · 1985: 1 · 1987: 13 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 2 · 1996: 22 · 1998: 1 · 2000: 2 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 10 · 2005: 2 · 2006: 8 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 5 · 2012: 6 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 3 · 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 Carbon County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Carbon County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $21.6 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 | $1.1M | 34 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.7M | 1.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $202K | 18 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | 4.3 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $3.1M | 3.2 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $807K | once in about 19 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $7K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $12M | 1.9 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 Carbon 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
- Winter storms in PennsylvaniaThe state's winter storm records, 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 Carbon CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Carbon County's FEMA declarations (CSV)18 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis