Charles County, Maryland
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 24017 · population 166,485 · 458 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,022 records for Charles County, Maryland from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 638 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (457 records). The deadliest single record is the April 28, 2002 tornado: 1 death, 122 injuries and $187 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 24 declarations naming the county since 1972, 22 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on January 24, 2026.
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
- 1,022on 638 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 2165 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $223Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 28strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 24latest 2026
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 Charles County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 457 since 1958. 56% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among Maryland'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 | 457 | 246 | 1958-2026 | 1 | 2 | $9.8M | 9 of 23 |
| Winter storms | 121 | 119 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $7K | 18 of 23 |
| Hail | 97 | 51 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 10 of 23 |
| Floods | 90 | 53 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | $887K | 14 of 23 |
| Heat | 79 | 79 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 23 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 46 | 44 | 1997-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 23 |
| Extreme cold | 34 | 33 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $5K | 17 of 23 |
| Tornadoes | 28 | 25 | 1973-2022 | 1 | 122 | $193M | 4 of 23 |
| High wind and dust storms | 25 | 25 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | 17 of 23 |
| Heavy rain | 19 | 19 | 1997-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 23 |
| Drought | 12 | 12 | 1998-2007 | 0 | 0 | $3.0M | 12 of 23 |
| Lightning | 7 | 7 | 1996-2008 | 0 | 0 | $139K | 16 of 23 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 6 | 6 | 1996-2020 | 0 | 41 | $14M | 12 of 23 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | $41K | 9 of 23 |
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 Charles County had?
NOAA records 28 tornadoes in Charles County from 1973 to 2022, the strongest rated F4, with 1 death and 122 injuries recorded in the county. That is 4th of 23 Maryland 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 32 tornadoes whose track touched Charles County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 28: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 3 people, 1 of them in Charles County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-04-28 16:56, as SPC files it | La Plata | F4 | 38 mi | 3 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Maryland.
Every tornado record filed for Charles County (28)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-05-27 | Loves, Charles County | EF0 1.32 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2017-02-25 | La Plata, Charles County | EF1 8.44 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-06-27 | Issue, Charles County | EF0 3.89 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2015-06-27 | Morgantown, Charles County | EF1 2.02 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $623K |
| 2011-09-07 | Wicomico, Charles County | EF0 1.4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2011-04-05 | Mattawoman, Charles County | EF0 0.09 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2010-12-01 | Berry, Charles County | EF0 2.31 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2008-04-20 | Beantown, Charles County | EF0 1.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 2004-09-17 | Maryland Pt, Charles County | F0 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 2004-09-08 | La Plata, Charles County | F1 5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 2004-06-17 | La Plata, Charles County | F0 0.3 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-03-29 | La Plata, Charles County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-03-29 | La Plata, Charles County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-05-18 | Faulkner, Charles County | F1 5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $33K |
| 2002-04-28 | La Plata, Charles County | F2 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.6M |
| 2002-04-28 | Rison, Charles County | F4 24 mi x 650 yd | 1 | 122 | $187M |
| 2001-05-26 | Newburg, Charles County | F0 1.2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2001-05-25 | Waldorf, Charles County | F1 2.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $833K |
| 2001-05-22 | Cobb Is, Charles County | F1 1.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 1996-07-15 | Bel Alton, Charles County | F0 0.3 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $26K |
| 1996-07-13 | Hughesville, Charles County | F1 0.3 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | $282K |
| 1995-10-05 | Ironside/Grayton, Charles County | F1 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 1979-09-05 | Charles County | F0 0.2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1978-06-20 | Charles County | F2 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-07-13 | Charles County | F1 0.8 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1975-06-05 | Charles County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1974-01-28 | Charles County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1973-04-01 | Charles County | F1 0.5 mi x 20 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 Charles County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 26, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindIronsides, Charles County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindBeantown, Charles County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindSt Charles, Charles County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindSt Charles, Charles County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindSt Charles, Charles County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindSt Charles, Charles County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindMattawoman, Charles County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindMc Conchie, Charles County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindPort Tobacco, Charles County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindCobb Is, Charles County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-14 | HailPisgah, Charles County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindPomfret, Charles County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-04-28 | TornadoRison, Charles County A destructive tornado crossed the county from just north of Rison, through La Plata, to Benedict before moving into Calvert County. | F4 24 mi x 650 yd | 1 | 122 | $187M |
| 2000-06-15 | Thunderstorm WindLa Plata, Charles County A boater drowned on the Potomac River after his craft was overturned by high winds and waves. | 1 | 0 | $9K | |
| 2003-09-18 | Tropical StormCharles County · forecast zone Charles On September 18, 2003, Hurricane Isabel made landfall on the North Carolina Coast. Its huge wind field was already piling water up into the southern Chesapeake Bay. By the time Isabel moved into central Virginia, it had weakened and was downgraded to a tropical storm. Isabel's eye tracked well west of the bay, but the ... | 0 | 41 | $9.2M | |
| 2016-07-18 | Thunderstorm WindGallant Green, Charles County Large tree limb fell onto a house in the 15000 Block of Woodville Road. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2002-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindWhite Plains, Charles County A tree limb fell onto a person at a golf course. | 0 | 1 | $164 |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-04-28 | TornadoRison, Charles County | F4 24 mi x 650 yd | 1 | 122 | $187M |
| 2003-09-18 | Tropical StormCharles County · forecast zone Charles | 0 | 41 | $9.2M | |
| 2023-07-29 | Thunderstorm WindSt Charles, Charles County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.8M |
| 1996-09-06 | Storm Surge/TideAlong The Potomac, Charles County | 0 | 0 | $3.0M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormCharles County · forecast zone Charles | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 2002-04-28 | TornadoLa Plata, Charles County | F2 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.6M |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindCharles County · forecast zone Charles | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2010-05-14 | HailWaldorf, Charles County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
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 13, 1975 (tornado, Charles 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 Charles 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 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 43 | 99 | 171 | 121 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 32 | 60 | 17 |
| Hail | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 40 | 25 | 13 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 10 | 39 | 35 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 8 | 17 | 37 | 17 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 1 | 13 | 24 | 8 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
56% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 73 · Feb 70 · Mar 61 · Apr 78 · May 112 · Jun 175 · Jul 212 · Aug 102 · Sep 47 · Oct 28 · Nov 27 · Dec 37 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Charles County
FEMA's register lists 24 declarations that include Charles County: 17 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for snowstorm (7) and hurricane (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3634 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020-03-26 | DR-4491 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3430 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-03-04 | DR-4261 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2012-11-20 | DR-4091 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3349 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-08-02 | DR-4075 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2011-10-05 | DR-4038 | Flood | Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011-09-16 | DR-4034 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-27 | EM-3335 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-05-06 | DR-1910 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 2010-02-19 | DR-1875 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3251 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-09-19 | DR-1492 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 2003-03-14 | EM-3179 | Severe Storm | Snow |
| 2002-05-01 | DR-1409 | Tornado | Tornado |
| 2000-04-10 | DR-1324 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1999-09-24 | DR-1303 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1996-01-11 | DR-1081 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1994-03-16 | DR-1016 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Weather and Ice Storms |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3100 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1977-01-26 | DR-524 | Snowstorm | Ice Conditions |
| 1975-10-04 | DR-489 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1972-06-23 | DR-341 | 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 Charles County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 90 flood or flash flood records for Charles County from 1998 to 2025, on 53 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Charles County ranks 656th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $6.5 million on 361 claims filed in Charles County; the most in one year was 90 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 5 · 1982: 2 · 1983: 4 · 1984: 4 · 1985: 9 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1994: 4 · 1996: 16 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 6 · 2003: 90 · 2004: 2 · 2006: 36 · 2007: 2 · 2008: 13 · 2009: 4 · 2010: 5 · 2011: 49 · 2012: 8 · 2013: 3 · 2014: 12 · 2015: 3 · 2016: 5 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 30 · 2019: 8 · 2020: 11 · 2021: 15 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 4; 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 Charles County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Charles County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $22.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.3M | 6.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.9M | 6.2 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $924K | 40 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $965K | 2.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $218K | 7.9 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $2.4M | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.2M | once in about 683 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | $274K | 3.7 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 Charles 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 MarylandEvery Maryland tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in MarylandThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Maryland recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Charles CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Charles County's FEMA declarations (CSV)24 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis