Cortland County, New York
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 36023 · population 46,796 · 499 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 606 records for Cortland County, New York from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 382 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (304 records). The most damaging was the April 1, 2005 flood ($18.1 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1975, 15 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storm, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on August 29, 2024.
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
- 606on 382 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 019 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $48Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 2024
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 Cortland County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 304 since 1969. 59% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among New York'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 | 304 | 159 | 1969-2026 | 0 | 10 | $1.9M | 15 of 58 |
| Winter storms | 101 | 101 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 6 | $1.5M | 32 of 58 |
| Floods | 86 | 57 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $44M | 12 of 58 |
| Hail | 61 | 43 | 1978-2024 | 0 | 0 | $77K | 18 of 58 |
| Extreme cold | 18 | 17 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $36K | 30 of 58 |
| High wind and dust storms | 14 | 14 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | $545K | 47 of 58 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 7 | 1992-2026 | 0 | 0 | $438K | 20 of 58 |
| Drought | 6 | 6 | 1998-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 58 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2001-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 of 58 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2000-2002 | 0 | 3 | $36K | 36 of 58 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 44 of 58 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2004-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 of 58 |
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 Cortland County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Cortland County from 1992 to 2026, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 20th of 58 New York 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 6 tornadoes whose track touched Cortland County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7: 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 New York.
Every tornado record filed for Cortland County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Gracie, Cortland County | EF0 1.89 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2024-07-15 | Virgil, Cortland County | EF0 7.5 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | $35K |
| 2023-08-07 | Harford, Cortland County | EF1 9.71 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2009-05-16 | Cuyler, Cortland County | EF0 0.4 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 1998-06-02 | Cincinnatus, Cortland County | F1 0.1 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $272K |
| 1992-07-31 | Cortland County | F1 0.5 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1992-07-05 | Cortland County | F0 1.5 mi x 33 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 Cortland County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 18, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($4,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindCortland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindCortland Airport, Cortland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindCortland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindCortland Airport, Cortland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindCortland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindCortland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-18 | TornadoGracie, Cortland County | EF0 1.89 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindTruxton, Cortland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindFreetown Corners, Cortland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindHomer, Cortland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindMunsons Corners, Cortland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-29 | Thunderstorm WindTaylor, Cortland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-03-06 | Heavy SnowCortland County · forecast zone Cortland A winter storm formed over the Carolinas and tracked up the coast, bringing heavy snow to central New York. Snowfall accumulations ranged from 6 to 12 inches by the time the snow tapered off on the evening of the 7th. During the height of the storm, many accidents were reported due to poor visibility, including one in ... | 0 | 6 | – | |
| 1986-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindCortland County | 0 | 5 | – | |
| 2007-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindCortland County A tree fell on an occupied car. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 4 | $7K |
| 2001-05-27 | LightningLapeer, Cortland County Lightning struck a barn where people were taking shelter from a thunderstorm. 3 people were injured as the lightning moved through an electrical box in the barn. One victim was reported to be in critical condition. | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2024-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindGracie, Cortland County A strong microburst with estimated wind speeds of 60-85 mph winds, and an estimated peak wind of 95 mph, occurred from the Tompkins and Cortland County border, near Sweetland Road and Nye Road, and ended north of Marathon on the evening of June 22nd. Multiple medium to large trees were observed being uprooted or ... | 83 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $56K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-04-01 | FloodCortland County · forecast zone Cortland | 0 | 0 | $18M | |
| 1996-01-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Cortland County | 0 | 0 | $11M | |
| 2005-04-02 | FloodCortland County · forecast zone Cortland | 0 | 0 | $7.6M | |
| 2005-04-03 | Flash FloodCountywide, Cortland County | 0 | 0 | $4.5M | |
| 2017-07-14 | Flash FloodVirgil, Cortland County | 0 | 0 | $542K | |
| 2010-09-30 | Flash FloodSouth Cortland, Cortland County | 0 | 0 | $501K | |
| 1998-06-02 | TornadoCincinnatus, Cortland County | F1 0.1 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $272K |
| 2024-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindGracie, Cortland County | 83 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $56K |
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: July 5, 1992 (tornado, Cortland County); July 31, 1992 (tornado, Cortland 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 Cortland 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 | 2 | 28 | 63 | 50 | 60 | 100 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 19 | 38 | 27 | 17 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 34 | 21 | 24 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 26 | 21 | 5 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 5 | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
59% 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 41 · Feb 30 · Mar 30 · Apr 24 · May 61 · Jun 105 · Jul 140 · Aug 72 · Sep 22 · Oct 32 · Nov 16 · Dec 33 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Cortland County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Cortland County: 13 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (5) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-29 | DR-4814 | Flood | Severe Storm, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2021-10-08 | DR-4625 | Hurricane | Remnants of Tropical Storm Fred |
| 2020-03-20 | DR-4480 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3434 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-12-19 | DR-4472 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2017-07-12 | DR-4322 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2013-07-12 | DR-4129 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3351 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2009-09-01 | DR-1857 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2006-07-01 | DR-1650 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-30 | EM-3262 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-04-19 | DR-1589 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2004-08-03 | DR-1534 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-08-23 | EM-3186 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2001-09-11 | DR-1391 | Fire | Fires and Explosions |
| 2000-10-11 | EM-3155 | Other | West Nile Virus |
| 1996-01-24 | DR-1095 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3107 | Snowstorm | Severe Blizzard |
| 1975-10-02 | DR-487 | Flood | Storms, Rains, Landslides & Flooding |
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 Cortland County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 86 flood or flash flood records for Cortland County from 1996 to 2026, on 57 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Cortland County ranks 659th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.4 million on 358 claims filed in Cortland County; the most in one year was 99 in 2005. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 14 · 1981: 42 · 1984: 3 · 1986: 1 · 1988: 1 · 1990: 2 · 1993: 14 · 1994: 4 · 1996: 67 · 1998: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 99 · 2006: 17 · 2007: 1 · 2009: 3 · 2010: 14 · 2011: 20 · 2013: 38 · 2015: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2026: 2; 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 Cortland County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Cortland County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $17.1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $14M | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $4K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $194K | once in about 48 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $128K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $86K | 21 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $150K | 29 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $781K | once in about 8 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $588K | 3.8 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 Cortland 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 New YorkEvery New York tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in New YorkThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The New York recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Cortland CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Cortland County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis