Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 42043 · population 286,115 · 525 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 706 records for Dauphin County, Pennsylvania from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 436 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (392 records). NOAA records 78 flood or flash floods there since 1996, with 5 deaths; its 5,248 flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA) rank 93rd of 2,942 U.S. counties; the deadliest named storm on its flood record is Tropical Storm Lee (2011). The deadliest single record is the September 7, 2011 flood: 4 deaths and $198 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1972, 20 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Remnants of Hurricane Ida” on September 10, 2021.
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
- 706on 436 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 826 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $227Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 19strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 2021
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 Dauphin County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 392 since 1960. 56% 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 | 392 | 233 | 1960-2026 | 0 | 7 | $5.0M | 12 of 67 |
| Hail | 90 | 56 | 1958-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 67 |
| Floods | 78 | 60 | 1996-2025 | 5 | 0 | $199M | 20 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 71 | 70 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $27K | 41 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 30 | 30 | 1997-2025 | 1 | 1 | $246K | 16 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 18 | 1950-2023 | 1 | 18 | $23M | 10 of 67 |
| Heat | 12 | 12 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 67 |
| Drought | 4 | 4 | 1997-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 36 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 3 | 2007-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 62 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 3 | 2007-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 67 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2024-2024 | 0 | 0 | $19K | 40 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 Dauphin County had?
NOAA records 19 tornadoes in Dauphin County from 1950 to 2023, the strongest rated F2, with 1 death and 18 injuries recorded in the county. That is 10th of 67 Pennsylvania 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 21 tornadoes whose track touched Dauphin County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 19: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-12-01 15:14, as SPC files it | Halifax | F1 | 1.5 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Pennsylvania.
Every tornado record filed for Dauphin County (19)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-07-02 | Lenkerville, Dauphin County | EF0 0.9 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-08-18 | Waynesville, Dauphin County | EF1 5.54 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $22K |
| 2019-05-29 | Inglenook, Dauphin County | EF1 2.45 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $23K |
| 2018-06-27 | Piketown, Dauphin County | EF1 1.56 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $59K |
| 2011-05-26 | Dauphin County | EF1 1.33 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $98K |
| 2011-05-18 | Millersburg, Dauphin County | EF1 0.25 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2006-12-01 | Halifax, Dauphin County | F1 1.5 mi x 75 yd | 1 | 0 | $2.9M |
| 2004-08-04 | Hummelstown, Dauphin County | F1 2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $156K |
| 2004-08-04 | Harrisburg, Dauphin County | F1 2 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $312K |
| 2003-07-22 | Halifax, Dauphin County | F0 1.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $80K |
| 1996-05-11 | Harrisburg, Dauphin County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-07-06 | Dauphin County | F0 0.1 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-07-17 | Dauphin County | F1 0.7 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1977-04-05 | Dauphin County | F2 2 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1970-03-26 | Dauphin County | F2 2.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1967-10-18 | Dauphin County | F2 10.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 11 | $250K step |
| 1952-08-16 | Dauphin County | F1 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1952-04-05 | Dauphin County | F0 | 0 | 6 | $250K step |
| 1950-07-05 | Dauphin County | F2 | 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 Dauphin County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 14, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($150,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
An NWS damage survey found that a downburst occurred in Middle Paxton Township on the evening of June 14th, 2026. Damage was observed across a 2 mile wide area and peak winds were estimated to be 100 mph. Damage was first noted just north of Route 22 along the Susquehanna River, with multiple trees uprooted and snapped along Kathryn Avenue. Two trees damaged a fence and a shed as they fell. Over 100 trees were snapped or uprooted as the storm continued to track to the northeast over the next 5 minutes. Three large trees fell onto two cars and a home on Hecks Drive. No injuries were reported as a result of the storm.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1350677)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindSpeeceville, Dauphin County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $150K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindInglenook, Dauphin County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindDauphin County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindInglenook, Dauphin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindPaxtonia, Dauphin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindWaynesville, Dauphin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindHoernerstown, Dauphin County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindSkyline View, Dauphin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindDauphin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindLawnton, Dauphin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindCamp Curtin, Dauphin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindBressler, Dauphin County | 52 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-09-07 | FloodDeodate, Dauphin County Swatara Creek near Hershey crested at major flood stage, 26.8 feet. Flood stage is 7.0 feet. Swatara Creek at Middletwon crested at major flood stage, estimated at 26.30 feet. Flood stage is 11.0 feet. This is the 5th highest all time. The Susquehanna River at Harrisburg crested in major flood stage at 25.17 feet. ... | 4 | 0 | $198M | |
| 2011-08-28 | Strong WindDauphin County · forecast zone Dauphin Strong to damaging non-thunderstorm winds associated with Hurricane Irene knocked down several trees and utility wires, causing widespread road closures and thousands of power outages. One tree fell and killed a 56-year old man who was camping in a tent near Manda Gap. A woman who was also in the tent survived but ... | 44 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $33K |
| 2018-07-23 | FloodDeodate, Dauphin County At 9pm, A 19 year old female attempted to swim across Conewago Creek with her 22 year old relative. She was unable to cross the creek due to the fast current and was swept away. She was found downstream several days later deceased. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-01-22 | Winter StormDauphin County · forecast zone Dauphin Heavy snowfall amounts of 19 to 31 inches were observed across the county. A Halifax man suffered cardiac arrest and died while shoveling snow. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2006-12-01 | TornadoHalifax, Dauphin County A thunderstorm spawned an F1 tornado south of the town of Halifax in Dauphin county, as determined by a National Weather Service storm survey team. The tornado was embedded within a much larger area of downburst wind damage. The tornado touched down near Route 147 about 1.3 miles south of Halifax. The tornado traveled ... | F1 1.5 mi x 75 yd | 1 | 0 | $2.9M |
| 1967-10-18 | TornadoDauphin County | F2 10.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 11 | $250K step |
| 1952-04-05 | TornadoDauphin County | F0 | 0 | 6 | $250K step |
| 1998-09-07 | Thunderstorm WindHarrisburg, Dauphin County Winds damaged tents at the Kipona Arts Festival in Harrisburg. Four people were injured. Many trees were down in the area. | 0 | 4 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-09-07 | FloodDeodate, Dauphin County | 4 | 0 | $198M | |
| 2006-12-01 | TornadoHalifax, Dauphin County | F1 1.5 mi x 75 yd | 1 | 0 | $2.9M |
| 1995-07-16 | Thunderstorm WindHarrisburg, Dauphin County | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 1994-07-15 | Thunderstorm WindHarrisburg, Dauphin County | 0 | 0 | $995K | |
| 2007-06-01 | Flash FloodHershey, Dauphin County | 0 | 0 | $712K | |
| 2004-08-04 | TornadoHarrisburg, Dauphin County | F1 2 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $312K |
| 2006-12-01 | Thunderstorm WindHalifax, Dauphin County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $293K |
| 2004-08-04 | TornadoHummelstown, Dauphin County | F1 2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $156K |
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: April 5, 1977 (tornado, Dauphin 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 Dauphin 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 | 7 | 12 | 21 | 66 | 60 | 117 | 109 |
| Hail | 1 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 9 | 27 | 22 | 17 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 37 | 24 | 8 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 27 | 20 | 14 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
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 1960 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 31 · Feb 34 · Mar 32 · Apr 44 · May 70 · Jun 170 · Jul 146 · Aug 80 · Sep 43 · Oct 15 · Nov 15 · Dec 26 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Dauphin County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Dauphin County: 16 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (7) and hurricane (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-09-10 | DR-4618 | Hurricane | Remnants of Hurricane Ida |
| 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 |
| 2013-01-10 | DR-4099 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 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 |
| 2010-04-16 | DR-1898 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 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 |
| 1999-09-22 | DR-1298 | Flood | Tropical Depression Dennis Pa |
| 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 |
| 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 Dauphin County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 78 flood or flash flood records for Dauphin County from 1996 to 2025, on 60 days, with 5 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Dauphin County ranks 93rd of 2,942 U.S. counties. The 100 counties with the most claims
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Lee | 2011-09-07 | 1 | 4 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $86.1 million on 5,248 claims filed in Dauphin County; the most in one year was 1,836 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 40 · 1979: 241 · 1981: 38 · 1982: 28 · 1983: 17 · 1984: 70 · 1985: 3 · 1986: 31 · 1987: 47 · 1989: 9 · 1990: 1 · 1991: 8 · 1992: 2 · 1993: 86 · 1994: 20 · 1995: 4 · 1996: 1,287 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 38 · 1999: 55 · 2000: 5 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 14 · 2004: 964 · 2005: 15 · 2006: 100 · 2007: 5 · 2008: 15 · 2009: 3 · 2010: 17 · 2011: 1,836 · 2012: 6 · 2013: 18 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 3 · 2017: 43 · 2018: 116 · 2019: 5 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 37 · 2022: 6 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 3; 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 Dauphin County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Dauphin County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $99.8 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 | Very High | $1.4M | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $75M | 2 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $2.6M | 4.7 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.1M | 35 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $6.9M | once in about 15 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.8M | 5.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $4.0M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.0M | 1.2 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 Dauphin 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 Dauphin CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Dauphin County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis