Essex County, New York
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 36031 · population 37,348 · 1,794 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,100 records for Essex County, New York from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 600 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (486 records). 705 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 February 19, 2000 avalanche, filed for the forecast zone Western Essex, which covers the county: 1 death and 5 injuries. FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1993, 21 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Remnants of Tropical Storm Debby” on September 24, 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
- 1,100on 600 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 218 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $130Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 25latest 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 Essex County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 486 since 1996. 44% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 486 | 268 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $7.2M | 47 of 58 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 221 | 133 | 1957-2025 | 1 | 0 | $4.5M | 55 of 58 |
| Floods | 128 | 88 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $110M | 47 of 58 |
| High wind and dust storms | 106 | 65 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $6.7M | 42 of 58 |
| Hail | 80 | 48 | 1957-2024 | 0 | 0 | $58K | 52 of 58 |
| Extreme cold | 56 | 31 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $132K | 50 of 58 |
| Heat | 10 | 7 | 2006-2025 | 0 | 0 | $643K | 40 of 58 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 5 | 2002-2020 | 0 | 0 | $37K | 38 of 58 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2001-2012 | 0 | 13 | $140K | 50 of 58 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 1952-1978 | 0 | 0 | $534K | 57 of 58 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 2 | 2 | 2000-2004 | 1 | 5 | $2K | 6 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 Essex County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Essex County from 1952 to 1978, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries 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 3 tornadoes whose track touched Essex County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 3, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New York.
Every tornado record filed for Essex County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-05-09 | Essex County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1958-10-16 | Essex County | F1 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1952-05-06 | Essex County | F2 4.9 mi x 200 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 Essex County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 16, 2026 strong wind ($20,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-16 | Strong WindEssex County · forecast zone Eastern Essex | 39 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-03-16 | High WindEssex County · forecast zone Western Essex | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-02-20 | Winter StormEssex County · forecast zone Western Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-20 | Winter StormEssex County · forecast zone Eastern Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-10 | Winter WeatherEssex County · forecast zone Western Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-10 | Winter WeatherEssex County · forecast zone Eastern Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillEssex County · forecast zone Western Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillEssex County · forecast zone Eastern Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-29 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillEssex County · forecast zone Western Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-29 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillEssex County · forecast zone Eastern Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormEssex County · forecast zone Western Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormEssex County · forecast zone Eastern Essex | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-02-19 | AvalancheEssex County · forecast zone Western Essex An avalanche occurred on Saturday, February 19th, on Wright Peak which is southwest of Mt. Van Hovenberg. The avalanche occurred at about the 3500 foot level, and was about 400 feet in length. There was one person killed and 5 injured while skiing. | 1 | 5 | – | |
| 2008-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindWilmington, Essex County Trees downed by thunderstorms winds in Wilmington, including Route 86 and Springfield road. Motorcyclist hit fallen tree on road and died from his injuries. | 55 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $34K |
| 2001-06-30 | LightningLake Placid, Essex County A weak trough or convergence line moved across northern New York during the afternoon of June 30th. Thunderstorms preceded and accompanied this trough. Around 1 PM EDT (Noon EST) lightning struck Algonquin Peak which is about 4 miles south of Lake Placid. Two hikers were knocked unconscious while 11 others received ... | 0 | 13 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-08-28 | Flash FloodHaselton, Essex County | 0 | 0 | $47M | |
| 1996-11-09 | Flash FloodCountywide, Essex County | 0 | 0 | $17M | |
| 1998-06-27 | Flash FloodCountywide, Essex County | 0 | 0 | $9.1M | |
| 2011-08-28 | FloodClintonville, Essex County | 0 | 0 | $7.9M | |
| 2011-04-26 | FloodWilmington, Essex County | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | |
| 1999-09-16 | High WindEssex County · forecast zone Eastern Essex | 0 | 0 | $3.6M | |
| 2019-11-01 | Flash FloodBaldwin, Essex County | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | |
| 1996-01-19 | FloodEssex County · forecast zone Western Essex | 0 | 0 | $2.3M |
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: May 6, 1952 (tornado, Essex County); October 16, 1958 (tornado, Essex 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 Essex 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 | – | – | – | – | 84 | 206 | 98 | 98 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 29 | 41 | 76 | 52 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 34 | 41 | 36 | 17 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 51 | 23 | 22 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 37 | 27 | 11 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 6 | 27 | 6 | 17 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
44% 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 171 · Feb 139 · Mar 119 · Apr 56 · May 72 · Jun 94 · Jul 126 · Aug 72 · Sep 27 · Oct 31 · Nov 62 · Dec 131 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Essex County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Essex County: 19 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-24 | DR-4825 | Tropical Storm | Remnants of Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024-08-29 | DR-4814 | Flood | Severe Storm, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2023-07-22 | DR-4723 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2011-08-31 | DR-4020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-06-10 | DR-1993 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2007-04-24 | DR-1692 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding |
| 2005-09-30 | EM-3262 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-08-03 | DR-1534 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-08-23 | EM-3186 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2002-05-16 | DR-1415 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 2001-09-11 | DR-1391 | Fire | Fires and Explosions |
| 2000-10-11 | EM-3155 | Other | West Nile Virus |
| 2000-07-21 | DR-1335 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1999-09-19 | DR-1296 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1998-07-07 | DR-1233 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1998-01-06 | DR-1196 | Snowstorm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-12-09 | DR-1148 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms High Winds, Rain and Flooding |
| 1996-01-24 | DR-1095 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3107 | Snowstorm | Severe Blizzard |
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 Essex County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 128 flood or flash flood records for Essex County from 1996 to 2025, on 88 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Essex County ranks 646th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-28 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $6.3 million on 369 claims filed in Essex County; the most in one year was 108 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 4 · 1979: 58 · 1980: 7 · 1981: 19 · 1982: 1 · 1983: 3 · 1984: 3 · 1986: 5 · 1987: 2 · 1988: 1 · 1990: 14 · 1992: 14 · 1993: 7 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 2 · 1996: 67 · 1998: 9 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 3 · 2001: 4 · 2004: 3 · 2005: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2011: 108 · 2013: 3 · 2014: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2019: 11 · 2022: 5 · 2023: 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 Essex County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Essex County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $20.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively High | $538K | 4 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | $457K | once in about 30 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $680K | 23 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $16M | 3.1 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $265K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $111K | 21 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $868K | once in about 360 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $339K | once in about 57 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Essex 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
- Winter storms in New YorkThe state's winter storm records, 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 Essex CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Essex County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis