Forest County, Pennsylvania
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 42053 · population 6,973 · 427 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 316 records for Forest County, Pennsylvania from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 252 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (126 records). The deadliest single record is the May 31, 1985 tornado: 7 deaths and 30 injuries. FEMA has issued 12 declarations naming the county since 1972, 10 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Sandy” on January 10, 2013.
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
- 316on 252 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 838 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $70Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 10strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 12latest 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 Forest County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 126 since 1974. 52% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1974 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 | 126 | 90 | 1974-2026 | 0 | 1 | $659K | 48 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 115 | 113 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $75K | 13 of 67 |
| Floods | 17 | 16 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | $206K | 56 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 17 | 17 | 1999-2022 | 0 | 0 | $410K | 30 of 67 |
| Hail | 16 | 12 | 1991-2024 | 0 | 0 | $17K | 62 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 11 | 11 | 2009-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 18 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 4 | 1985-2017 | 7 | 30 | $69M | 61 of 67 |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 54 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2018-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 67 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 1 | 7 | – | 36 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 Forest County had?
NOAA records 10 tornadoes in Forest County from 1985 to 2017, the strongest rated F4, with 7 deaths and 30 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 10 tornadoes whose track touched Forest County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 10, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 23 people, 7 of them in Forest County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-05-31 15:17, as SPC files it | SugarcreekCrossed OH, PA | F4 | 56.2 mi | 16 |
| 1985-05-31 16:30, as SPC files it | Tionesta | F4 | 29 mi | 7 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Pennsylvania.
Every tornado record filed for Forest County (10)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-05-01 | Marienville, Forest County | EF2 0.57 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-01 | Marienville, Forest County | EF2 0.9 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-01 | Marienville, Forest County | EF1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-01 | Redclytte, Forest County | EF1 0.82 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-01 | Gultonville, Forest County | EF1 0.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2001-08-19 | Duhring, Forest County | F1 3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $167K |
| 1994-08-28 | Hastings, Forest County | F1 2.5 mi x 85 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-05-31 | Forest County | F2 1.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-05-31 | Forest County | F4 25 mi x 800 yd | 7 | 30 | – |
| 1985-05-31 | Forest County | F4 3 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $25M 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 Forest County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 20, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindGultonville, Forest County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindFagur, Forest County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindBrookston, Forest County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-03-07 | Thunderstorm WindEast Hickory, Forest County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-02-07 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillForest County · forecast zone Forest | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormForest County · forecast zone Forest | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-20 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillForest County · forecast zone Forest | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-19 | Winter WeatherForest County · forecast zone Forest | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-28 | Thunderstorm WindGultonville, Forest County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2025-06-28 | Thunderstorm WindClarington, Forest County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindMarionville, Forest County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-20 | Cold/Wind ChillForest County · forecast zone Forest | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-05-31 | TornadoForest County | F4 25 mi x 800 yd | 7 | 30 | – |
| 2005-06-27 | LightningTionesta, Forest County One woman was killed as she and 7 others stood under a tree when rain and thunder began at Tionesta Lake. | 1 | 7 | – | |
| 2003-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindTionesta, Forest County Trees down, along Routes 62 and 36, just northwest of Tionesta. One man injured by falling tree. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $2K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-08-19 | TornadoDuhring, Forest County | F1 3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $167K |
| 2026-03-07 | Thunderstorm WindEast Hickory, Forest County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2017-05-01 | Thunderstorm WindLynch, Forest County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2026-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindGultonville, Forest County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2003-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindTionesta, Forest County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $2K |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 31, 1985 (tornado, Forest 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 Forest 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 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 16 | 16 | 47 | 37 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 39 | 21 | 43 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 12 | 3 | 1 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 1 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
52% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1974 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 46 · Feb 32 · Mar 21 · Apr 16 · May 27 · Jun 38 · Jul 43 · Aug 22 · Sep 11 · Oct 10 · Nov 16 · Dec 34 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Forest County
FEMA's register lists 12 declarations that include Forest County: 8 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (4) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-30 | DR-4506 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3441 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013-01-10 | DR-4099 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3356 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 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 |
| 2003-08-23 | DR-1485 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1996-01-21 | DR-1093 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3105 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1985-06-03 | DR-737 | Tornado | Severe Storms, High Winds & Tornadoes |
| 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 Forest County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 17 flood or flash flood records for Forest County from 1996 to 2019, on 16 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Forest County ranks 2245th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $194,000 on 14 claims filed in Forest County; the most in one year was 4 in 2014. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 1 · 1984: 1 · 1996: 2 · 2011: 1 · 2014: 4 · 2016: 1 · 2021: 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 Forest County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Forest County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.0 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 | $834K | 37 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.8M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $117K | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $2K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $61K | once in about 32 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $259 | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $19K | once in about 1,795 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $84K | once in about 8 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Forest 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 Forest CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Forest County's FEMA declarations (CSV)12 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis