Fulton County, New York
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 36035 · population 53,276 · 495 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,055 records for Fulton County, New York from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 594 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (382 records). 677 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 6, 2020 winter storm, filed for the forecast zone Northern Fulton, which covers the county: 1 death. FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1993, 14 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding” on December 19, 2019.
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
- 1,055on 594 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 218 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $12Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 18latest 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 Fulton County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 382 since 1996. 48% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. 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 | 382 | 227 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 2 | $618K | 6 of 58 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 257 | 136 | 1968-2026 | 0 | 11 | $6.4M | 23 of 58 |
| Extreme cold | 132 | 79 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 58 |
| High wind and dust storms | 114 | 75 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $488K | 12 of 58 |
| Hail | 66 | 41 | 1970-2026 | 0 | 0 | $45K | 23 of 58 |
| Floods | 39 | 32 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | 33 of 58 |
| Heat | 39 | 34 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 58 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 10 | 1959-2024 | 0 | 1 | $1.9M | 11 of 58 |
| Lightning | 7 | 7 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 4 | $64K | 20 of 58 |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 of 58 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 0 | $14K | 29 of 58 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 58 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2017-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 58 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2002-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 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 Fulton County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Fulton County from 1959 to 2024, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 11th 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 11 tornadoes whose track touched Fulton County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 11, 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 Fulton County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-24 | Staver Mills, Fulton County | EF0 0.16 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-08-21 | Johnstown, Fulton County | EF0 0.51 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-06-30 | Hill Corners, Fulton County | EF1 0.25 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-08-03 | Ephratah, Fulton County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2002-05-31 | Johnstown, Fulton County | F1 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $328K |
| 1992-07-05 | Fulton County | F0 0.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1992-07-05 | Fulton County | F0 0.8 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1991-05-01 | Fulton County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1986-08-23 | Fulton County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1978-06-27 | Fulton County | F1 3.6 mi x 333 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1959-07-12 | Fulton County | F0 | 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 Fulton County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 16, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindPerth, Fulton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindStratford, Fulton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindGloversville, Fulton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindJohnstown, Fulton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-16 | Thunderstorm WindCanada Lake, Fulton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-16 | Thunderstorm WindJohnstown, Fulton County | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-16 | Thunderstorm WindJackson Summit, Fulton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-16 | Thunderstorm WindMayfield, Fulton County | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-16 | Thunderstorm WindLassellsville, Fulton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-16 | Thunderstorm WindWest Bush, Fulton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-16 | Thunderstorm WindDennies Hollow, Fulton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-16 | Thunderstorm WindMeco, Fulton County | 50 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-02-06 | Winter StormFulton County · forecast zone Northern Fulton A 43-year old woman was killed (indirect) on Route 30 just south of Woods Hollow Road at 10:40 am on Friday, February 7th when her car crossed into oncoming traffic and struck a tractor trailer head-on. Winter weather is believed to be a factor in the crash. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-03-22 | Winter WeatherFulton County · forecast zone Northern Fulton Rain turned to snow during the wee hours of the 22nd as a low pressure system quickly strengthened off the coast of New Jersey. As the low pulled away from the afternoon into the overnight period, the snow became more focused on the upwind side of the higher terrain of the Adirondacks, Catskills, and Taconics. The ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-08-13 | Thunderstorm WindCanada Lake, Fulton County At least 59 structures and 18 vehicles were damaged or destroyed at Pine Lake Campground due to downed trees from thunderstorm winds. An estimated 200 trees fell at the campground and 8 people were injured due to being struck by downed trees and limbs. Every electrical wire at the 66 acre campground was downed. The ... | 70 kt wind | 0 | 8 | $1.2M |
| 2025-02-16 | Lake-Effect SnowFulton County · forecast zone Southern Fulton Immediately on the heels of a complex winter storm that impacted eastern New York on February 15-16th, 2025, a prolonged lake effect event began with regionwide strong to high winds and bitter cold in the wake of the storm. Lake effect bands became significant off Lake Ontario, extending as far south and east as the ... | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2002-07-09 | LightningCaroga Lake, Fulton County On the early afternoon of July 9, lightning struck a a tree at the Caroga Lake Campsite, in the town of Caroga Lake, Fulton County. The lightning took the bark off and traveling up through the roots as well as the surrounding blacktop. The current also ran through a child and his grandfather. The two individuals were ... | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1998-05-29 | Thunderstorm WindJohnstown, Fulton County During the afternoon of May 29, a line of fast moving severe thunderstorms crossed eastern New York and produced damage in every county. This intense convection developed well ahead of a strong cold front. The storms resulted in one fatality and three injuries. An elderly man was instantly killed at Ellenville in ... | 0 | 2 | $54K | |
| 1998-10-14 | LightningMayfield, Fulton County Cold air aloft produced an unstable atmosphere resulting in isolated thunderstorms during the mid afternoon across eastern New York. A thunderstorm over Mayfield in Fulton County produced a lightning bolt that went through a telephone line and caused injury to a woman. Another lightning strike from a thunderstorm ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1997-07-03 | LightningNorthville, Fulton County On July 3, a fast moving cold front crossed eastern New York during the afternoon and evening hours. The front initiated many severe thunderstorms and three tornadoes in Columbia County. In Columbia County near Copake Lake, an F1 tornado produced minor damage to two houses, scattered parts of a barn across county ... | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-08-13 | Thunderstorm WindCanada Lake, Fulton County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 8 | $1.2M |
| 1995-07-15 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Fulton County | 0 | 0 | $968K | |
| 1996-11-09 | Flash FloodCountywide, Fulton County | 0 | 0 | $753K | |
| 1998-09-07 | Thunderstorm WindBroadalbin, Fulton County | 0 | 0 | $453K | |
| 1996-01-19 | FloodFulton County · forecast zone Southern Fulton | 0 | 0 | $376K | |
| 2002-05-31 | TornadoJohnstown, Fulton County | F1 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $328K |
| 1998-01-08 | Flash FloodCountywide, Fulton County | 0 | 0 | $272K | |
| 1998-09-07 | Thunderstorm WindPerth, Fulton County | 0 | 0 | $272K |
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: June 27, 1978 (tornado, Fulton 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 Fulton 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 | – | – | – | – | 22 | 119 | 121 | 120 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 64 | 37 | 79 | 50 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 1 | 28 | 70 | 33 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 22 | 43 | 43 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 23 | 30 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 15 | 12 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
48% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 176 · Feb 143 · Mar 74 · Apr 57 · May 80 · Jun 101 · Jul 93 · Aug 90 · Sep 27 · Oct 35 · Nov 43 · Dec 136 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Fulton County
FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Fulton County: 11 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) and snowstorm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3351 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-09-13 | DR-4031 | Severe Storm | Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011-08-31 | DR-4020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2006-07-01 | DR-1650 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-30 | EM-3262 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-08-03 | DR-1534 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-08-29 | DR-1486 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2003-08-23 | EM-3186 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2003-02-25 | EM-3173 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
| 2001-09-11 | DR-1391 | Fire | Fires and Explosions |
| 2000-10-11 | EM-3155 | Other | West Nile Virus |
| 1998-09-11 | DR-1244 | Severe Storm | Ny - Severe Wx, Sept 7, 1998 |
| 1996-12-09 | DR-1148 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms High Winds, Rain 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 Fulton County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 39 flood or flash flood records for Fulton County from 1996 to 2022, on 32 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Fulton County ranks 1227th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $874,000 on 116 claims filed in Fulton County; the most in one year was 31 in 2006. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 8 · 1980: 4 · 1981: 12 · 1982: 2 · 1983: 2 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 5 · 1988: 2 · 1990: 2 · 1996: 3 · 1998: 3 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 1 · 2003: 4 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 31 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 13 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 4 · 2017: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 6 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 1; 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 Fulton County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Fulton County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $16.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $154K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $641K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $12M | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $356K | once in about 31 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $97K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.4M | 4.4 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $205K | 24 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $918K | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Fulton 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 Fulton CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Fulton County's FEMA declarations (CSV)18 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis