Jefferson County, New York
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 36045 · population 116,438 · 1,268 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 699 records for Jefferson County, New York from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 494 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (292 records). The deadliest single record is the December 23, 2022 blizzard, filed for the forecast zone Jefferson, which covers the county: 1 death. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1973, 17 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
- 699on 494 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 33 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $225Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 4strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 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 Jefferson County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 292 since 1958. 58% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 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 | 292 | 137 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 1 | $33M | 54 of 58 |
| Winter storms | 225 | 221 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $31M | 39 of 58 |
| High wind and dust storms | 65 | 60 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $144M | 36 of 58 |
| Floods | 41 | 33 | 1996-2024 | 1 | 0 | $8.6M | 54 of 58 |
| Extreme cold | 38 | 38 | 2008-2026 | 0 | 0 | $54K | 34 of 58 |
| Hail | 27 | 20 | 1968-2026 | 0 | 0 | $195K | 57 of 58 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 4 | 1959-2024 | 0 | 1 | $7.7M | 52 of 58 |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 53 of 58 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2016-2023 | 0 | 1 | $484 | 52 of 58 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2025-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 55 of 58 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 of 58 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 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 Jefferson County had?
NOAA records 4 tornadoes in Jefferson County from 1959 to 2024, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 1 injury 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched Jefferson County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 4: 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 Jefferson County (4)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-09 | Frederick Corner, Jefferson County | EFU 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-08-05 | Le Raysville, Jefferson County | F0 0.1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 1983-08-28 | Jefferson County | F1 6 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1959-07-01 | Jefferson County | F1 | 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 Jefferson County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 4, 2025 thunderstorm wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindChampion, Jefferson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindRedman, Jefferson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindSackets Harbor, Jefferson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindClayton, Jefferson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindCape Vincent, Jefferson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-26 | HailEllisburg, Jefferson County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-26 | HailBelleville, Jefferson County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-12 | Frost/FreezeJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-13 | Winter StormJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-29 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-27 | Lake-Effect SnowJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-12-23 | BlizzardJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson A historic lake effect blizzard occurred northeast of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario during the Christmas holiday weekend. The combination of high winds in excess of 70 mph and heavy lake effect snow resulted in devastating impacts across western New York and also east of Lake Ontario from December 23 through December 27. ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-04-04 | High WindJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson Multiple trees and wires were reported down throughout the county through the event. | 59 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $18K |
| 2011-04-28 | FloodDexter, Jefferson County After near record-setting spring rainfall, a warm front brought two to four inches of rain to the eastern Lake Ontario Region. The runoff resulted in flooding across the Black River basin, including the Black River and some of its major tributaries. Numerous roads were closed, some damaged or washed out. A few ... | 1 | 0 | $328K | |
| 2024-07-16 | Thunderstorm WindSackets Harbor, Jefferson County Tree damage in Sackets Harbor. At least 1 tree fell on a house with injuries. | 70 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2016-08-31 | LightningPt Vivian, Jefferson County A man was struck by lightning during the early afternoon at a car dealership on Route 12 in Alexandria Bay. The 21-year-old man was sitting outdoors against an open garage door when he was struck. He was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1983-08-28 | TornadoJefferson County | F1 6 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-12-09 | High WindJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $138M |
| 1995-07-15 | Thunderstorm WindJefferson County | 0 | 0 | $29M | |
| 1998-01-08 | Ice StormJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 0 | 0 | $18M | |
| 2007-02-02 | Lake-Effect SnowJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | |
| 2019-05-20 | Lakeshore FloodJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 2019-06-01 | FloodWoodville, Jefferson County | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 2000-11-22 | Heavy SnowJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 2008-01-09 | High WindJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
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: August 28, 1983 (tornado, Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 22 | 31 | 49 | 87 | 89 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 37 | 52 | 82 | 54 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 14 | 34 | 12 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 7 | 22 | 6 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | 18 | 18 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
58% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 114 · Feb 60 · Mar 39 · Apr 23 · May 39 · Jun 95 · Jul 103 · Aug 68 · Sep 28 · Oct 20 · Nov 42 · Dec 68 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Jefferson County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Jefferson County: 12 major disasters, 9 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for snowstorm (7) and flood (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-24 | DR-4825 | Tropical Storm | Remnants of Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2022-11-20 | EM-3589 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 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 |
| 2017-11-14 | DR-4348 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2014-12-22 | DR-4204 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3351 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 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 |
| 2001-09-11 | DR-1391 | Fire | Fires and Explosions |
| 2000-10-11 | EM-3155 | Other | West Nile Virus |
| 1999-01-15 | EM-3136 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1998-01-06 | DR-1196 | Snowstorm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-01-24 | DR-1095 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3107 | Snowstorm | Severe Blizzard |
| 1991-03-21 | DR-898 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1977-02-05 | DR-527 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
| 1977-01-29 | EM-3027 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
| 1973-03-21 | DR-367 | Flood | High Winds, Wave Action & 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 Jefferson County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 41 flood or flash flood records for Jefferson County from 1996 to 2024, on 33 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Jefferson County ranks 827th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.4 million on 250 claims filed in Jefferson County; the most in one year was 45 in 2017. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 4 · 1979: 20 · 1980: 2 · 1981: 7 · 1982: 2 · 1984: 5 · 1985: 4 · 1986: 1 · 1990: 2 · 1991: 1 · 1992: 8 · 1993: 24 · 1994: 3 · 1996: 2 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 34 · 1999: 3 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 2 · 2005: 3 · 2006: 5 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 3 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 7 · 2013: 2 · 2014: 9 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 45 · 2018: 4 · 2019: 34 · 2020: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2026: 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 Jefferson County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Jefferson County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $25.7 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 | Relatively High | $618K | 40 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $502K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $19M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $952K | once in about 591 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.8M | 4.8 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $222K | 25 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $485K | 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Jefferson County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis