Kent County, Delaware
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 10001 · population 181,705 · 586 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,106 records for Kent County, Delaware from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 840 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (286 records). 602 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 July 21, 1983 tornado: 2 deaths and 9 injuries. FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1965, 15 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on May 29, 2026.
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
- 1,106on 840 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 7223 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $57Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 25strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 2026
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 Kent County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 286 since 1958. 43% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among Delaware'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 | 286 | 188 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 3 | $4.2M | 2 of 3 |
| Winter storms | 164 | 163 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 155 | $5.5M | 2 of 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | 158 | 155 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $1.3M | 2 of 3 |
| Heavy rain | 101 | 60 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 3 |
| Floods | 79 | 66 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.9M | 3 of 3 |
| Heat | 78 | 78 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 5 | – | 2 of 3 |
| Drought | 53 | 53 | 1997-2012 | 0 | 0 | $14M | 2 of 3 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 45 | 43 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 3 |
| Hail | 36 | 29 | 1968-2023 | 0 | 0 | $174K | 2 of 3 |
| Extreme cold | 28 | 28 | 1996-2022 | 1 | 1 | – | 2 of 3 |
| Tornadoes | 25 | 19 | 1964-2026 | 2 | 58 | $15M | 2 of 3 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 19 | 19 | 2007-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 3 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 16 | 14 | 1996-2020 | 0 | 0 | $14M | 2 of 3 |
| Lightning | 15 | 15 | 1997-2011 | 0 | 1 | $451K | 3 of 3 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 3 | 2002-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 3 |
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 Kent County had?
NOAA records 25 tornadoes in Kent County from 1964 to 2026, the strongest rated EF2, with 2 deaths and 58 injuries recorded in the county. That is 2nd of 3 Delaware 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 24 tornadoes whose track touched Kent County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 25: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983-07-21 18:50, as SPC files it | Hartly | F2 | 1 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Delaware.
Every tornado record filed for Kent County (25)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-16 | Frederica, Kent County | EF1 0.7 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-07-01 | Farmington, Kent County | EF1 3.85 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-04 | Milford, Kent County | EF1 0.74 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-04 | Lebanon, Kent County | EF2 14.89 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-04 | Sandtown, Kent County | EF1 2.98 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-05-22 | Haglettville, Kent County | EF1 0.35 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 2 | $187K |
| 2012-09-03 | Wyoming, Kent County | EF0 0.21 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 2 | $129K |
| 2004-07-12 | Leipsic, Kent County | F0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-07-27 | Kent County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $398K |
| 1994-07-27 | Harrington, Kent County | F1 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $796K |
| 1994-07-27 | Farmington, Kent County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 4 | $398K |
| 1994-06-27 | Petersburg, Kent County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-04-01 | Bowers Beach, Kent County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 1993-04-01 | Harrington To, Kent County | F0 10 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1992-07-31 | Kent County | F2 4 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1992-07-31 | Kent County | F1 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1991-07-08 | Kent County | F0 0.3 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1988-06-07 | Kent County | F1 10 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 30 | $2.5M step |
| 1983-07-21 | Kent County | F2 1 mi x 20 yd | 2 | 9 | $250K step |
| 1977-06-09 | Kent County | F2 0.2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1977-03-13 | Kent County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-08-04 | Kent County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1975-04-03 | Kent County | F1 | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 1967-01-27 | Kent County | F2 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 7 | $250K step |
| 1964-03-26 | Kent County | F1 0.3 mi x 40 yd | 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 Kent County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 1, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($40,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindVernon, Kent County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindHartly, Kent County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-10 | Dense FogKent County · forecast zone Kent | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindSmyrna, Kent County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindClayton, Kent County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $40K |
| 2026-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindClayton, Kent County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindBrookdale Hgts, Kent County | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindDover Afb, Kent County | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindDover Airport, Kent County | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindWoodland Beach, Kent County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindFelton Yorde Airport, Kent County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindHarrington, Kent 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983-07-21 | TornadoKent County | F2 1 mi x 20 yd | 2 | 9 | $250K step |
| 2006-08-01 | HeatKent County · forecast zone Kent A strong area of high pressure anchored over the East Coast and the western Atlantic, resulted in a stretch of excessive heat for the entire region to start off August 2006. The very hot air mass was accompanied by humid conditions as the dew points surged into the upper 60s and lower 70s for a time. It could have ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-01-17 | Winter WeatherKent County · forecast zone Kent Snow began during the late morning hours on January 17th and ended by late afternoon. When the snow ended, 2.0 inches was reported near Milford, 1.0 near Felton, and 0.8 near Camden. Three automobile accidents were reported as a result of slippery roads, one with injuries. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2007-02-06 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillKent County · forecast zone Kent An arctic air mass that originated near the North Pole invaded Delaware on the 5th and 6th. The combination of the unseasonably cold air and gusty northwest winds produced wind chill factors as low as zero to 10 degrees below zero during the mornings of the 5th and 6th. The lowest temperatures occurred during the ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2008-03-08 | Strong WindKent County · forecast zone Kent A line of severe thunderstorms that accompanied a cold frontal passage produced wind damage across northern Delaware during the late afternoon of the 8th. The combination of the severe storms and then strong winds which followed caused about 15,000 Delmarva Power and Light customers to lose power. Elsewhere in the ... | 46 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $69K |
| 1988-06-07 | TornadoKent County | F1 10 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 30 | $2.5M step |
| 2014-01-02 | Heavy SnowKent County · forecast zone Kent A winter storm dropped 4 to 8 inches of snow across Delaware from the late afternoon of the 2nd into the morning of the 3rd. This caused hazardous traveling conditions for the evening commute on the 2nd and the morning commute on the 3rd. Even after the snow ended, gusty northwest winds that continued through the day ... | 0 | 25 | – | |
| 2015-03-05 | Winter StormKent County · forecast zone Kent Waves of low pressure that formed along a sinking cold front brought Delaware its heaviest snow of the season on the 5th. Snowfall averaged 4 to 8 inches with the highest amounts in New Castle County and the lowest amounts on coastal Sussex County. The heavy snow caused schools and universities to close as well as ... | 0 | 11 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-09-01 | DroughtKent County · forecast zone Kent | 0 | 0 | $14M | |
| 2003-09-18 | Tropical StormKent County · forecast zone Kent | 0 | 0 | $14M | |
| 1998-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindDover, Kent County | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | |
| 2010-02-09 | Winter StormKent County · forecast zone Kent | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | |
| 2004-07-12 | Flash FloodNorth Portion, Kent County | 0 | 0 | $977K | |
| 1996-01-06 | Winter StormKent County · forecast zone Kent | 0 | 0 | $941K | |
| 2012-10-29 | Coastal FloodKent County · forecast zone Kent | 0 | 0 | $900K | |
| 1994-07-27 | TornadoHarrington, Kent County | F1 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $796K |
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: June 7, 1988 (tornado, Kent 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 Kent 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 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 30 | 19 | 64 | 68 | 86 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 62 | 68 | 22 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 16 | 79 | 58 | 5 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 22 | 26 | 51 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 25 | 36 | 10 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 25 | 29 | 20 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
43% 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 128 · Feb 154 · Mar 83 · Apr 75 · May 61 · Jun 100 · Jul 145 · Aug 113 · Sep 86 · Oct 44 · Nov 37 · Dec 80 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Kent County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Kent County: 11 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (7) and snowstorm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-29 | DR-4916 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020-10-02 | DR-4566 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Isaias |
| 2020-04-05 | DR-4526 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3449 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012-11-16 | DR-4090 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3357 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-09-30 | DR-4037 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-28 | EM-3336 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-03-31 | DR-1896 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 2005-09-30 | EM-3263 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-09-20 | DR-1494 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 2003-03-20 | EM-3183 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1996-01-12 | DR-1082 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1994-03-16 | DR-1017 | Severe Storm | Severe Ice Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-03-18 | EM-3111 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1992-02-06 | DR-933 | Flood | Severe Coastal Storm |
| 1965-08-18 | DR-207 | Drought | Water Shortage |
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 Kent County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 79 flood or flash flood records for Kent County from 1996 to 2025, on 66 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Kent County ranks 631st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-29 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.6 million on 376 claims filed in Kent County; the most in one year was 64 in 2008. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 2 · 1980: 38 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 37 · 1985: 4 · 1986: 2 · 1988: 2 · 1989: 1 · 1992: 36 · 1993: 3 · 1994: 36 · 1996: 3 · 1998: 16 · 1999: 2 · 2000: 3 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 3 · 2004: 2 · 2006: 4 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 64 · 2009: 9 · 2010: 3 · 2011: 34 · 2012: 6 · 2013: 6 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 16 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 13 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2023: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2025: 2 · 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 Kent County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Kent County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $55.8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $10M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $534K | 7.8 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $10M | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.6M | 5.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | 5.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $24M | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $585K | 34 a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | 3.7 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 Kent 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 DelawareEvery Delaware tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in DelawareThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Delaware recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Kent CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Kent County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis