Kings County, New York
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 36047 · population 2,735,309 · 69 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 379 records for Kings County, New York from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 296 days; the most frequent are floods and flash floods (100 records). NOAA records 100 flood or flash floods there since 1996, with 8 deaths; its 6,319 flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA) rank 76th of 2,942 U.S. counties; the deadliest named storm on its flood record is Hurricane Sandy (2012). The deadliest single record is the August 1, 2006 heat, filed for the forecast zone Kings (Brooklyn), which covers the county: 14 deaths. FEMA has issued 24 declarations naming the county since 1965, 20 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storm and Flooding” on January 30, 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
- 379on 296 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 7039 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $91Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 24latest 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 Kings County most?
The most frequent records are floods and flash floods: 100 since 1996. 43% of its floods and flash floods since 1996 fell in September and October. Census land area gives no figure for Kings County under this code, so it carries no per-area rank.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | 100 | 70 | 1996-2025 | 8 | 0 | $68M | – |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 87 | 60 | 1961-2026 | 2 | 6 | $305K | – |
| Winter storms | 67 | 67 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 6 | – | – |
| High wind and dust storms | 50 | 48 | 1996-2025 | 4 | 7 | $2.9M | – |
| Heavy rain | 17 | 17 | 1996-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Lightning | 13 | 12 | 1997-2025 | 1 | 9 | $59K | – |
| Drought | 8 | 8 | 2002-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Heat | 8 | 8 | 1999-2013 | 42 | 0 | – | – |
| Hail | 7 | 7 | 1985-2021 | 0 | 1 | – | – |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 6 | 2000-2013 | 5 | 0 | – | – |
| Rip currents and high surf | 5 | 5 | 2005-2024 | 7 | 0 | – | – |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 5 | 4 | 2003-2020 | 0 | 1 | $8.1M | – |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 1998-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 2007-2012 | 0 | 9 | $12M | – |
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 Kings County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Kings County from 2007 to 2012, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 9 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 Kings 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 Kings County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-09-08 | Homecrest, Kings County | EF1 3.76 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $321K |
| 2010-09-16 | Brooklyn, Kings County | EF0 2.09 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $12M |
| 2007-08-08 | Coney Is, Kings County | EF2 3.92 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 9 | – |
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 Kings County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindNew York, Kings County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-02-23 | BlizzardKings County · forecast zone Kings (Brooklyn) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormKings County · forecast zone Kings (Brooklyn) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-26 | Winter WeatherKings County · forecast zone Kings (Brooklyn) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-13 | Winter WeatherKings County · forecast zone Kings (Brooklyn) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-30 | Flash FloodBrooklyn, Kings County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-30 | Flash FloodBrooklyn, Kings County | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-30 | Flash FloodNew York, Kings County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-30 | Flash FloodBrooklyn, Kings County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-13 | LightningBrooklyn, Kings County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2025-08-13 | Thunderstorm WindBrooklyn, Kings County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2025-08-13 | Thunderstorm WindBrooklyn, Kings County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-08-01 | HeatKings County · forecast zone Kings (Brooklyn) An oppressive air mass moved slowly east across the region from August 1 to August 3. This was preceded by a hot dry air mass, when temperatures reached at least 90 degrees for 5 consecutive days at LaGuardia Airport, from July 27 to July 31.Excessive heat occurred mainly from noon to midnight each day for 3 ... | 14 | 0 | – | |
| 1999-07-04 | HeatKings County · forecast zone Kings (Brooklyn) An extremely hot and humid airmass covered the region from July 4th through July 6th.On Sunday July 4th, temperatures soared into the mid and upper 90s. The combination of high temperatures and moderate humidity caused most heat indices to range from 100 to 105 degrees. However, at Central Park, the Heat Index peaked ... | 14 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-07-21 | Excessive HeatKings County and Queens County · forecast zone Kings (Brooklyn) Excessive heat between 95 and 105 degrees, along with heat indices in excess of 105 degrees occurred for a couple of days. | 7 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-10-29 | Coastal FloodKings County and Queens County · forecast zone Kings (Brooklyn) Coastal communities along Southern Brooklyn experienced two successive tidal cycles with at least moderate coastal flooding. The peak of this surge occurred Monday Night as Sandy made landfall in Southern New Jersey, with widespread record coastal flooding occurring along New York Harbor and Jamaica Bay exceeding the ... | 5 | 0 | – | |
| 2013-07-19 | Excessive HeatKings County · forecast zone Kings (Brooklyn) The NYC medical examiner's office reported the death of two males, ages 78 and 84 years old, a female age 61, and another female age 82 years old as a result of the intense and excessive heat for several days. The deaths occurred in Brooklyn on July 19th, 20th and 21st, 2013. | 4 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-02-04 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillKings County · forecast zone Kings (Brooklyn) An arctic air mass caused subfreezing temperatures across the local area for 5 consecutive days; from February 4th through February 8th. During this time, the daily mean temperature averaged nearly 15 degrees below normal. Based on a report by the NYC Medical Examiner's Office, hypothermia, was a direct cause of at ... | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-07-05 | Rip CurrentKings County · forecast zone Kings (Brooklyn) Aisha Mohammed, 18, and Zainab Mohammed, 17, of the Bronx were reported missing around 8:10 p.m. Friday near Stillwell Avenue in Brooklyn by a bystander who said they entered the water and disappeared from view. The teens were found on the shoreline at 9:15 p.m. and rushed to Coney Island Hospital, where they were ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindKings County and Queens County · forecast zone Kings (Brooklyn) A wind gust up to 69 mph was reported in Coney Island at 642 pm, and winds of 58 mph were reported in Flatbush at 905 pm. A male and female, both age 24, were killed when a tree fell on them. | 60 kt wind | 2 | 0 | $1.3M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-09-01 | Flash FloodNew York, Kings County | 0 | 0 | $65M | |
| 2010-09-16 | TornadoBrooklyn, Kings County | EF0 2.09 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $12M |
| 2020-08-04 | Tropical StormKings County · forecast zone Kings (Brooklyn) | 0 | 1 | $8.1M | |
| 1996-10-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Kings County | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 2012-09-08 | TornadoHomecrest, Kings County | EF1 3.76 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $321K |
| 2016-03-28 | Strong WindKings County · forecast zone Kings (Brooklyn) | 45 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $246K |
| 2012-07-26 | LightningNew York, Kings County | 1 | 0 | $6K | |
| 2025-08-13 | LightningBrooklyn, Kings County | 0 | 0 | $5K |
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 Kings 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 20 | 31 | 19 | 30 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 17 | 28 | 20 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 20 | 26 | 16 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 13 | 20 | 10 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Lightning | – | – | – | – | 1 | 5 | 3 | 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 floods and flash floods since 1996 fell in September and October. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 44 · Feb 34 · Mar 30 · Apr 16 · May 13 · Jun 33 · Jul 58 · Aug 38 · Sep 50 · Oct 31 · Nov 11 · Dec 21 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Kings County
FEMA's register lists 24 declarations that include Kings County: 14 major disasters, 10 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (8) and flood (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-01-30 | DR-4755 | Flood | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2021-09-05 | DR-4615 | Hurricane | Remnants of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021-09-02 | EM-3572 | Hurricane | Remnants of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021-08-22 | EM-3565 | Hurricane | Hurricane Henri |
| 2020-03-20 | DR-4480 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3434 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012-10-30 | DR-4085 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3351 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-08-31 | DR-4020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-26 | EM-3328 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-02-18 | DR-1957 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2010-10-14 | DR-1943 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2007-08-31 | DR-1724 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornado |
| 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 |
| 2003-03-27 | EM-3184 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2001-09-11 | DR-1391 | Fire | Fires and Explosions |
| 2000-10-11 | EM-3155 | Other | West Nile Virus |
| 1996-01-12 | DR-1083 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3107 | Snowstorm | Severe Blizzard |
| 1984-04-17 | DR-702 | Flood | Coastal Storms & Flooding |
| 1971-09-13 | DR-311 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1965-08-18 | DR-204 | 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 Kings County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 100 flood or flash flood records for Kings County from 1996 to 2025, on 70 days, with 8 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Kings County ranks 76th of 2,942 U.S. counties. The 100 counties with the most claims
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-29 | 1 | 5 |
| Hurricane Ida | 2021-09-01 | 3 | 2 |
| Tropical Storm Isaias | 2020-08-04 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $330 million on 6,319 claims filed in Kings County; the most in one year was 3,583 in 2012. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 100 · 1979: 225 · 1980: 317 · 1981: 128 · 1982: 65 · 1983: 107 · 1984: 81 · 1985: 13 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 13 · 1988: 3 · 1989: 7 · 1990: 3 · 1991: 21 · 1992: 286 · 1993: 16 · 1994: 7 · 1995: 3 · 1996: 69 · 1997: 5 · 1998: 14 · 1999: 13 · 2000: 7 · 2001: 7 · 2003: 9 · 2004: 16 · 2005: 13 · 2006: 4 · 2007: 23 · 2008: 15 · 2009: 13 · 2010: 24 · 2011: 298 · 2012: 3,583 · 2013: 16 · 2014: 41 · 2015: 20 · 2016: 20 · 2017: 15 · 2018: 25 · 2019: 10 · 2020: 22 · 2021: 300 · 2022: 49 · 2023: 220 · 2024: 16 · 2025: 32 · 2026: 24; 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 Kings County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Kings County Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $375 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 | Very High | $1.8M | 8.7 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Very High | $10M | 5.4 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very High | $63M | 10 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Very High | $181M | 2 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Very High | $22M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Very High | $1.7M | 33 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | $52M | once in about 495 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | $31M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Kings 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
- Floods in New YorkThe state's floods and flash floods, 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 Kings CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Kings County's FEMA declarations (CSV)24 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis