Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 42071 · population 552,633 · 944 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,177 records for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 627 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (618 records). The deadliest single record is the September 7, 2011 flood: 3 deaths and $1.0 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1972, 20 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm” on March 23, 2016.
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
- 1,177on 627 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1463 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $90Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 39strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 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 Lancaster County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 618 since 1955. 51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 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 | 618 | 333 | 1955-2026 | 4 | 9 | $14M | 22 of 67 |
| Hail | 192 | 107 | 1960-2025 | 0 | 0 | $7K | 13 of 67 |
| Floods | 166 | 106 | 1996-2025 | 5 | 0 | $12M | 21 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 81 | 80 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 8 | $15K | 60 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 39 | 37 | 1950-2026 | 0 | 41 | $64M | 4 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 32 | 32 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $222K | 38 of 67 |
| Drought | 14 | 14 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 67 |
| Heat | 13 | 13 | 1999-2025 | 1 | 0 | – | 20 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 8 | 7 | 2007-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 67 |
| Lightning | 6 | 6 | 2000-2025 | 2 | 5 | $44K | 21 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 4 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 67 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2008-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 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 Lancaster County had?
NOAA records 39 tornadoes in Lancaster County from 1950 to 2026, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 41 injuries recorded in the county. That is 4th of 67 Pennsylvania 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 39 tornadoes whose track touched Lancaster County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 39, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950-11-04 17:00, as SPC files it | Reading | F3 | 15.9 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Pennsylvania.
Every tornado record filed for Lancaster County (39)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | Kirkwood, Lancaster County | EF1 2.87 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2025-09-04 | Mechanics Grove, Lancaster County | EF0 0.15 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-05-04 | Reinholds, Lancaster County | EF0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2023-08-07 | Rawlinsville, Lancaster County | EF0 0.51 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-05-27 | Kirkwood, Lancaster County | EF1 3.05 mi x 130 yd | 0 | 3 | $328K |
| 2019-05-28 | Churchtown, Lancaster County | EF1 0.28 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 2019-05-19 | Schoeneck, Lancaster County | EF1 0.84 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 3 | $115K |
| 2016-02-24 | Gap, Lancaster County | EF2 4.87 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $9.8M |
| 2015-09-29 | Rohrerstown, Lancaster County | EF1 2.53 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $5.0M |
| 2012-10-19 | Fishing Creek, Lancaster County | EF1 16.56 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 15 | $7.7M |
| 2010-09-27 | Kinzers, Lancaster County | EF0 1.84 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 1 | $20K |
| 2009-03-29 | Lititz, Lancaster County | EF1 1.25 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 3 | $1.4M |
| 2004-08-04 | Manheim, Lancaster County | F0 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2004-07-27 | Willow Street, Lancaster County | F1 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $156K |
| 2004-06-17 | Lancaster County | F1 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-06-22 | White Horse, Lancaster County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2000-06-18 | Gordonville, Lancaster County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-05-10 | Strasburg, Lancaster County | F0 6 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-05-31 | Quarryville, Lancaster County | F2 7 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-29 | Millersville, Lancaster County | F2 2.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1995-05-29 | Schoeneck, Lancaster County | F1 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-06 | Lancaster County | F2 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 1990-05-13 | Lancaster County | F0 4 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1989-06-15 | Lancaster County | F2 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1989-06-15 | Lancaster County | F2 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 1985-08-30 | Lancaster County | F1 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1985-07-31 | Lancaster County | F2 3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1980-06-07 | Lancaster County | F1 1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1979-11-26 | Lancaster County | F1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-07-29 | Lancaster County | F1 1.8 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-08-17 | Lancaster County | F2 0.7 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1970-07-02 | Lancaster County | F2 1 mi x 1,760 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1970-06-18 | Lancaster County | F1 1 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1961-07-29 | Lancaster County | F2 13.4 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 2 | $2.5M step |
| 1961-05-26 | Lancaster County | F1 0.3 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 3 | $3K step |
| 1957-04-28 | Lancaster County | F1 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1956-09-17 | Lancaster County | F1 2.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $3K step |
| 1953-11-23 | Lancaster County | F2 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1950-11-04 | Lancaster County | F3 4.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K 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 Lancaster County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 14, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindWakefield, Lancaster County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindConestoga, Lancaster County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-14 | TornadoKirkwood, Lancaster County | EF1 2.87 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindSafe Harbor, Lancaster County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindRohrerstown, Lancaster County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtLancaster County · forecast zone Lancaster | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindWhite Horse, Lancaster County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindLeaman Place, Lancaster County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindWest Lancaster, Lancaster County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindLancaster County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindLancaster County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $35K |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindRohrerstown, Lancaster County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-09-07 | FloodDenver, Lancaster County The Susquehanna River at Marietta crested in major flood stage at 58.16 feet. Flood stage is 49.0 feet. This is the 4th highest crest on record. The Conestoga River at Lancaster crested in major flood stage at 21.30 feet. Flood stage is 11.0 feet. This is the 2nd highest crest on record. Life-threatening flash ... | 3 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2016-01-22 | Winter StormLancaster County · forecast zone Lancaster Heavy snowfall amounts of 21 to 28 inches were observed across the county, along with near-blizzard conditions. A 70-year old Willow Street man and a 76-year old Elizabethtown man died of cardiac arrest while clearing snow at their homes. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2014-08-31 | LightningOakryn, Lancaster County Two boys were struck by lightning while running across a field after getting out of the Little Conowingo Creek in Fulton Township near Peach Bottom in Lancaster County. Authorities said the boys were swimming with friends near Nottingham and Soapstone Roads when a thunderstorm moved through the area. One boy was ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 1994-11-01 | Thunderstorm WindPleasant Grove, Lancaster County A seventeen year male was killed and his girlfriend was injured when a three foot wide oak tree landed and crushed their vehicle on Cooks Landing Road in Fulton Township. (M17V) | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2025-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindChristiana, Lancaster County A man was killed in Sadsbury Township when a severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked a large tree limb down, which struck him as he was operating a tractor. | 52 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2023-12-18 | FloodHinkletown, Lancaster County Heavy rainfall led to flooding along Cabin Drive near Ephrata during the early morning hours of December 18, 2023. A direct fatality was reported when a 73-year old male drove into the flood waters and drowned during the pre-dawn hours. | 1 | 0 | $10K | |
| 2023-10-04 | HeatLancaster County · forecast zone Lancaster On an unseasonably warm afternoon with highs in the low to mid 80s, an infant left unattended in a car in West Hempfield Township, Lancaster County was found dead from asphyxia due to hyperthermia. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-04-22 | Thunderstorm WindNew Providence, Lancaster County A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down a large branch along the 100 block of Sawmill Road in Providence Township, with one fatality reported. | 52 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-02-24 | TornadoGap, Lancaster County | EF2 4.87 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $9.8M |
| 2012-10-19 | TornadoFishing Creek, Lancaster County | EF1 16.56 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 15 | $7.7M |
| 2000-06-25 | Flash FloodCountywide, Lancaster County | 0 | 0 | $6.9M | |
| 2017-02-25 | Thunderstorm WindLexington, Lancaster County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $6.0M |
| 2015-09-29 | TornadoRohrerstown, Lancaster County | EF1 2.53 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $5.0M |
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Lancaster County | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 1995-04-09 | Thunderstorm WindNorthwest And, Lancaster County | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 1995-07-16 | Thunderstorm WindLancaster County | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
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: July 29, 1961 (tornado, Lancaster County); June 15, 1989 (tornado, Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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 | 10 | 28 | 54 | 84 | 96 | 183 | 161 |
| Hail | 0 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 79 | 56 | 15 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 18 | 57 | 38 | 53 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 13 | 29 | 21 | 18 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 11 | 10 | 7 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 43 · Feb 66 · Mar 53 · Apr 51 · May 124 · Jun 233 · Jul 286 · Aug 154 · Sep 75 · Oct 29 · Nov 34 · Dec 29 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lancaster County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Lancaster County: 15 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (7) and snowstorm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-30 | DR-4506 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3441 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-03-23 | DR-4267 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2014-02-06 | EM-3367 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3356 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-09-12 | DR-4030 | Flood | Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011-09-08 | EM-3340 | Flood | Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2010-04-16 | DR-1898 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 2006-06-30 | DR-1649 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2003-03-14 | EM-3180 | Severe Storm | Snow |
| 1999-09-18 | DR-1294 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1996-01-21 | DR-1093 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1085 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1994-03-10 | DR-1015 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3105 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1976-10-20 | DR-523 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1975-09-26 | DR-485 | Flood | Severe Storms, Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1973-07-17 | DR-400 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 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 Lancaster County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 166 flood or flash flood records for Lancaster County from 1996 to 2025, on 106 days, with 5 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lancaster County ranks 183rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Lee | 2011-09-07 | 1 | 3 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $32.8 million on 2,106 claims filed in Lancaster County; the most in one year was 477 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 308 · 1979: 211 · 1980: 2 · 1981: 2 · 1982: 29 · 1983: 27 · 1984: 51 · 1985: 11 · 1986: 84 · 1987: 68 · 1988: 31 · 1989: 16 · 1990: 1 · 1992: 2 · 1993: 41 · 1994: 22 · 1995: 5 · 1996: 148 · 1997: 3 · 1998: 2 · 1999: 73 · 2000: 47 · 2001: 20 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 29 · 2004: 66 · 2005: 51 · 2006: 36 · 2007: 3 · 2008: 1 · 2010: 8 · 2011: 477 · 2012: 17 · 2013: 7 · 2014: 6 · 2015: 4 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 92 · 2020: 7 · 2021: 51 · 2024: 4 · 2025: 38 · 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 Lancaster County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lancaster County Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $170 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 | $2.2M | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $111M | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $2.2M | 36 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | $24M | once in about 12 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $2.2M | 6.7 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $7.5M | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.1M | 5.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $9.6M | once in about 652 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Lancaster 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 Lancaster CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lancaster County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis