Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 42075 · population 143,188 · 362 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 581 records for Lebanon County, Pennsylvania from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 399 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (300 records). The deadliest single record is the February 13, 2016 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Lebanon, which covers the county: 3 deaths and 70 injuries. FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1972, 17 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
- 581on 399 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 8104 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $71Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 19strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 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 Lebanon County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 300 since 1957. 50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 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 | 300 | 202 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 5 | $1.3M | 7 of 67 |
| Floods | 77 | 54 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 0 | $3.1M | 14 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 73 | 73 | 1996-2026 | 4 | 71 | – | 17 of 67 |
| Hail | 55 | 38 | 1956-2023 | 0 | 0 | $9K | 15 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 25 | 25 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $136K | 14 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 16 | 1957-2021 | 1 | 7 | $66M | 3 of 67 |
| Heat | 12 | 12 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 67 |
| Drought | 11 | 11 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 3 | 2007-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 56 of 67 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1996-2005 | 0 | 21 | – | 25 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2010-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 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 Lebanon County had?
NOAA records 19 tornadoes in Lebanon County from 1957 to 2021, the strongest rated F3, with 1 death and 7 injuries recorded in the county. That is 3rd 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 19 tornadoes whose track touched Lebanon County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 19, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970-06-18 17:15, as SPC files it | Mount Aetna to Stouchsburg | F3 | 1.9 mi | 1 |
| 2004-07-14 13:05, as SPC files it | Campbelltown | F3 | 7.5 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Pennsylvania.
Every tornado record filed for Lebanon County (19)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-07-29 | Greble, Lebanon County | EF0 0.74 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-07-22 | Hebron, Lebanon County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-04-28 | East Hanover, Lebanon County | EF2 1.07 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2011-04-28 | Palmyra, Lebanon County | EF1 1.92 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2010-06-22 | Fontana, Lebanon County | EF0 0.11 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2008-07-13 | Bunker Hill, Lebanon County | EF0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-07-14 | Campbelltown, Lebanon County | F3 7.5 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $28M |
| 2002-04-28 | Ono, Lebanon County | F1 1.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 1994-06-06 | Hamlin To, Lebanon County | F1 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-08-28 | Lebanon County | F1 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1992-07-17 | Lebanon County | F1 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1992-07-17 | Lebanon County | F2 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1992-07-17 | Lebanon County | F1 1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1991-05-30 | Lebanon County | F0 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1979-11-26 | Lebanon County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1975-10-11 | Lebanon County | F2 17.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1970-06-18 | Lebanon County | F3 1.9 mi x 880 yd | 1 | 5 | $2.5M step |
| 1964-06-15 | Lebanon County | F1 2 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1957-11-19 | Lebanon County | F2 2 mi x 13 yd | 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 Lebanon County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 11, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindAnnville, Lebanon County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindJonestown, Lebanon County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindEast Hanover, Lebanon County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindMt Zion, Lebanon County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindKleinfeltersville, Lebanon County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindSand Hill, Lebanon County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindHamlin, Lebanon County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindFlintville, Lebanon County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindFredericksburg, Lebanon County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindAvon, Lebanon County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-01-24 | Heavy SnowLebanon County · forecast zone Lebanon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | Winter WeatherLebanon County · forecast zone Lebanon | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-02-13 | Winter WeatherLebanon County · forecast zone Lebanon A snow squall combined with blowing snow produced sudden blinding whiteout conditions along I-78 westbound at mile marker 7.5 in Bethel Township. Just before 930AM, the brief whiteout caused a 64-car pileup that killed 3 people and injured at least 70 others. | 3 | 70 | – | |
| 2011-09-07 | FloodLawn, Lebanon County Swatara Creek at Harper Tavern crested at record/major flood stage, 24.46 feet. Flood stage is 9.0 feet. This is the 2nd highest crest on record. A 55-year old man was swept away in floodwaters from Route 72 just north of Frog Hollow Drive in Swatara Township. He was trapped in rising waters on Swatara Creek. The ... | 2 | 0 | $2.6M | |
| 1970-06-18 | TornadoLebanon County | F3 1.9 mi x 880 yd | 1 | 5 | $2.5M step |
| 2022-11-15 | Winter WeatherLebanon County · forecast zone Lebanon A period of moderate snow led to slick roads, leading to a fatal vehicle accident on the southbound lanes of I-81 in Lebanon County. The southbound lanes were closed for over 3 hours so that the state police could perform an accident reconstruction. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2006-09-02 | Strong WindLebanon County · forecast zone Lebanon Strong winds associated with the remnants of tropical storm Ernesto, coupled with heavy rainfall, allowed for multiple trees to fall in Eagle Peak Campground, Millcreek Township, in Lebanon County. One of these trees struck a camper, killing one individual. | 40 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2005-07-17 | LightningLickdale, Lebanon County Lightning struck a Pavilion in Fort Indiantown Gap. Twenty one National Guard soldiers, members of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment were injured by the lightning strike, while under the pavilion waiting for a bus. One soldier was knocked unconscious and was briefly hospitalized. The other 20 ... | 0 | 21 | – | |
| 1991-07-23 | Thunderstorm WindLebanon County | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 1964-06-15 | TornadoLebanon County | F1 2 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 2 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-07-14 | TornadoCampbelltown, Lebanon County | F3 7.5 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $28M |
| 2011-09-07 | FloodLawn, Lebanon County | 2 | 0 | $2.6M | |
| 2002-04-28 | TornadoOno, Lebanon County | F1 1.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2000-06-25 | Flash FloodCountywide, Lebanon County | 0 | 0 | $428K | |
| 2002-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindFredericksburg, Lebanon County | 100 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $410K |
| 2025-12-19 | Thunderstorm WindPleasant Hill, Lebanon County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2010-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindCampbelltown, Lebanon County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 2011-04-28 | TornadoEast Hanover, Lebanon County | EF2 1.07 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
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 18, 1970 (tornado, Lebanon County, 1 killed); October 11, 1975 (tornado, Lebanon 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 Lebanon 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 | 1 | 20 | 14 | 44 | 58 | 100 | 61 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 10 | 34 | 26 | 7 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 28 | 20 | 15 |
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 24 | 14 | 5 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 12 | 7 | 3 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 35 · Feb 39 · Mar 24 · Apr 28 · May 63 · Jun 117 · Jul 125 · Aug 52 · Sep 31 · Oct 15 · Nov 25 · Dec 27 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lebanon County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Lebanon County: 13 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (6) 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 Lebanon County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 77 flood or flash flood records for Lebanon County from 1996 to 2025, on 54 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lebanon County ranks 328th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Lee | 2011-09-07 | 1 | 2 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $15.9 million on 1,005 claims filed in Lebanon County; the most in one year was 317 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 104 · 1979: 317 · 1981: 6 · 1982: 4 · 1983: 15 · 1984: 5 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1988: 8 · 1989: 3 · 1993: 16 · 1994: 2 · 1996: 29 · 1999: 8 · 2000: 10 · 2003: 4 · 2004: 51 · 2005: 2 · 2006: 45 · 2007: 5 · 2008: 7 · 2010: 5 · 2011: 277 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 12 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 44 · 2019: 4 · 2021: 13 · 2023: 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 Lebanon County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lebanon County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $43.2 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 | $482K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.9M | 5.9 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.0M | 35 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $4.9M | once in about 13 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $27M | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.6M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $526K | 1.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.8M | once in about 739 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Lebanon 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 Lebanon CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lebanon County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis