Lewis County, New York
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 36049 · population 26,548 · 1,276 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 774 records for Lewis County, New York from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 553 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (297 records). 395 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 June 10, 2008 thunderstorm wind: 1 death and $27,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 28 declarations naming the county since 1977, 24 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storm and Flooding” on October 21, 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
- 774on 553 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 10 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $60Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 9strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 28latest 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 Lewis County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 297 since 1996. 59% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 297 | 287 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $16M | 24 of 58 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 283 | 149 | 1966-2026 | 1 | 0 | $32M | 52 of 58 |
| Floods | 66 | 32 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $4.7M | 55 of 58 |
| High wind and dust storms | 48 | 47 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | $4.3M | 40 of 58 |
| Extreme cold | 42 | 41 | 2008-2026 | 0 | 0 | $51K | 31 of 58 |
| Hail | 26 | 21 | 1969-2024 | 0 | 0 | $228K | 56 of 58 |
| Tornadoes | 9 | 8 | 1969-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | 46 of 58 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 2 | 2021-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 48 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 Lewis County had?
NOAA records 9 tornadoes in Lewis County from 1969 to 2026, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 0 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 8 tornadoes whose track touched Lewis County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 9: 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.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-07 17:42, as SPC files it | Constableville to Turin | EF3 | 16 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New York.
Every tornado record filed for Lewis County (9)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Naumburg, Lewis County | EF1 0.63 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-08-07 | North Osceola, Lewis County | EFU 0.85 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2023-08-07 | West Leyden, Lewis County | EF3 16 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.5M |
| 2016-08-16 | Constableville, Lewis County | EF0 0.22 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2014-07-08 | West Lowville, Lewis County | EF1 12.32 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $312K |
| 2005-08-01 | Barnes Corners, Lewis County | F1 1.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $45K |
| 2004-10-02 | Port Leyden, Lewis County | F0 0.1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | $23K |
| 1987-06-04 | Lewis County | F0 0.4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1969-07-12 | Lewis County | F1 0.8 mi x 150 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 Lewis County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 13, 2025 thunderstorm wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindDenmark, Lewis County | 75 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindHouseville, Lewis County | 85 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindCastorland, Lewis County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindBeaver Falls, Lewis County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-30 | TornadoNaumburg, Lewis County | EF1 0.63 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-12 | Frost/FreezeLewis County · forecast zone Lewis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-13 | Winter StormLewis County · forecast zone Lewis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillLewis County · forecast zone Lewis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-29 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillLewis County · forecast zone Lewis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-27 | Lake-Effect SnowLewis County · forecast zone Lewis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormLewis County · forecast zone Lewis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillLewis County · forecast zone Lewis | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindCroghan, Lewis County A pre-frontal trough well ahead of a cold front moved into a sultry airmass with ample instability and wind shear. A weak supercell formed near Erie, Pennsylvania and grew as it encountered an outflow from earlier convection. The storm continued to intensify as it moved across the western southern tier of New York and ... | 60 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $27K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-01-08 | Ice StormLewis County · forecast zone Lewis | 0 | 0 | $3.6M | |
| 2001-12-28 | Heavy SnowLewis County · forecast zone Lewis | 0 | 0 | $3.3M | |
| 2014-05-22 | Flash FloodPort Leyden, Lewis County | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2023-08-07 | TornadoWest Leyden, Lewis County | EF3 16 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.5M |
| 2011-04-28 | FloodNaumburg, Lewis County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2000-11-21 | Heavy SnowLewis County · forecast zone Lewis | 0 | 0 | $857K | |
| 2000-11-22 | Heavy SnowLewis County · forecast zone Lewis | 0 | 0 | $857K | |
| 2008-09-15 | High WindLewis County · forecast zone Lewis | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $548K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: July 12, 1969 (tornado, Lewis County); June 4, 1987 (tornado, Lewis 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 Lewis 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 42 | 94 | 98 | 63 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 26 | 46 | 99 | 94 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 10 | 13 | 13 | 30 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 15 | 20 | 8 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 20 | 19 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
59% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 123 · Feb 61 · Mar 41 · Apr 22 · May 70 · Jun 89 · Jul 107 · Aug 54 · Sep 37 · Oct 26 · Nov 52 · Dec 92 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lewis County
FEMA's register lists 28 declarations that include Lewis County: 17 major disasters, 11 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for snowstorm (9) and severe storm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10-21 | DR-4839 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2024-08-29 | DR-4814 | Flood | Severe Storm, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2022-11-20 | EM-3589 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2021-10-08 | DR-4625 | Hurricane | Remnants of Tropical Storm Fred |
| 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 |
| 2014-12-22 | DR-4204 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding |
| 2014-07-08 | DR-4180 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3351 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-06-10 | DR-1993 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2007-02-23 | EM-3273 | Snowstorm | Record Snow and Near Record Snow |
| 2005-09-30 | EM-3262 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-08-03 | DR-1534 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2004-03-03 | EM-3195 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 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 |
| 2000-07-21 | DR-1335 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1999-01-15 | EM-3136 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1998-01-06 | DR-1196 | Snowstorm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-12-09 | DR-1148 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms High Winds, Rain 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 |
| 1985-03-20 | DR-733 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1977-02-05 | DR-527 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
| 1977-01-29 | EM-3027 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
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 Lewis County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 66 flood or flash flood records for Lewis County from 1996 to 2024, on 32 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lewis County ranks 1800th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $456,000 on 38 claims filed in Lewis County; the most in one year was 15 in 1998. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 1 · 1980: 2 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 2 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 3 · 1993: 2 · 1998: 15 · 2006: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2011: 1 · 2014: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2024: 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 Lewis County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lewis County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $294K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $136K | 42 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $7.3M | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $354K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $380K | 5.2 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $2K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $64K | once in about 171 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $255K | once in about 591 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Lewis 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
- Winter storms in New YorkThe state's winter storm records, 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 Lewis CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lewis County's FEMA declarations (CSV)28 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis