McKean County, Pennsylvania
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 42083 · population 40,379 · 980 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 515 records for McKean County, Pennsylvania from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 366 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (260 records). The deadliest single record is the May 31, 1985 tornado: 4 deaths and 40 injuries. FEMA has issued 13 declarations naming the county since 1972, 11 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Sandy” on October 29, 2012.
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
- 515on 366 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 541 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $121Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 5strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 13latest 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 McKean County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 260 since 1968. 51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1968 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 | 260 | 163 | 1968-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 58 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 101 | 98 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $8K | 53 of 67 |
| Hail | 58 | 43 | 1967-2025 | 0 | 0 | $53K | 49 of 67 |
| Floods | 35 | 34 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 1 | $46M | 62 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 26 | 26 | 2004-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 21 | 21 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $53K | 57 of 67 |
| Drought | 6 | 6 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 46 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 3 | 1985-2003 | 4 | 40 | $73M | 67 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 34 of 67 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 1 | 0 | – | 48 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 42 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 McKean County had?
NOAA records 5 tornadoes in McKean County from 1985 to 2003, the strongest rated F4, with 4 deaths and 40 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched McKean County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 5, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 4 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-05-31 18:00, as SPC files it | St. Marys | F4 | 29 mi | 4 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Pennsylvania.
Every tornado record filed for McKean County (5)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-07-21 | Mt Jewett, McKean County | F1 5.5 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $73M |
| 1998-06-02 | Custer City, McKean County | F1 8 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-05-31 | McKean County | F4 6.5 mi x 1,000 yd | 4 | 40 | – |
| 1985-05-31 | McKean County | F4 7.5 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-05-31 | McKean County | F2 7 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 McKean 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 WindPort Allegany Airport, McKean County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindWrights, McKean County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindWest Eldred, McKean County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindEast Smethport, McKean County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindGriffiths, McKean County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindKane, McKean County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindLudlow, McKean County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-04-15 | Thunderstorm WindLarabee, McKean County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-04-15 | Thunderstorm WindCuster City, McKean County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-04-15 | Thunderstorm WindLewis Run, McKean County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-03-31 | Thunderstorm WindSmethport, McKean County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-03-31 | Thunderstorm WindDegolia, McKean County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-05-31 | TornadoMcKean County | F4 6.5 mi x 1,000 yd | 4 | 40 | – |
| 2005-07-25 | LightningBradford, McKean County A lightning strike killed a 40 year old man in Bradford township south of the city of Bradford shortly after midnight. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1999-08-20 | Flash FloodBradford, McKean County Between 8 and 9 inches of rain fell in a localized area around Bradford in little more than 12 hours. Rain overnight on the 19th dropped about 3.5 inches in the Bradford area up to sunrise. Thunderstorms developed in the early afternoon and continued to move repeatedly across the city. Before the rain ended, an ... | 0 | 1 | $44M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-07-21 | TornadoMt Jewett, McKean County | F1 5.5 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $73M |
| 1999-08-20 | Flash FloodBradford, McKean County | 0 | 1 | $44M | |
| 2003-07-21 | Flash FloodBradford, McKean County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2007-08-25 | Thunderstorm WindBradford, McKean County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $356K |
| 2010-12-01 | FloodWetmore, McKean County | 0 | 0 | $271K | |
| 1999-06-07 | HailCrosby, McKean County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $53K |
| 2017-05-01 | Thunderstorm WindHoward, McKean County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $36K |
| 2012-07-26 | Thunderstorm WindLewis Run, McKean County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $19K |
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 McKean 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 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 67 | 51 | 77 | 43 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 47 | 16 | 21 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 7 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 17 | 8 | 2 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 11 | 11 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 13 | 2 | 3 |
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 1968 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 48 · Feb 30 · Mar 24 · Apr 32 · May 51 · Jun 90 · Jul 79 · Aug 55 · Sep 30 · Oct 13 · Nov 25 · Dec 38 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for McKean County
FEMA's register lists 13 declarations that include McKean County: 9 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (3) and severe storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-30 | DR-4506 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3441 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3356 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 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 |
| 2003-08-23 | DR-1485 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1999-09-01 | DR-1289 | Severe Storm | Pa - Flooding 8/20/99 |
| 1996-01-21 | DR-1093 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3105 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1985-06-03 | DR-737 | Tornado | Severe Storms, High Winds & Tornadoes |
| 1984-08-27 | DR-721 | 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 McKean County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 35 flood or flash flood records for McKean County from 1996 to 2024, on 34 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), McKean County ranks 1063rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.0 million on 158 claims filed in McKean County; the most in one year was 42 in 1999. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 14 · 1980: 3 · 1981: 5 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 9 · 1985: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 4 · 1990: 1 · 1993: 4 · 1994: 2 · 1996: 24 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 42 · 2003: 26 · 2004: 2 · 2005: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 8 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 1 · 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 McKean County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates McKean County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $15.0 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 Moderate | $194K | 24 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $494K | 34 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $13M | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $10K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $210K | once in about 26 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $364K | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $567K | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $100K | once in about 2,463 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with McKean 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 McKean CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download McKean County's FEMA declarations (CSV)13 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis