Monroe County, New York
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 36055 · population 758,349 · 657 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 760 records for Monroe County, New York from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 478 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (335 records). The deadliest single record is the February 10, 2008 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Monroe, which covers the county: 1 death, 22 injuries and $685,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1972, 17 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Flooding” on November 14, 2017.
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
- 760on 478 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 547 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $108Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 5strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 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 Monroe County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 335 since 1955. 49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 335 | 174 | 1955-2026 | 1 | 6 | $47M | 24 of 58 |
| Floods | 106 | 70 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $14M | 13 of 58 |
| Winter storms | 104 | 100 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 22 | $31M | 46 of 58 |
| Hail | 84 | 55 | 1959-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | 21 of 58 |
| High wind and dust storms | 74 | 74 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 12 | $13M | 19 of 58 |
| Extreme cold | 24 | 23 | 2008-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 of 58 |
| Lightning | 12 | 10 | 1996-2017 | 0 | 7 | $163K | 19 of 58 |
| Heavy rain | 9 | 5 | 2018-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 58 |
| Drought | 5 | 5 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 of 58 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 5 | 1979-2020 | 0 | 0 | $270K | 39 of 58 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 1 | 2024-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 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 Monroe County had?
NOAA records 5 tornadoes in Monroe County from 1979 to 2020, the strongest rated F1, 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched Monroe County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 5, 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 Monroe County (5)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-07-29 | Wheatland Center, Monroe County | EF0 4.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2013-07-19 | Manitou Beach, Monroe County | EF0 0.28 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 2009-07-25 | Parma Center, Monroe County | EF0 1.49 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $103K |
| 1981-09-08 | Monroe County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1979-04-06 | Monroe County | F0 14 mi x 33 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 Monroe County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 17, 2025 thunderstorm wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindMendon, Monroe County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindHoneoye Falls Airport, Monroe County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindRush, Monroe County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-09 | Thunderstorm WindHoneoye Falls Airport, Monroe County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-03 | Winter WeatherMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-21 | Winter WeatherMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-14 | Winter StormMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-11 | Winter WeatherMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-09 | High WindMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-29 | High WindMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 54 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-02-10 | Winter WeatherMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe An arctic front roared across the eastern Lakes region on Sunday morning Feb 10th. Snow squalls accompanied the front with strong northwest winds developing behind the front. The strong winds blew about the freshly-fallen snow producing whiteout conditions in blowing snow on Interstate 390 in the City of Gates. A ... | 1 | 22 | $685K | |
| 2007-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindRochester, Monroe County A cold front swept across the region triggering strong, damaging thunderstorms. The thunderstorms produced large hail in some locations and strong winds downed trees and power lines throughout the region. Damage was reported in Randolph, Napoli, East Aurora, Yorkshire, Gainesville, Byron, Almond, Retsof, Rochester, ... | 55 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $78K |
| 1997-02-22 | High WindMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe A strong cold front cross the region during the morning hours. Temperatures dropped 40 to 45 degrees with the passage of the front. The funnelling effect of the Great Lakes combined with rapid pressure rises behind the front to produce hazardous winds. Trees, power lines and poles were downed across the entire area. ... | 1 | 1 | $919K | |
| 2006-02-17 | High WindMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe Low pressure deepened as it tracked northeast into southern Ontario. The strong winds associated with the low downed trees and power lines throughout western New York and the north country. Damage from falling trees to buildings and automobiles was extensive. Over 150,000 were left without power during the peak of the ... | 67 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $732K |
| 1999-11-02 | High WindMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe An intense storm which moved from the eastern Gulf of Mexico to Western New York brought high winds to the region. Barns collapsed in York (Livingston County) and Harrisburg (Lewis County). Trees and lines were downed and power outages were scattered throughout the area. In Arcade (Wyoming County) showroom windows ... | 1 | 0 | $177K | |
| 2009-05-09 | High WindMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe An unusually strong low pressure system crossed southern Ontario and brought strong winds to western New York. Winds gusts were measured between 50 and 55 mph at Buffalo and Niagara Falls. At Rochester airport a gust of 56 mph was measured. The windy conditions in Rochester interrupted the annual Lilac festival. A ... | 50 kt wind | 0 | 4 | $11K |
| 1999-07-31 | Thunderstorm WindRochester Airport, Monroe County Violent thunderstorms ripped across western New York and the Finger Lakes region during the evening hours. The strong thunderstorms downed trees and power lines and left hundreds of thousands without power. Several roads were blocked by fallen debris. Several of the falling trees caused damage to houses and ... | 0 | 4 | $266K | |
| 2002-02-01 | High WindMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe An intensifying storm moved across the Great Lakes and lifted northeast to the St. Lawrence Valley. Very strong winds behind the low blasted the region with wind gusts exceeding 55 mph. Trees and power lines were downed by the strong winds. Hundreds of thousands were without power...some for several days. Fallen trees ... | 63 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $1.2M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-09-06 | Thunderstorm WindRochester Airport, Monroe County | 0 | 1 | $40M | |
| 2003-04-04 | Ice StormMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | $22M | |
| 1999-03-04 | BlizzardMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | |
| 2019-05-20 | Lakeshore FloodMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | |
| 2019-05-17 | FloodTroutberg, Monroe County | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | |
| 1998-09-06 | Thunderstorm WindPittsford, Monroe County | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | |
| 2004-09-09 | FloodMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 2017-03-08 | High WindMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 62 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.8M |
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: April 6, 1979 (tornado, Monroe 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 Monroe 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 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 32 | 45 | 54 | 91 | 90 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 21 | 22 | 44 | 19 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 16 | 38 | 36 | 14 |
| Hail | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 32 | 27 | 9 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 21 | 28 | 18 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | 14 | 8 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% 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 62 · Feb 42 · Mar 47 · Apr 42 · May 85 · Jun 122 · Jul 132 · Aug 95 · Sep 29 · Oct 45 · Nov 22 · Dec 37 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Monroe County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Monroe County: 13 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (4) and severe storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-20 | DR-4480 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3434 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-11-14 | DR-4348 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3351 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2005-09-30 | EM-3262 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-10-01 | DR-1564 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2004-08-03 | DR-1534 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-08-23 | EM-3186 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2003-05-12 | DR-1467 | Severe Ice Storm | Ice Storm |
| 2001-09-11 | DR-1391 | Fire | Fires and Explosions |
| 2000-10-11 | EM-3155 | Other | West Nile Virus |
| 1999-03-10 | EM-3138 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1998-09-11 | DR-1244 | Severe Storm | Ny - Severe Wx, Sept 7, 1998 |
| 1998-07-07 | DR-1233 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1998-01-06 | DR-1196 | Snowstorm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3107 | Snowstorm | Severe Blizzard |
| 1991-03-21 | DR-898 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1976-03-19 | DR-494 | Severe Ice Storm | Ice Storm,Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-11-02 | EM-3004 | Flood | Floodng (Nys Barge Canal) |
| 1973-03-21 | DR-367 | Flood | High Winds, Wave Action & Flooding |
| 1972-06-23 | DR-338 | 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 Monroe County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 106 flood or flash flood records for Monroe County from 1996 to 2025, on 70 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Monroe County ranks 370th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $5.0 million on 828 claims filed in Monroe County; the most in one year was 119 in 2017. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 26 · 1979: 30 · 1980: 11 · 1981: 7 · 1982: 7 · 1983: 5 · 1984: 8 · 1985: 2 · 1986: 5 · 1987: 8 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 8 · 1990: 4 · 1991: 74 · 1992: 11 · 1993: 103 · 1994: 4 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 11 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 98 · 1999: 3 · 2000: 16 · 2001: 5 · 2002: 5 · 2003: 6 · 2004: 73 · 2005: 13 · 2006: 8 · 2007: 7 · 2008: 5 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 11 · 2012: 8 · 2013: 11 · 2014: 23 · 2015: 5 · 2017: 119 · 2018: 5 · 2019: 37 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 9 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 9 · 2026: 11; 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 Monroe County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Monroe County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $141 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $20M | 2.9 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $103M | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $711K | 21 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $814K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.8M | 3.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $5.8M | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.2M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $638K | 27 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Monroe 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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in New YorkThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Monroe CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Monroe County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis