Montgomery County, Maryland
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 24031 · population 1,061,279 · 493 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 2,238 records for Montgomery County, Maryland from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 1,012 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (891 records). The deadliest single record is the July 13, 1997 heat, filed for the forecast zone Montgomery, which covers the county: 2 deaths and 25 injuries. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1971, 19 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on January 24, 2026.
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
- 2,238on 1,012 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 2282 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $151Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 28strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 2026
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 Montgomery County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 891 since 1959. 52% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1959 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among Maryland'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 | 891 | 345 | 1959-2026 | 6 | 12 | $34M | 4 of 23 |
| Floods | 444 | 176 | 1996-2025 | 3 | 6 | $43M | 3 of 23 |
| Winter storms | 290 | 214 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 8 | $5.2M | 12 of 23 |
| Hail | 191 | 97 | 1965-2025 | 0 | 0 | $235K | 1 of 23 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 101 | 76 | 2001-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 23 |
| Extreme cold | 76 | 54 | 1997-2026 | 1 | 0 | $142K | 7 of 23 |
| Heat | 70 | 60 | 1996-2024 | 8 | 38 | – | 13 of 23 |
| High wind and dust storms | 60 | 49 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 5 | $7.9M | 11 of 23 |
| Lightning | 42 | 34 | 1996-2024 | 1 | 4 | $13M | 3 of 23 |
| Heavy rain | 29 | 29 | 1997-2005 | 1 | 2 | $36K | 13 of 23 |
| Tornadoes | 28 | 22 | 1952-2024 | 0 | 6 | $16M | 10 of 23 |
| Drought | 13 | 13 | 1997-2007 | 0 | 0 | $31M | 10 of 23 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 3 | 3 | 2008-2020 | 0 | 1 | $508K | 17 of 23 |
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 Montgomery County had?
NOAA records 28 tornadoes in Montgomery County from 1952 to 2024, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 6 injuries recorded in the county. That is 10th of 23 Maryland 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 29 tornadoes whose track touched Montgomery County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 28: 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.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Maryland.
Every tornado record filed for Montgomery County (28)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-05 | Quince Orchard, Montgomery County | EF1 15.16 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 5 | $4.7M |
| 2024-06-05 | Poolesville, Montgomery County | EF1 8.83 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $941K |
| 2023-04-22 | Poolesville, Montgomery County | EF0 0.44 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 2022-05-27 | Olney, Montgomery County | EF0 0.21 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $202K |
| 2020-02-07 | Dawsonville, Montgomery County | EF0 2.08 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $80K |
| 2020-02-07 | Whites Ferry, Montgomery County | EF1 1.11 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $105K |
| 2017-06-19 | Kemp Mill, Montgomery County | EF0 0.22 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-06-13 | Seneca, Montgomery County | EF0 20.1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2012-06-01 | Cedar Grove, Montgomery County | EF0 0.47 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $64K |
| 2012-06-01 | Poolesville, Montgomery County | EF0 0.56 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2012-06-01 | Purdum, Montgomery County | EF0 0.56 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2011-04-28 | Poolesville, Montgomery County | EF0 0.76 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2008-06-04 | White Oak, Montgomery County | EF0 0.32 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2004-09-17 | Poolesville, Montgomery County | F1 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $187K |
| 2003-11-05 | Poolesville, Montgomery County | F1 10 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
| 2003-11-05 | Potomac, Montgomery County | F0 4 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $802 |
| 2001-05-27 | Olney, Montgomery County | F1 3.5 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $833K |
| 2000-06-21 | Glenmont, Montgomery County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $428K |
| 1996-07-19 | Dawsonville, Montgomery County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 1996-07-19 | Whites Ferry, Montgomery County | F1 0.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $56K |
| 1995-09-22 | Cloverley, Montgomery County | F1 0.4 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $48K |
| 1993-09-27 | Silver Spring, Montgomery County | F1 0.2 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 1991-08-20 | Montgomery County | F1 0.8 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1990-10-18 | Montgomery County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1974-05-12 | Montgomery County | F1 0.5 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1967-08-26 | Montgomery County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1959-07-01 | Montgomery County | F1 3.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1952-08-31 | Montgomery County | F1 | 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 Montgomery County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 12, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindPotomac, Montgomery County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindLayhill, Montgomery County | 52 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindSomerset, Montgomery County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindKensington Estates, Montgomery County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindBrighton, Montgomery County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindLuxmanor, Montgomery County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindFox Chapel, Montgomery County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindBarnesville, Montgomery County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindPoolesville, Montgomery County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindComus, Montgomery County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindGlen, Montgomery County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindRockville, Montgomery County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-07-13 | HeatMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery The combination of antecedent dry weather, a prolonged upper-level high pressure area, and the time of year produced a bona-fide heat wave across much of Maryland during the middle of the month. Unlike events of previous years, the apparent temperature was not quite as oppressive. Nonetheless, daytime high ... | 2 | 25 | – | |
| 2009-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindFriendship Hgts, Montgomery County Trees were down at Connecticut Avenue and East-West Highway. There were two indirect fatalities and six injuries due to a tree falling on a van. | 50 kt wind | 2 | 6 | – |
| 2015-06-27 | Flash FloodParkwood, Montgomery County Two people were electrocuted in a stairwell going down into a basement that was flooded. Reports stated a portable sump pump was in the standing water in the basement. | 2 | 0 | $12K | |
| 2002-07-02 | HeatMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery High pressure remained stationary off the Delmarva coastline during the 1st week of July. This resulted in a prolonged period of hot and humid weather across the Mid Atlantic region. Between July 2nd and 4th, high temperatures rose into the lower to middle 90s and dew points reached into the lower 70s. This resulted ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-09-01 | Flash FloodAutrey Park, Montgomery County Floodwaters rushed into the Rock Creek Woods Apartments shortly before 3 AM EST according to Montgomery County Police and Fire Officials. The water rose almost to the ceilings in some cases. A 19 year old male was deceased due to the floodwaters. Three people were hospitalized due to injuries that were not life ... | 1 | 4 | $1.1M | |
| 2005-10-08 | Heavy RainRockville, Montgomery County Reports indicate that a man was killed when a very large tree limb, measuring 4 feet in diameter and 30 feet in length, fell onto the truck he was driving. Very heavy localized rainfall from earlier in the day likely caused the tree limb to fall. A passenger in the vehicle was seriously injured. The incident occurred ... | 1 | 1 | $30K | |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindLayhill, Montgomery County A tree fell onto a person along the Matthew Henson Trail resulting in a fatality. | 52 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| 2019-10-31 | Thunderstorm WindHollywood Park, Montgomery County A tree fell onto a car near the intersection of Delford Avenue and Two Farm Drive. The occupant was later pronounced dead. | 52 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $1.7M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-01-19 | FloodMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery | 0 | 0 | $38M | |
| 1999-08-01 | DroughtMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery | 0 | 0 | $19M | |
| 2023-07-29 | Thunderstorm WindTwin Brook, Montgomery County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $9.7M |
| 1997-07-01 | DroughtMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery | 0 | 0 | $8.6M | |
| 2006-07-02 | Thunderstorm WindSilver Spg, Montgomery County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $7.3M |
| 1999-01-14 | Ice StormMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery | 0 | 0 | $5.1M | |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.7M |
| 2001-06-20 | LightningGaithersburg, Montgomery County | 0 | 0 | $3.3M |
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: October 18, 1990 (tornado, Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 | 1 | 8 | 18 | 21 | 54 | 135 | 375 | 279 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 18 | 54 | 220 | 152 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 20 | 60 | 135 | 75 |
| Hail | 0 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 25 | 67 | 65 | 15 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 0 | 20 | 58 | 23 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 14 | 38 | 22 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
52% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1959 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 154 · Feb 160 · Mar 123 · Apr 164 · May 199 · Jun 361 · Jul 470 · Aug 232 · Sep 160 · Oct 47 · Nov 56 · Dec 112 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Montgomery County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Montgomery County: 14 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for snowstorm (5) and hurricane (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3634 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020-03-26 | DR-4491 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3430 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-03-04 | DR-4261 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2012-11-20 | DR-4091 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3349 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-08-02 | DR-4075 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2011-08-27 | EM-3335 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-05-06 | DR-1910 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 2010-02-19 | DR-1875 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2006-07-02 | DR-1652 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3251 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-09-19 | DR-1492 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 2003-03-14 | EM-3179 | Severe Storm | Snow |
| 2000-04-10 | DR-1324 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1996-01-11 | DR-1081 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3100 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1989-08-28 | DR-839 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms & High Winds |
| 1975-10-04 | DR-489 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1972-06-23 | DR-341 | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes |
| 1971-08-17 | DR-309 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
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 Montgomery County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 444 flood or flash flood records for Montgomery County from 1996 to 2025, on 176 days, with 3 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Montgomery County ranks 393rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Isaias | 2020-08-04 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Fran | 1996-09-06 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $4.8 million on 776 claims filed in Montgomery County; the most in one year was 103 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 28 · 1979: 56 · 1980: 18 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 3 · 1983: 8 · 1984: 12 · 1985: 18 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 2 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 2 · 1990: 5 · 1991: 2 · 1992: 2 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 6 · 1996: 103 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 2 · 2001: 4 · 2002: 2 · 2003: 15 · 2004: 5 · 2005: 5 · 2006: 43 · 2007: 3 · 2008: 7 · 2009: 10 · 2010: 37 · 2011: 27 · 2012: 25 · 2013: 13 · 2014: 55 · 2015: 16 · 2016: 29 · 2017: 17 · 2018: 32 · 2019: 33 · 2020: 43 · 2021: 33 · 2022: 8 · 2023: 9 · 2024: 8 · 2025: 21 · 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 Montgomery County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Montgomery County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $126 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 | $2.4M | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | $11M | 5.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $4.3M | 8.2 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively High | $3.2M | 4 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $71M | 5.5 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.6M | 39 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $12M | once in about 10 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $8.3M | once in about 916 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Montgomery 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 MarylandEvery Maryland tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in MarylandThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Maryland recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Montgomery CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Montgomery County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis