Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 42097 · population 91,636 · 458 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 521 records for Northumberland County, Pennsylvania from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 326 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (245 records). The deadliest single record is the May 31, 1985 tornado: 2 deaths and 20 injuries. FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1972, 17 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
- 521on 326 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 226 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $72Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 14strongest 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 Northumberland County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 245 since 1966. 52% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1966 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 | 245 | 166 | 1966-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 20 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 116 | 73 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $30K | 30 of 67 |
| Floods | 55 | 37 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $926K | 38 of 67 |
| Hail | 38 | 28 | 1963-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 17 | 10 | 1999-2019 | 0 | 0 | $60K | 55 of 67 |
| Drought | 15 | 11 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 14 | 14 | 1953-2017 | 2 | 20 | $70M | 16 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 4 | 2007-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 55 of 67 |
| Heat | 8 | 5 | 2006-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2009-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 67 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 6 | – | 37 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 Northumberland County had?
NOAA records 14 tornadoes in Northumberland County from 1953 to 2017, the strongest rated F3, with 2 deaths and 20 injuries recorded in the county. That is 16th 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 14 tornadoes whose track touched Northumberland County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 14, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 6 people, 2 of them in Northumberland County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-05-31 19:25, as SPC files it | Dewart | F3 | 19 mi | 6 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Pennsylvania.
Every tornado record filed for Northumberland County (14)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-07-24 | Snydertown, Northumberland County | EF0 0.34 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-06-30 | South Danville, Northumberland County | EF1 1.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $62K |
| 2015-06-08 | Gowen City, Northumberland County | EF0 0.12 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-05-23 | Chillisquaque, Northumberland County | EF1 0.95 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $33K |
| 2001-09-04 | Montandon, Northumberland County | F1 0.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-09-27 | Mc Ewensville, Northumberland County | F1 1.2 mi x 704 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-06-02 | Shamokin, Northumberland County | F1 15 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-07-18 | Northumberland County | F0 2.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-04-16 | Northumberland County | F1 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 1985-05-31 | Northumberland County | F3 4 mi x 2,640 yd | 2 | 20 | $25M step |
| 1983-05-23 | Northumberland County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1978-08-28 | Northumberland County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-08-26 | Northumberland County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1953-09-12 | Northumberland County | F2 4.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Northumberland County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 14, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindTurbotville, Northumberland County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Danville, Northumberland County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Danville, Northumberland County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindEast Lewisburg, Northumberland County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-01-25 | Heavy SnowNorthumberland County · forecast zone Northumberland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | Winter WeatherNorthumberland County · forecast zone Northumberland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-30 | HeatNorthumberland County · forecast zone Northumberland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-25 | Thunderstorm WindHerndon, Northumberland County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-25 | Thunderstorm WindSnydertown, Northumberland County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindFishers Ferry, Northumberland County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-23 | Excessive HeatNorthumberland County · forecast zone Northumberland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindMilton, Northumberland County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $25K |
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 | TornadoNorthumberland County | F3 4 mi x 2,640 yd | 2 | 20 | $25M step |
| 2003-07-18 | LightningElysburg, Northumberland County Lightning struck a tent at Knoebles Amusement Park, injuring 6 people. Four were taken to the hospital for a checkup. | 0 | 6 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-09-07 | FloodUrban, Northumberland County | 0 | 0 | $787K | |
| 2016-06-28 | Thunderstorm WindSunbury, Northumberland County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $123K |
| 2015-06-30 | TornadoSouth Danville, Northumberland County | EF1 1.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $62K |
| 2025-04-29 | Thunderstorm WindSunbury Airport, Northumberland County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2011-05-23 | TornadoChillisquaque, Northumberland County | EF1 0.95 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $33K |
| 2025-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindMilton, Northumberland County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2018-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Danville, Northumberland County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2025-02-20 | Winter WeatherNorthumberland County · forecast zone Northumberland | 0 | 0 | $15K |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 31, 1985 (tornado, Northumberland County, 2 killed).
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 Northumberland 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 | 5 | 18 | 37 | 53 | 75 | 53 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 23 | 57 | 21 | 15 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 11 | 26 | 13 | 5 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 10 | 5 | 0 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
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 1966 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 47 · Feb 43 · Mar 32 · Apr 28 · May 57 · Jun 83 · Jul 84 · Aug 48 · Sep 38 · Oct 8 · Nov 15 · Dec 38 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Northumberland County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Northumberland County: 13 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (7) and severe storm (4).
| 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 |
| 2011-09-12 | DR-4030 | Flood | Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011-09-08 | EM-3340 | Flood | Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 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 |
| 1999-09-22 | DR-1298 | Flood | Tropical Depression Dennis Pa |
| 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 |
| 1985-06-03 | DR-737 | Tornado | Severe Storms, High Winds & Tornadoes |
| 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 Northumberland County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 55 flood or flash flood records for Northumberland County from 1996 to 2024, on 37 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Northumberland County ranks 213th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Lee | 2011-09-07 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $24.2 million on 1,721 claims filed in Northumberland County; the most in one year was 418 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 32 · 1979: 129 · 1980: 2 · 1981: 24 · 1982: 11 · 1983: 24 · 1984: 115 · 1986: 11 · 1987: 1 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 5 · 1991: 2 · 1992: 2 · 1993: 50 · 1994: 16 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 359 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 5 · 1999: 30 · 2001: 1 · 2003: 3 · 2004: 298 · 2005: 29 · 2006: 103 · 2007: 2 · 2008: 5 · 2010: 17 · 2011: 418 · 2012: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2018: 17 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 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 Northumberland County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Northumberland County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $37.3 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 | $404K | 13 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.4M | 3.6 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $30M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $485K | 34 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $21K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $1.7M | once in about 18 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $512K | once in about 1,272 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $512K | 2.8 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Northumberland 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 Northumberland CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Northumberland County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis