Orange County, New York
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 36071 · population 401,096 · 812 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 972 records for Orange County, New York from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 542 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (442 records). The deadliest single record is the November 16, 1989 tornado: 9 deaths and 18 injuries. FEMA has issued 36 declarations naming the county since 1965, 32 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Jennings Creek Fire” on November 15, 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
- 972on 542 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 2369 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $130Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 36latest 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 Orange County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 442 since 1955. 52% 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 | 442 | 233 | 1955-2026 | 5 | 26 | $3.9M | 20 of 58 |
| Floods | 153 | 80 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 0 | $55M | 17 of 58 |
| Winter storms | 146 | 140 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 9 | – | 40 of 58 |
| Hail | 87 | 57 | 1975-2023 | 0 | 2 | $985K | 29 of 58 |
| High wind and dust storms | 36 | 36 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 3 | $888K | 37 of 58 |
| Lightning | 32 | 28 | 1998-2023 | 1 | 8 | $302K | 7 of 58 |
| Heavy rain | 20 | 20 | 1996-2010 | 1 | 2 | – | 8 of 58 |
| Heat | 17 | 13 | 1999-2019 | 1 | 0 | – | 20 of 58 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 13 | 1969-2020 | 10 | 19 | $68M | 17 of 58 |
| Drought | 10 | 10 | 2001-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 58 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 9 | 7 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 58 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 5 | 2000-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 of 58 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 2 | 2008-2020 | 0 | 0 | $5K | 15 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 Orange County had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in Orange County from 1969 to 2020, the strongest rated F3, with 10 deaths and 19 injuries recorded in the county. That is 17th of 58 New York 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 13 tornadoes whose track touched Orange County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 10 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-11-16 11:05, as SPC files it | South Blooming Grove to Washingtonville | F1 | 9.1 mi | 9 |
| 2018-05-15 14:16, as SPC files it | Newburgh | EF0 | 0.64 mi | 1 |
| 1988-07-14 18:15, as SPC files it | Unionville | F3 | 7.2 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New York.
Every tornado record filed for Orange County (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-08-27 | Kaisertown, Orange County | EF1 2.6 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 2018-05-15 | Balmville, Orange County | EF0 0.64 mi x 50 yd | 1 | 0 | $59K |
| 2011-07-29 | Kipps, Orange County | EF1 4.67 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $66K |
| 2009-07-29 | Unionville, Orange County | EF0 0.86 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $103K |
| 2008-06-16 | Orange Lake, Orange County | EF0 1.45 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $55K |
| 1996-04-30 | Middletown, Orange County | F0 0.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-29 | Stewart Ap, Orange County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1990-06-29 | Orange County | F0 0.4 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1989-11-16 | Orange County | F1 9.1 mi x 100 yd | 9 | 18 | $25M step |
| 1988-07-14 | Orange County | F3 7.2 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1974-06-16 | Orange County | F2 2 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-07-29 | Orange County | F2 6.2 mi x 83 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1969-07-25 | Orange County | 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 Orange County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 6, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindFt Montgomery, Orange County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindGardnertown, Orange County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindRidgebury, Orange County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindNeelytown, Orange County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-02-22 | Heavy SnowOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-18 | Winter WeatherOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-17 | Winter WeatherOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-26 | Winter WeatherOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-13 | Winter WeatherOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-02 | Winter WeatherOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-31 | Flash FloodMontgomery Co Airport, Orange County | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-11-16 | TornadoOrange County | F1 9.1 mi x 100 yd | 9 | 18 | $25M step |
| 1990-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindOrange County | 3 | 8 | – | |
| 2010-08-22 | Heavy RainHighland Falls, Orange County A car traveling on Route 9W in Highland Falls hydroplaned from the heavy rain, spun off the road, hit a rock and then hit the guard rail. A passenger in the back seat, who was pregnant, was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at Cornwall Hospital. Two other passengers also sustained minor injuries. A Cocorahs ... | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2018-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindNewburgh, Orange County Tree down on Robinson Avenue / Route 9 W near the New Windsor town line crushing a car. An 11 year old girl inside the car was killed. | 61 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $6K |
| 2012-12-07 | Winter WeatherOrange County · forecast zone Orange Matthew Alston, 56, of Middletown, NY, was operating a 1997 Toyota SUV eastbound on State Route 17M when he lost control of the vehicle on an icy patch of pavement at about 9:42 AM. The SUV spun sideways and into the westbound lane of travel, where it was struck by a 2000 Freightliner tractor trailer operated by ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2006-07-28 | LightningMontgomery, Orange County Lightning struck 2 women that were playing golf near the Osiris Country Club in Montgomery, resulting in 1 death and 1 injury. The women were struck inside a shelter after running for cover. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 1995-05-24 | Thunderstorm WindMiddle Hope, Orange County | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2023-07-09 | Flash FloodHighland Mills, Orange County Woman found dead after being swept away by flood waters. | 1 | 0 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-04-02 | FloodOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | $26M | |
| 2021-09-01 | Flash FloodFt Montgomery, Orange County | 0 | 0 | $11M | |
| 2011-09-08 | FloodOtisville, Orange County | 0 | 0 | $8.3M | |
| 2004-08-30 | Flash FloodWest Portion, Orange County | 0 | 0 | $6.2M | |
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Orange County | 0 | 0 | $3.0M | |
| 2013-04-19 | Thunderstorm WindTristates, Orange County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2011-06-09 | HailNewburgh, Orange County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $984K |
| 2000-09-02 | Flash FloodHighland Falls, Orange County | 0 | 0 | $857K |
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: November 16, 1989 (tornado, Orange County, 9 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 Orange 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 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 25 | 101 | 73 | 125 | 97 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 16 | 42 | 41 | 54 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 16 | 46 | 47 | 37 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 21 | 29 | 26 | 7 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Lightning | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 12 | 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 1955 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 56 · Feb 54 · Mar 48 · Apr 26 · May 107 · Jun 167 · Jul 228 · Aug 122 · Sep 68 · Oct 23 · Nov 27 · Dec 46 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Orange County
FEMA's register lists 36 declarations that include Orange County: 21 major disasters, 13 emergencies and 2 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (10) and hurricane (10).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11-15 | FM-5547 | Fire | Jennings Creek Fire |
| 2023-07-22 | DR-4723 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2021-09-05 | DR-4615 | Hurricane | Remnants of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021-09-02 | EM-3572 | Hurricane | Remnants of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021-08-22 | EM-3565 | Hurricane | Hurricane Henri |
| 2020-03-20 | DR-4480 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3434 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012-10-30 | DR-4085 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3351 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-09-13 | DR-4031 | Severe Storm | Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011-08-31 | DR-4020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-26 | EM-3328 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-04-16 | DR-1899 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2008-12-18 | EM-3299 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2007-04-24 | DR-1692 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding |
| 2006-07-01 | DR-1650 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-30 | EM-3262 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-04-19 | DR-1589 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2004-10-01 | DR-1564 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2004-10-01 | DR-1565 | Severe Storm | Tropical Depression Ivan |
| 2004-08-03 | DR-1534 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-08-23 | EM-3186 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2003-03-27 | EM-3184 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2003-02-25 | EM-3173 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
| 2001-09-11 | DR-1391 | Fire | Fires and Explosions |
| 2000-10-11 | EM-3155 | Other | West Nile Virus |
| 1999-09-19 | DR-1296 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1999-09-18 | EM-3149 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations |
| 1999-08-09 | FM-2269 | Fire | West Point Fire Complex |
| 1996-01-24 | DR-1095 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-01-12 | DR-1083 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3107 | Snowstorm | Severe Blizzard |
| 1984-04-17 | DR-702 | Flood | Coastal Storms & Flooding |
| 1972-06-23 | DR-338 | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes |
| 1971-09-13 | DR-311 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1965-08-18 | DR-204 | Drought | Water Shortage |
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 Orange County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 153 flood or flash flood records for Orange County from 1996 to 2025, on 80 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Orange County ranks 188th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-28 | 1 | 1 |
| Hurricane Ida | 2021-09-01 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Lee | 2011-09-08 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $26.8 million on 2,032 claims filed in Orange County; the most in one year was 589 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 35 · 1979: 221 · 1980: 62 · 1981: 67 · 1982: 13 · 1983: 27 · 1984: 93 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 2 · 1987: 24 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 9 · 1990: 3 · 1991: 3 · 1993: 6 · 1994: 7 · 1995: 9 · 1996: 111 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 8 · 1999: 93 · 2000: 5 · 2001: 2 · 2002: 3 · 2003: 9 · 2004: 23 · 2005: 154 · 2006: 37 · 2007: 116 · 2008: 18 · 2009: 8 · 2010: 53 · 2011: 589 · 2012: 17 · 2013: 17 · 2014: 3 · 2015: 6 · 2016: 11 · 2017: 3 · 2018: 13 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 13 · 2021: 62 · 2022: 4 · 2023: 53 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2026: 4; 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 Orange County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Orange County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $98.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $3.6M | 4.6 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $639K | 15 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $63M | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $7.5M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.2M | 30 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $89K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $9.8M | once in about 14 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.7M | 5.7 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 Orange 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 Orange CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Orange County's FEMA declarations (CSV)36 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis