Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 42101 · population 1,602,305 · 134 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,397 records for Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 997 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (339 records). 734 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the July 4, 1999 heat, filed for the forecast zone Philadelphia, which covers the county: 58 deaths and 124 injuries. FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1965, 23 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Remnants of Hurricane Ida” on September 10, 2021.
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
- 1,397on 997 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 392463 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $196Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 12strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 25latest 2021
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 Philadelphia County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 339 since 1969. 52% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 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 | 339 | 212 | 1969-2026 | 2 | 30 | $11M | 1 of 67 |
| Floods | 287 | 196 | 1996-2026 | 7 | 1 | $158M | 1 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 209 | 207 | 1996-2026 | 14 | 100 | $12M | 1 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 150 | 143 | 1996-2026 | 5 | 4 | $6.8M | 1 of 67 |
| Heat | 137 | 137 | 1996-2026 | 346 | 299 | $33K | 1 of 67 |
| Drought | 46 | 45 | 1997-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 67 |
| Hail | 45 | 34 | 1978-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 41 | 40 | 1996-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 41 | 40 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 33 | 33 | 1996-2022 | 18 | 0 | $311K | 1 of 67 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 25 | 25 | 2007-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 20 | 18 | 2003-2020 | 0 | 1 | $13K | 1 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 12 | 10 | 1958-2021 | 0 | 28 | $8.9M | 1 of 67 |
| Lightning | 11 | 11 | 1999-2014 | 0 | 0 | $159K | 4 of 67 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2002-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 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 Philadelphia County had?
NOAA records 12 tornadoes in Philadelphia County from 1958 to 2021, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 28 injuries recorded in the county. That is 1st of 67 Pennsylvania counties and 141st of 3,080 U.S. 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 11 tornadoes whose track touched Philadelphia County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 12: 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.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-07-29 17:04, as SPC files it | Trevose | EF3 | 3.4 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Pennsylvania.
Every tornado record filed for Philadelphia County (12)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-07-29 | Byberry, Philadelphia County | EF3 0.62 mi x 530 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-07-29 | Bustleton, Philadelphia County | EF0 0.44 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-04 | Torresdale, Philadelphia County | EF2 3.8 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 6 | – |
| 2011-05-18 | Bustleton, Philadelphia County | EF0 0.12 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 2 | $66K |
| 1999-01-18 | Philadelphia County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 18 | – |
| 1998-06-01 | Bustleton, Philadelphia County | F2 5.6 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $3.3M |
| 1991-08-03 | Philadelphia County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1989-06-09 | Philadelphia County | F2 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1985-07-31 | Philadelphia County | F1 1.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 1 | $3K step |
| 1978-06-07 | Philadelphia County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1958-07-14 | Philadelphia County | F2 9.8 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1958-07-14 | Philadelphia County | F2 | 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 Philadelphia County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 28, 2026 flash flood ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-28 | Flash FloodBridesburg, Philadelphia County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-28 | Flash FloodGermantown, Philadelphia County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindFox Chase, Philadelphia County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindFox Chase, Philadelphia County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindFox Chase, Philadelphia County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindFox Chase, Philadelphia County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindTacony, Philadelphia County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindBridesburg, Philadelphia County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodWest Philadelphia, Philadelphia County | 0 | 0 | $30K | |
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodGermantown, Philadelphia County | 0 | 0 | $50K | |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindChestnut Hill, Philadelphia County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindRoxborough, Philadelphia County | 50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-07-04 | HeatPhiladelphia County · forecast zone Philadelphia A very strong and oppressive high pressure system that extended from the surface to aloft gave Eastern Pennsylvania a brutal heat wave that included the entire Independence Day weekend. There were 74 heat related deaths and over 100 reported heat related injuries. High temperatures reached the 90s for the first time ... | 58 | 124 | – | |
| 1997-07-12 | HeatPhiladelphia County · forecast zone Philadelphia The longest and hottest heat wave of the summer of 1997 brought around 6 consecutive days of high temperatures of 90 degrees or higher to Eastern Pennsylvania. Along with the oppressive heat came high humidity levels and limited rainfall. There were twenty-four heat related deaths caused by the heat wave, twenty-three ... | 23 | 50 | – | |
| 2011-07-21 | Excessive HeatPhiladelphia County · forecast zone Philadelphia One of the most oppressive heat waves since mid July 1995 enveloped Eastern Pennsylvania from July 21st through the 24th. The heat was responsible for twenty-five deaths, twenty-two within Philadelphia and dozens of heat related injuries. Many locations had high temperatures that reached into the 100s. The most ... | 22 | 48 | – | |
| 2006-08-01 | HeatPhiladelphia County · forecast zone Philadelphia A strong area of high pressure anchored over the East Coast and the western Atlantic, resulted in a stretch of excessive heat for the entire region to start off August 2006. The very hot air mass was accompanied by humid conditions as the dewpoints surged into the upper 60s and lower 70s for a time. It could have been ... | 21 | 0 | – | |
| 2001-08-06 | HeatPhiladelphia County · forecast zone Philadelphia A ridge of high pressure both surface and aloft that was broiling the central part of the country moved east and covered Eastern Pennsylvania during the work week of August 6th. This brought a very oppressive hot spell to the region and peaked on the 9th. It was the first time since July 9th and 10th of 1993 that the ... | 19 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-06-07 | Excessive HeatPhiladelphia County · forecast zone Philadelphia The most oppressive heat wave of the meteorological summer affected Eastern Pennsylvania from June 7th through the 10th. There were about twenty heat related deaths, eighteen within Philadelphia. There were also a couple of drownings within rivers. The combination of high temperatures well into the 90s and dew point ... | 18 | 1 | – | |
| 2002-07-01 | HeatPhiladelphia County · forecast zone Philadelphia July started with unseasonably hot and humid weather across Eastern Pennsylvania. The hottest and most humid weather occurred on Independence Day before a cold front quietly moved through the region during the night of the 4th. Highest temperatures were well into the 90s to around 100 degrees and heat indices reached ... | 15 | 0 | – | |
| 1998-07-20 | HeatPhiladelphia County · forecast zone Philadelphia A heat wave affected Southeast Pennsylvania from July 20th through the 23rd. Eleven persons died (Eight in Philadelphia and three in Montgomery County.) from the heat. They were usually discovered in homes with closed windows and inadequate ventilation. A 21-month-old Philadelphia baby was inadvertently left in a car ... | 8 | 75 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-09-01 | Flash FloodWayne Jct, Philadelphia County | 0 | 0 | $65M | |
| 2021-09-01 | Flash FloodByberry, Philadelphia County | 0 | 0 | $44M | |
| 2004-08-01 | Flash FloodCountywide, Philadelphia County | 0 | 0 | $28M | |
| 1994-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindPhiladelphia County | 0 | 0 | $10.0M | |
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Philadelphia County | 1 | 0 | $7.4M | |
| 2003-02-16 | Winter StormPhiladelphia County · forecast zone Philadelphia | 2 | 1 | $6.4M | |
| 2003-09-18 | High WindPhiladelphia County · forecast zone Philadelphia | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.8M |
| 1998-06-01 | TornadoBustleton, Philadelphia County | F2 5.6 mi x 200 yd | 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: August 3, 1991 (tornado, Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia 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 | 1 | 7 | 27 | 37 | 55 | 103 | 109 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 23 | 74 | 110 | 80 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 74 | 85 | 33 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 18 | 72 | 51 | 9 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 29 | 53 | 40 | 15 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 19 | 24 | 3 | 0 |
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 1969 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 154 · Feb 156 · Mar 94 · Apr 73 · May 76 · Jun 193 · Jul 212 · Aug 141 · Sep 77 · Oct 51 · Nov 59 · Dec 111 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Philadelphia County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Philadelphia County: 17 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (8) and flood (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-09-10 | DR-4618 | Hurricane | Remnants of Hurricane Ida |
| 2020-03-30 | DR-4506 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3441 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-03-23 | DR-4267 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2014-02-06 | EM-3367 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2013-01-10 | DR-4099 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 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 |
| 2011-09-03 | DR-4025 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-29 | EM-3339 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-04-16 | DR-1898 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 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 |
| 2004-08-06 | DR-1538 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-03-14 | EM-3180 | Severe Storm | Snow |
| 1999-09-18 | DR-1294 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 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 |
| 1972-06-23 | DR-340 | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes |
| 1971-09-18 | DR-312 | Flood | Floods |
| 1965-08-18 | DR-206 | 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 Philadelphia County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 287 flood or flash flood records for Philadelphia County from 1996 to 2026, on 196 days, with 7 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Philadelphia County ranks 217th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Lee | 2011-09-08 | 1 | 1 |
| Tropical Depression Ivan | 2004-09-28 | 1 | 1 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 1 |
| Hurricane Ida | 2021-09-01 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $47.6 million on 1,700 claims filed in Philadelphia County; the most in one year was 251 in 2020. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 53 · 1979: 67 · 1980: 77 · 1981: 11 · 1982: 35 · 1983: 9 · 1984: 68 · 1985: 60 · 1986: 2 · 1987: 12 · 1988: 8 · 1989: 37 · 1990: 3 · 1991: 10 · 1992: 5 · 1993: 8 · 1994: 17 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 31 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 2 · 1999: 227 · 2000: 12 · 2001: 6 · 2002: 3 · 2003: 12 · 2004: 128 · 2005: 28 · 2006: 30 · 2007: 13 · 2008: 6 · 2009: 18 · 2010: 54 · 2011: 119 · 2012: 11 · 2013: 4 · 2014: 40 · 2015: 4 · 2016: 12 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 19 · 2019: 12 · 2020: 251 · 2021: 142 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 11 · 2024: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2026: 5.
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 Philadelphia County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Philadelphia County Very High overall, with an expected annual loss of $667 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat Wave | Very High | $256M | 11 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Very High | $57M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very High | $1.9M | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Very High | $266M | 5.8 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $21M | once in about 14 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | $42M | once in about 618 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $3.5M | 7 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.5M | 36 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 Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Philadelphia County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis