Prince George's County, Maryland
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 24033 · population 965,886 · 483 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,352 records for Prince George's County, Maryland from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 812 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (573 records). The deadliest single record is the September 24, 2001 tornado: 2 deaths, 55 injuries and $167 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1971, 17 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
- 1,352on 812 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 19137 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $224Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 26strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 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 Prince George's County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 573 since 1957. 52% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 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 | 573 | 292 | 1957-2026 | 1 | 8 | $10M | 5 of 23 |
| Floods | 220 | 122 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 4 | $5.9M | 6 of 23 |
| Winter storms | 147 | 146 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 15 | $1.8M | 16 of 23 |
| Hail | 105 | 74 | 1959-2022 | 0 | 0 | $23K | 2 of 23 |
| Heat | 72 | 72 | 1996-2025 | 12 | 40 | – | 11 of 23 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 60 | 54 | 1997-2021 | 1 | 0 | – | 11 of 23 |
| Extreme cold | 45 | 43 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $23K | 13 of 23 |
| High wind and dust storms | 42 | 41 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 5 | $4.6M | 15 of 23 |
| Heavy rain | 33 | 33 | 1997-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 23 |
| Tornadoes | 26 | 21 | 1953-2022 | 2 | 60 | $190M | 11 of 23 |
| Lightning | 13 | 11 | 1997-2007 | 1 | 5 | $1.2M | 14 of 23 |
| Drought | 11 | 11 | 1997-2007 | 0 | 0 | $3.0M | 14 of 23 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 4 | 1999-2020 | 0 | 0 | $6.5M | 16 of 23 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 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 Prince George's County had?
NOAA records 26 tornadoes in Prince George's County from 1953 to 2022, the strongest rated F3, with 2 deaths and 60 injuries recorded in the county. That is 11th 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 28 tornadoes whose track touched Prince George's County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 26: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-09-24 15:19, as SPC files it | College Park to Laurel | F3 | 17.5 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Maryland.
Every tornado record filed for Prince George's County (26)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-07-05 | Collington, Prince George's County | EF1 0.8 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $252K |
| 2015-09-29 | Laurel, Prince George's County | EF0 1.05 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-07-01 | Crestview Manor, Prince George's County | EF0 2.3 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2013-04-19 | Westphalia, Prince George's County | EF0 0.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $38K |
| 2012-06-01 | Buena Vista, Prince George's County | EF0 0.9 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2011-04-27 | Westchester Estates, Prince George's County | EF0 0.73 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $131K |
| 2011-04-27 | Andrews Manor, Prince George's County | EF0 0.39 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2011-04-27 | Friendly Pg Airpark Arp, Prince George's County | EF0 0.39 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $131K |
| 2011-04-05 | Collington, Prince George's County | EF0 0.73 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2008-05-08 | Woods Corner, Prince George's County | EF0 0.48 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 2008-05-08 | Clinton Hyde Field Arp, Prince George's County | EF0 0.54 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $137K |
| 2008-04-20 | University Park, Prince George's County | EF1 0.32 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $55K |
| 2001-09-24 | Hyattsville, Prince George's County | F3 11.5 mi x 200 yd | 2 | 55 | $167M |
| 2001-05-25 | Brandywine, Prince George's County | F1 0.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $42K |
| 2000-06-21 | Laurel, Prince George's County | F1 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $257K |
| 2000-05-13 | Brandywine, Prince George's County | F1 8 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $171K |
| 1996-06-24 | Upper Marlboro, Prince George's County | F1 4 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $941K |
| 1996-06-24 | Andrews Afb, Prince George's County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $376K |
| 1995-10-05 | Temple Hills, Prince George's County | F2 2.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 3 | $9.7M |
| 1995-05-18 | Cheverly, Prince George's County | F1 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 2 | $3.9M |
| 1992-11-23 | Prince George's County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1992-08-04 | Prince George's County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1992-08-04 | Prince George's County | F1 2 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-09-12 | Prince George's County | F2 3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1963-07-19 | Prince George's County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1953-05-26 | Prince George's County | F1 1 mi x 200 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 Prince George's County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindNottingham, Prince George's County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindAndrews Afb Cam, Prince George's County | 64 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindCarole Highlands, Prince George's County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindBladensburg, Prince George's County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindBrandywine Woods, Prince George's County | 61 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindForestville, Prince George's County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindRitchie, Prince George's County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindRitchie, Prince George's County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-02-22 | Winter WeatherPrince George's County · forecast zone Prince Georges | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | High WindPrince George's County · forecast zone Prince Georges | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-07 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillPrince George's County · forecast zone Prince Georges | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillPrince George's County · forecast zone Prince Georges | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-09-24 | TornadoHyattsville, Prince George's County A large multi-vortex tornado touched down near Hyattsville, tracked along the Route 1 cooridor from College Park to Laurel, then crossed into Howard County. The tornado killed 2 students at the University of Maryland, injured 54 others countywide, and caused 100 million dollars in damage. | F3 11.5 mi x 200 yd | 2 | 55 | $167M |
| 2002-08-01 | HeatPrince George's County · forecast zone Prince Georges High pressure off the Atlantic Coast pumped hot and humid air into the Mid-Atlantic region. This caused high temperatures to reach between 92 and 100 degrees August 1st through the 5th. Dew points in the upper 60s to mid 70s forced heat indexes to soar to between 98 and 110 degrees. Seven residents of Baltimore County ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindBrandywine Woods, Prince George's County A tree fell onto a person in the 11700 block of North Marlton Avenue resulting in a fatality. A wind gust was estimated to be around 70 mph based on the report of 74 mph at Andrew Air Force Base about five miles to the southeast as well as analysis of the Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) from Andrews Air Force ... | 61 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| 2018-07-17 | HeatPrince George's County · forecast zone Prince Georges Heat indices were in the mid 90s. The Maryland Department of Health reported 1 fatality due to the heat during the week of July 17th through July 23rd. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-07-16 | HeatPrince George's County · forecast zone Prince Georges Heat indices were close to 100 degrees. The Maryland Department of Health reported a fatality due to the heat during the week of July 10th through July 16th. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-06-18 | HeatPrince George's County · forecast zone Prince Georges Heat indices were estimated to be around 100 degrees based on observations nearby. The Maryland Department of Health reported a fatality due to the heat. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-07-22 | Excessive HeatPrince George's County · forecast zone Prince Georges Heat indices up to 118 degrees were reported at Andrews Air Force Base. A fatality was reported due to the high heat. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-06-29 | HeatPrince George's County · forecast zone Prince Georges A local newspaper reported a fatality of a senior citizen due to hyperthermia on June 29th. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-09-24 | TornadoHyattsville, Prince George's County | F3 11.5 mi x 200 yd | 2 | 55 | $167M |
| 1995-10-05 | TornadoTemple Hills, Prince George's County | F2 2.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 3 | $9.7M |
| 2003-09-18 | Tropical StormPrince George's County · forecast zone Prince Georges | 0 | 0 | $4.1M | |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindPrince George's County · forecast zone Prince Georges | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.0M |
| 1995-05-18 | TornadoCheverly, Prince George's County | F1 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 2 | $3.9M |
| 2006-06-25 | Flash FloodCountywide, Prince George's County | 0 | 0 | $3.7M | |
| 1996-06-24 | Thunderstorm WindOxon Hill, Prince George's County | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormPrince George's County · forecast zone Prince Georges | 0 | 0 | $2.2M |
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: November 23, 1992 (tornado, Prince George's 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 Prince George's 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 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 20 | 46 | 131 | 210 | 141 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 11 | 25 | 102 | 82 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 16 | 44 | 66 | 21 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 53 | 20 | 9 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 8 | 21 | 36 | 7 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 1 | 22 | 27 | 10 |
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 1957 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 88 · Feb 78 · Mar 55 · Apr 87 · May 148 · Jun 242 · Jul 274 · Aug 173 · Sep 86 · Oct 30 · Nov 35 · Dec 56 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Prince George's County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Prince George's County: 12 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 |
| 2011-10-05 | DR-4038 | Flood | Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011-08-27 | EM-3335 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-05-06 | DR-1910 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 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) |
| 1994-03-16 | DR-1016 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Weather and Ice Storms |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3100 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 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 Prince George's County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 220 flood or flash flood records for Prince George's County from 1996 to 2025, on 122 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Prince George's County ranks 299th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $7.9 million on 1,158 claims filed in Prince George's County; the most in one year was 163 in 2020. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 11 · 1979: 38 · 1980: 7 · 1981: 2 · 1982: 4 · 1983: 8 · 1984: 6 · 1985: 25 · 1986: 2 · 1987: 1 · 1989: 2 · 1990: 1 · 1991: 1 · 1992: 2 · 1993: 4 · 1994: 4 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 10 · 1997: 4 · 1998: 6 · 1999: 3 · 2000: 6 · 2001: 6 · 2002: 3 · 2003: 57 · 2004: 10 · 2005: 9 · 2006: 81 · 2007: 9 · 2008: 52 · 2009: 25 · 2010: 20 · 2011: 117 · 2012: 32 · 2013: 23 · 2014: 102 · 2015: 25 · 2016: 19 · 2017: 26 · 2018: 71 · 2019: 51 · 2020: 163 · 2021: 23 · 2022: 41 · 2023: 15 · 2024: 11 · 2025: 12 · 2026: 7; 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 Prince George's County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Prince George's County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $122 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 | $1.7M | 9.3 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Very High | $3.7M | 40 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | $12M | 6.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $3.0M | 7.2 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $11M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $65M | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $8.3M | once in about 779 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $11M | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Prince George's 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 Prince George's CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Prince George's County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis