Saratoga County, New York
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 36091 · population 235,391 · 810 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 2,007 records for Saratoga County, New York from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 868 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (767 records). The deadliest single record is the October 7, 2020 thunderstorm wind: 1 death. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1987, 16 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Henri” on August 22, 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
- 2,007on 868 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 2126 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $147Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Saratoga County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 767 since 1960. 55% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 fell in July and August. 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 | 767 | 307 | 1960-2026 | 1 | 8 | $18M | 10 of 58 |
| Winter storms | 419 | 239 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 37 | $1.5M | 14 of 58 |
| Hail | 205 | 103 | 1969-2025 | 0 | 1 | $736K | 8 of 58 |
| High wind and dust storms | 175 | 100 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 3 | $1.1M | 16 of 58 |
| Floods | 148 | 85 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $13M | 14 of 58 |
| Extreme cold | 127 | 74 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | 11 of 58 |
| Heat | 107 | 57 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 58 |
| Lightning | 29 | 27 | 1996-2024 | 1 | 6 | $901K | 8 of 58 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 11 | 1974-2024 | 0 | 71 | $109M | 21 of 58 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 7 | 2001-2017 | 0 | 0 | $49K | 9 of 58 |
| Drought | 4 | 2 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 49 of 58 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 18 of 58 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2015-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 21 of 58 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 1 | 2002-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 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 Saratoga County had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in Saratoga County from 1974 to 2024, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 71 injuries recorded in the county. That is 21st 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 15 tornadoes whose track touched Saratoga County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-05-31 14:22, as SPC files it | Stillwater to Hoosick FallsCrossed NY, VT | F3 | 30.5 mi | 0 |
| 1974-06-16 11:10, as SPC files it | Albany | F3 | 49.1 mi | 0 |
| 1960-06-24 17:30, as SPC files it | Schenectady | F3 | 16 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New York.
Every tornado record filed for Saratoga County (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-16 | West Day, Saratoga County | EF1 8.36 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2020-08-29 | Coons, Saratoga County | EF1 0.26 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $63K |
| 2020-05-15 | Wilton, Saratoga County | EF1 1.78 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-08-21 | Saratoga Lake, Saratoga County | EF1 0.38 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-08-04 | Fayville, Saratoga County | EFU 0.05 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-05-29 | Vischer Ferry, Saratoga County | EF1 0.75 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-05-31 | Ushers, Saratoga County | F3 4.7 mi x 970 yd | 0 | 68 | $109M |
| 1992-07-05 | Saratoga County | F0 1.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1992-07-05 | Saratoga County | F0 1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1989-11-16 | Saratoga County | F0 0.1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1989-11-16 | Saratoga County | F1 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1978-05-09 | Saratoga County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1974-07-29 | Saratoga County | F1 0.1 mi x 83 yd | 0 | 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.
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 Saratoga County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 18, 2026 flash flood ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindGrays Corners, Saratoga County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindHalfmoon, Saratoga County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindHalfmoon, Saratoga County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindClifton Park Center, Saratoga County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindBallston Lake, Saratoga County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Flash FloodSaratoga Spgs, Saratoga County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindClifton Park, Saratoga County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindSaratoga Spgs, Saratoga County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindGrays Corners, Saratoga County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Strong WindSaratoga County · forecast zone Northern Saratoga | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Strong WindSaratoga County · forecast zone Southern Saratoga | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-14 | Strong WindSaratoga County · forecast zone Southern Saratoga | 40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-10-07 | Thunderstorm WindUshers, Saratoga County A pine tree fell onto a car and resulted in a fatality. | 74 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2007-06-27 | LightningWaterford, Saratoga County Lightning struck a steel pylon at Alcathys Marina, adjacent to where a 17 year old male was standing. The male was knocked unconscious, and was transported to a nearby hospital. He was pronounced dead the next morning. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1998-05-31 | TornadoUshers, Saratoga County During the morning hours of May 31, a strong low pressure system over the upper Great Lakes pushed a warm front across eastern New York and western New England. This set the stage for a major severe weather outbreak in eastern New York. In this highly sheared environment several lines of severe thunderstorms formed ... | F3 4.7 mi x 970 yd | 0 | 68 | $109M |
| 2013-02-02 | Winter WeatherSaratoga County · forecast zone Northern Saratoga Around 30 cars, including a tractor trailer, were involved in an accident on the Adirondack Northway (Interstate 87) due to a light accumulation of snow from a localized heavy snow shower. | 0 | 30 | – | |
| 1998-12-08 | Winter WeatherWilton, Saratoga County A weak disturbance produced a little freezing rain and sleet across the Lake George Saratoga Region on December 8. The freezing rain produced slick roads that lead to a five car collision in the town of Wilton in Saratoga County at 3:30 PM on December 8. | 0 | 5 | $18K | |
| 2014-05-12 | Strong WindSaratoga County · forecast zone Northern Saratoga A sudden gust of wind blew an inflatable bounce house measuring 10 feet by 10 feet in size into the air during the afternoon on May 12th, 2014 at 22 Ferry Blvd in South Glens Falls, New York. Three children inside the bounce house fell out of the house as it blew through the air, including two young boys, who fell ... | 26 kt wind | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2008-07-26 | LightningSaratoga Spgs, Saratoga County A 62 year old male, and a 59 year old woman were injured by lightning at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center near Saratoga Springs at approximately 1830 LST. Lightning struck a tent pole near the food concession area, as both individuals were touching a wall. The injuries were minor, and both were taken to Saratoga ... | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2008-07-18 | LightningBallston Spa, Saratoga County Two girls were struck by lightning near a main gate at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds in Ballston Spa. One girl, age 15, was rushed to the intensive care unit at Albany Medical Center, while the other female, age 34, was rushed to Saratoga Hospital. The two girls were standing near a main gate at the Fairgrounds when ... | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-05-31 | TornadoUshers, Saratoga County | F3 4.7 mi x 970 yd | 0 | 68 | $109M |
| 1994-07-26 | Thunderstorm WindSaratoga Springs, Saratoga County | 0 | 0 | $10.0M | |
| 2000-06-02 | Thunderstorm WindMilton Center, Saratoga County | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 2008-05-01 | Frost/FreezeSaratoga County · forecast zone Southern Saratoga | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 1995-07-23 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Saratoga County | 0 | 0 | $968K | |
| 1998-01-08 | FloodSaratoga County · forecast zone Southern Saratoga | 0 | 0 | $905K | |
| 2008-05-01 | Frost/FreezeSaratoga County · forecast zone Northern Saratoga | 0 | 0 | $809K | |
| 1999-07-06 | Thunderstorm WindClifton Park, Saratoga County | 0 | 0 | $531K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: November 16, 1989 (tornado, Saratoga 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 Saratoga 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 | 15 | 9 | 55 | 159 | 111 | 255 | 163 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 43 | 136 | 125 | 115 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 30 | 66 | 49 | 36 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 20 | 41 | 58 | 56 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 18 | 57 | 44 | 29 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 36 | 65 | 24 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
55% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 fell in July and August. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 190 · Feb 154 · Mar 98 · Apr 108 · May 194 · Jun 230 · Jul 398 · Aug 272 · Sep 91 · Oct 58 · Nov 62 · Dec 152 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Saratoga County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Saratoga County: 11 major disasters, 9 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (5) and snowstorm (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2019-12-19 | DR-4472 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2017-07-12 | DR-4322 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3351 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-08-31 | DR-4020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2009-03-04 | DR-1827 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-12-18 | EM-3299 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-09-30 | EM-3262 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-08-03 | DR-1534 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-08-23 | EM-3186 | Other | Power Outage |
| 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 |
| 1998-06-16 | DR-1222 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 1998-01-06 | DR-1196 | Snowstorm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-01-24 | DR-1095 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3107 | Snowstorm | Severe Blizzard |
| 1987-11-10 | DR-801 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm |
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 Saratoga County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 148 flood or flash flood records for Saratoga County from 1996 to 2026, on 85 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Saratoga County ranks 460th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $8.1 million on 581 claims filed in Saratoga County; the most in one year was 210 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 2 · 1979: 23 · 1980: 11 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 1 · 1983: 9 · 1984: 10 · 1986: 15 · 1987: 4 · 1989: 1 · 1993: 10 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 93 · 1997: 6 · 1998: 57 · 1999: 6 · 2000: 18 · 2001: 3 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 8 · 2004: 3 · 2005: 22 · 2006: 8 · 2007: 10 · 2008: 8 · 2009: 5 · 2010: 3 · 2011: 210 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 6 · 2014: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2019: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 2 · 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 Saratoga County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Saratoga County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $53.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $38M | 2.9 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $621K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | 25 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $4.2M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $2.4M | once in about 26 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.7M | once in about 646 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $941K | 3.9 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 Saratoga 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 Saratoga CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Saratoga County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis