Tioga County, New York
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 36107 · population 48,430 · 519 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 558 records for Tioga County, New York from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 359 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (246 records). The deadliest single record is the June 23, 2025 excessive heat, filed for the forecast zone Tioga, which covers the county: 1 death. FEMA has issued 27 declarations naming the county since 1972, 23 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Remnants of Tropical Storm Fred” on October 8, 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
- 558on 359 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 211 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $831Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 27latest 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 Tioga County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 246 since 1967. 56% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1967 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 | 246 | 152 | 1967-2026 | 0 | 2 | $1.8M | 18 of 58 |
| Floods | 92 | 62 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $805M | 10 of 58 |
| Hail | 87 | 46 | 1985-2023 | 0 | 0 | $29K | 16 of 58 |
| Winter storms | 82 | 82 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $973K | 44 of 58 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 14 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $36K | 39 of 58 |
| High wind and dust storms | 10 | 10 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | $625K | 53 of 58 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 7 | 1983-2012 | 0 | 8 | $23M | 22 of 58 |
| Drought | 7 | 7 | 1998-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 58 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 2001-2025 | 1 | 0 | – | 26 of 58 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 2000-2009 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 58 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2002-2023 | 0 | 1 | $7K | 37 of 58 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2009-2009 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 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 Tioga County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Tioga County from 1983 to 2012, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 8 injuries recorded in the county. That is 22nd 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 8 tornadoes whose track touched Tioga County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-05-31 15:30, as SPC files it | Binghamton | F3 | 62 mi | 0 |
| 1983-05-02 18:15, as SPC files it | Waverly | F3 | 15 mi | 0 |
| 1983-05-02 18:15, as SPC files it | South Waverly | F3 | 2 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New York.
Every tornado record filed for Tioga County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-07-26 | Lockwood, Tioga County | EF1 6.2 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $77K |
| 2009-05-16 | Owego Tioga Field Airport, Tioga County | EF0 0.25 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2002-05-31 | Owego, Tioga County | F1 6 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 7 | $984K |
| 1998-05-31 | Apalachin, Tioga County | F0 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $91K |
| 1992-09-03 | Tioga County | F0 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1988-08-27 | Tioga County | F1 11.6 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1983-05-02 | Tioga County | F3 9 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1983-05-02 | Tioga County | F3 2 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M 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 Tioga County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 11, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindWillseyville, Tioga County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-31 | Flash FloodWest Newark, Tioga County | 0 | 0 | $15K | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormTioga County · forecast zone Tioga | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-23 | Winter StormTioga County · forecast zone Tioga | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-02 | Winter WeatherTioga County · forecast zone Tioga | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-14 | Flash FloodWillseyville, Tioga County | 0 | 0 | $100K | |
| 2025-07-13 | Flash FloodWest Newark, Tioga County | 0 | 0 | $250K | |
| 2025-07-13 | Flash FloodWest Newark, Tioga County | 0 | 0 | $50K | |
| 2025-07-13 | Flash FloodEast Berkshir, Tioga County | 0 | 0 | $3K | |
| 2025-07-13 | Flash FloodWest Newark, Tioga County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2025-07-03 | Thunderstorm WindBerkshire, Tioga County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-23 | Excessive HeatTioga County · forecast zone Tioga | 1 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-23 | Excessive HeatTioga County · forecast zone Tioga During the late afternoon of the second day of a multi-day heatwave, a 65 year old woman on the 3rd/top floor of an apartment building in the Village of Owego suffered a medical emergency due to the heat and passed away. The apartment had no air conditioning and had warmed to 105 degrees. Even emergency responses were ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-12-13 | Heavy SnowTioga County · forecast zone Tioga A winter storm brought 6 to 8 inches of snow to the county. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2002-05-31 | TornadoOwego, Tioga County The tornado first touched down about a mile and a half northeast of the village of Owego, along Carmichael Road. As the tornado passed over a ridge toward Beecher Hill Road, the most extensive damage occurred. Along with major tree damage, two mobile homes were completely destroyed and a house suffered significant ... | F1 6 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 7 | $984K |
| 1988-07-17 | Thunderstorm WindTioga County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2002-06-05 | LightningNichols, Tioga County Women struck by lightning. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1983-05-02 | TornadoTioga County | F3 2 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-09-07 | FloodOwego, Tioga County | 0 | 0 | $405M | |
| 2006-06-27 | Flash FloodCountywide, Tioga County | 0 | 0 | $146M | |
| 2011-09-07 | Flash FloodOwego, Tioga County | 0 | 0 | $92M | |
| 2011-09-07 | Flash FloodApalachin, Tioga County | 0 | 0 | $33M | |
| 2011-09-07 | FloodLitchfield, Tioga County | 0 | 0 | $21M | |
| 2011-09-07 | Flash FloodWest Newark, Tioga County | 0 | 0 | $20M | |
| 2011-09-07 | Flash FloodNichols, Tioga County | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 1996-01-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Tioga County | 0 | 0 | $8.5M |
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: May 2, 1983 (tornado, Tioga County); May 2, 1983 (tornado, Tioga County); August 27, 1988 (tornado, Tioga 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 Tioga 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 | 2 | 20 | 49 | 40 | 75 | 59 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 10 | 34 | 38 | 10 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 39 | 38 | 3 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 15 | 34 | 19 | 14 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 5 | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
56% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1967 fell in July and August. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 38 · Feb 21 · Mar 29 · Apr 19 · May 66 · Jun 91 · Jul 108 · Aug 82 · Sep 48 · Oct 13 · Nov 18 · Dec 25 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Tioga County
FEMA's register lists 27 declarations that include Tioga County: 19 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (10) and flood (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-10-08 | DR-4625 | Hurricane | Remnants of Tropical Storm Fred |
| 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 |
| 2018-10-01 | DR-4397 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2017-07-12 | DR-4322 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3351 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-09-13 | DR-4031 | Severe Storm | Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011-09-08 | EM-3341 | Severe Storm | Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011-06-10 | DR-1993 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2006-12-12 | DR-1670 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and 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-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 |
| 2003-02-25 | EM-3173 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
| 2001-09-11 | DR-1391 | Fire | Fires and Explosions |
| 2000-10-11 | EM-3155 | Other | West Nile Virus |
| 2000-07-21 | DR-1335 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1998-07-07 | DR-1233 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-01-24 | DR-1095 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3107 | Snowstorm | Severe Blizzard |
| 1976-07-21 | DR-515 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1975-10-02 | DR-487 | Flood | Storms, Rains, Landslides & Flooding |
| 1972-06-23 | DR-338 | 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 Tioga County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 92 flood or flash flood records for Tioga County from 1996 to 2026, on 62 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Tioga County ranks 237th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Lee | 2011-09-07 | 10 | 0 |
| Tropical Depression Ivan | 2004-09-17 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $61.3 million on 1,558 claims filed in Tioga County; the most in one year was 716 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 64 · 1981: 7 · 1982: 1 · 1983: 50 · 1984: 8 · 1986: 2 · 1987: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 3 · 1993: 34 · 1994: 2 · 1996: 67 · 1998: 2 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 2 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2004: 23 · 2005: 145 · 2006: 353 · 2007: 1 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 716 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2015: 9 · 2017: 8 · 2018: 37 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 4 · 2021: 2 · 2025: 6; 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 Tioga County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Tioga County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $20.0 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 | $17M | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $5K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $260K | once in about 36 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $79K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $179K | 31 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $948K | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $70K | 0.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $220K | 3.1 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 Tioga 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 Tioga CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Tioga County's FEMA declarations (CSV)27 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis