Washington County, Pennsylvania
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 42125 · population 209,274 · 857 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,176 records for Washington County, Pennsylvania from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 537 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (647 records). The deadliest single record is the May 19, 1997 flash flood: 1 death. FEMA has issued 14 declarations naming the county since 1972, 12 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Sandy” on October 29, 2012.
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
- 1,176on 537 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 116 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $43Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 25strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 14latest 2020
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 Washington County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 647 since 1961. 49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1961 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 | 647 | 297 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 2 | $6.2M | 24 of 67 |
| Floods | 215 | 113 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $24M | 17 of 67 |
| Hail | 156 | 82 | 1970-2026 | 0 | 0 | $55K | 20 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 67 | 67 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 7 | – | 64 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 37 | 31 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $728K | 34 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 25 | 19 | 1973-2026 | 0 | 4 | $11M | 29 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 11 | 11 | 2009-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 41 of 67 |
| Lightning | 8 | 8 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 3 | $101K | 17 of 67 |
| Drought | 5 | 5 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 48 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 4 | 2014-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 18 of 67 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2020-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 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 Washington County had?
NOAA records 25 tornadoes in Washington County from 1973 to 2026, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 4 injuries recorded in the county. That is 29th of 67 Pennsylvania 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 22 tornadoes whose track touched Washington County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 25: 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.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Pennsylvania.
Every tornado record filed for Washington County (25)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-06 | Cokeburg, Washington County | EF1 7.28 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2026-06-06 | Deemston, Washington County | EF1 5.94 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $105K |
| 2026-06-06 | Marianna, Washington County | EF1 1.24 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2025-05-21 | Buffalo, Washington County | EF0 2.22 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-05-21 | Mc Connells Mill, Washington County | EF1 13.89 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2025-05-16 | Gale, Washington County | EF0 0.51 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2024-06-26 | Popoffs Corners, Washington County | EF1 0.48 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2024-05-17 | Webster, Washington County | EF0 0.46 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2024-05-11 | Bower Hill, Washington County | EF2 5.84 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-08-12 | Pleasant Grove, Washington County | EF1 4.45 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $349K |
| 2022-08-01 | Beham, Washington County | EF2 0.59 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2021-10-21 | Pleasant Grove, Washington County | EF1 0.38 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-10-21 | Thomas, Washington County | EF1 1.52 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $354K |
| 2021-10-21 | Independence, Washington County | EF2 15.67 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $8.2M |
| 2021-10-21 | Gale, Washington County | EF1 0.53 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-06-03 | Finleyville, Washington County | EF0 0.11 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2017-06-23 | Lone Pine, Washington County | EF1 2.97 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $72K |
| 2016-08-17 | Donora, Washington County | EF0 0.87 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2012-09-27 | Eighty Four, Washington County | EF0 1.46 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $96K |
| 1990-06-30 | Washington County | F2 0.2 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1987-08-09 | Washington County | F1 0.2 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1987-06-29 | Washington County | F1 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1980-05-31 | Washington County | F1 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-06-24 | Washington County | F1 1.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-05-10 | Washington County | F1 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 3 | $25K 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 Washington 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 WindCoal Center, Washington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindMorganza, Washington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindEldersville, Washington County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindCokeburg, Washington County | 64 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindFredericktown, Washington County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindDeemston, Washington County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindJewell, Washington County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindWest Brownsville, Washington County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindCokeburg, Washington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindCokeburg, Washington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindBissell, Washington County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindWashington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-05-19 | Flash FloodGinger Hill, Washington County Heavy thunderstorm rains led to a small creek leading to Little Mingo Creek to go out of its banks and flood Beagle Club Road. Water collected around a nearby horse barn. A 40 year-old man died when he was swept into a 24 inch wide sewer pipe that he was trying to clear in the flooded horse barn. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2014-02-27 | Winter WeatherWashington County · forecast zone Washington A 12-vehicle crash occurred just before noon on February 27th on Interstate 79 near the Houston exit in Washington county. A utility truck was unable to stop for slowed traffic, crashing into a tractor trailer and another vehicle. Five people were transported to the hospital, and three had moderate injuries. | 0 | 5 | – | |
| 1973-05-10 | TornadoWashington County | F1 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 3 | $25K step |
| 1999-03-09 | Heavy SnowWashington County · forecast zone Washington A winter storm moved quickly across the Ohio Valley, producing snowfall totals of between 4 and 10 inches across southwest Pennsylvania. Some snowfall amounts included 6 inches in Moon Township, Allegheny County; 6 inches in the city of Washington, Washington County; 4 to 7 inches across Beaver County, and around 10 ... | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2018-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindTenmile, Washington County State official reported that a tree fell on a car in motion on Montgomery Road injuring 1 female inside. She was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2011-07-22 | LightningCanonsburg, Washington County An 11-year-old girl was struck by a bolt from the blue in the afternoon on July 22nd. The lightning hit the girl as she was walking down a hill in North Strabane Township. The bolt hit her on the left shoulder, leaving a burn-like mark and exited her wrist, where it left another mark. Doctors discovered her arm was ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1998-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Strabane, Washington County A man was slightly injured when thunderstorm winds blew over a tree onto his pickup truck on Old Trails Road by US Route 40. | 0 | 1 | $27K | |
| 1998-06-16 | LightningCanonsburg, Washington County An 8-year-old boy was slightly injured when the tree he was playing under was struck by lightning. | 0 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-10-21 | TornadoIndependence, Washington County | EF2 15.67 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $8.2M |
| 2004-09-17 | FloodWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | $8.0M | |
| 2002-06-13 | Flash FloodCharleroi, Washington County | 0 | 0 | $4.9M | |
| 2000-02-19 | FloodWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | |
| 1996-01-19 | FloodWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | |
| 2000-08-07 | Flash FloodCountywide, Washington County | 0 | 0 | $857K | |
| 2002-05-09 | Flash FloodWest Brownsville, Washington County | 0 | 0 | $820K | |
| 2005-01-06 | FloodWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | $756K |
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: June 29, 1987 (tornado, Washington County); August 9, 1987 (tornado, Washington 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 Washington 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 | 2 | 15 | 21 | 121 | 98 | 220 | 170 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 21 | 53 | 86 | 55 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 41 | 33 | 55 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 14 | 15 | 32 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 14 | 6 | 9 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 15 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1961 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 58 · Feb 55 · Mar 66 · Apr 104 · May 140 · Jun 289 · Jul 185 · Aug 167 · Sep 34 · Oct 17 · Nov 34 · Dec 27 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Washington County
FEMA's register lists 14 declarations that include Washington County: 8 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (3) and severe storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-30 | DR-4506 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3441 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3356 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 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 |
| 2003-03-14 | EM-3180 | Severe Storm | Snow |
| 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 |
| 1985-11-09 | DR-754 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-01-29 | EM-3026 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
| 1972-06-23 | DR-340 | 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 Washington County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 215 flood or flash flood records for Washington County from 1996 to 2025, on 113 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Washington County ranks 302nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Depression Ivan | 2004-09-17 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $21.1 million on 1,131 claims filed in Washington County; the most in one year was 163 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 23 · 1979: 24 · 1980: 31 · 1981: 12 · 1982: 4 · 1983: 12 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 140 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1989: 2 · 1990: 17 · 1991: 1 · 1992: 4 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 10 · 1995: 3 · 1996: 163 · 1997: 6 · 1998: 7 · 1999: 3 · 2000: 107 · 2001: 3 · 2002: 3 · 2003: 34 · 2004: 127 · 2005: 10 · 2006: 2 · 2007: 7 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 4 · 2011: 18 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 29 · 2014: 6 · 2015: 5 · 2016: 8 · 2017: 66 · 2018: 67 · 2019: 3 · 2020: 7 · 2021: 44 · 2022: 4 · 2024: 83 · 2025: 18 · 2026: 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 Washington County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Washington County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $57.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.3M | 43 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $121K | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $51M | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.2M | 3.3 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $236K | once in about 37 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $136K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.4M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $388K | 1.9 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 Washington 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 Washington CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Washington County's FEMA declarations (CSV)14 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis