Wayne County, New York
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 36117 · population 91,116 · 604 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 556 records for Wayne County, New York from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 375 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (249 records). The most damaging was the April 4, 2003 ice storm ($16.0 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1972, 13 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Flooding” on November 14, 2017.
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
- 556on 375 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 03 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $109Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 4strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 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 Wayne County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 249 since 1970. 53% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1970 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 | 249 | 128 | 1970-2026 | 0 | 3 | $23M | 36 of 58 |
| Winter storms | 120 | 115 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $24M | 35 of 58 |
| Hail | 65 | 41 | 1955-2022 | 0 | 0 | $34M | 30 of 58 |
| Floods | 48 | 41 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $14M | 30 of 58 |
| High wind and dust storms | 43 | 43 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $4.9M | 28 of 58 |
| Extreme cold | 20 | 19 | 2008-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 of 58 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 4 | 1980-2024 | 0 | 0 | $9.4M | 45 of 58 |
| Drought | 3 | 3 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 58 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 1 | 2018-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 46 of 58 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2004-2004 | 0 | 0 | $23K | 51 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 Wayne County had?
NOAA records 4 tornadoes in Wayne County from 1980 to 2024, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched Wayne County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 4: 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 New York.
Every tornado record filed for Wayne County (4)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-10 | Red Creek, Wayne County | EFU 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-08-21 | Savannah, Wayne County | EF2 4.11 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $197K |
| 2003-05-11 | Ontario, Wayne County | F1 2.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $241K |
| 1980-06-09 | Wayne County | F1 9.9 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $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 Wayne County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the January 9, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindClyde, Wayne County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindClyde, Wayne County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindPalmyra, Wayne County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindButler Center, Wayne County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindClyde, Wayne County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-09 | Thunderstorm WindClyde Aero Park Airport, Wayne County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-01-09 | Thunderstorm WindMacedon Lakestone Ar, Wayne County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-01-01 | Winter StormWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-29 | Winter StormWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-26 | Winter StormWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-24 | Thunderstorm WindSavannah, Wayne 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-07-20 | Thunderstorm WindMacedon Center, Wayne County An isolated severe thunderstorm roared through Wayne County during the early afternoon hours. The thunderstorm winds brought down a barn as well as trees and power lines. A man and woman were injured when the camper they were inside setting up was overturned by the wind. | 55 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $103K |
| 2020-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindNorth Rose, Wayne County The roof was blown off a barn. Debris from the barn in the form of a 2x4 blew through the wind shield of a passing truck, injuring the driver. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $57K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-04-04 | Ice StormWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 1998-09-07 | Thunderstorm WindLyons, Wayne County | 0 | 0 | $10.0M | |
| 1998-09-06 | Thunderstorm WindMacedon, Wayne County | 0 | 0 | $9.1M | |
| 2008-06-16 | HailEast Williamson, Wayne County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $4.8M |
| 2019-05-17 | FloodLakeside, Wayne County | 0 | 0 | $3.5M | |
| 2006-07-12 | Flash FloodRose, Wayne County | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | |
| 1999-03-04 | BlizzardWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 2002-05-29 | Flash FloodNewark, Wayne County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
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: June 9, 1980 (tornado, Wayne 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 Wayne 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 | 0 | 5 | 16 | 31 | 34 | 88 | 75 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 21 | 43 | 44 | 12 |
| Hail | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 23 | 30 | 1 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 11 | 24 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 12 | 20 | 6 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | 13 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1970 fell in July and August. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 56 · Feb 34 · Mar 33 · Apr 18 · May 57 · Jun 79 · Jul 94 · Aug 82 · Sep 21 · Oct 26 · Nov 22 · Dec 34 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Wayne County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Wayne County: 10 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (3) and severe storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-20 | DR-4480 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3434 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-11-14 | DR-4348 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3351 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2005-09-30 | EM-3262 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-10-01 | DR-1564 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2004-08-03 | DR-1534 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-08-23 | EM-3186 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2003-05-12 | DR-1467 | Severe Ice Storm | Ice Storm |
| 2001-09-11 | DR-1391 | Fire | Fires and Explosions |
| 2000-10-11 | EM-3155 | Other | West Nile Virus |
| 1999-03-10 | EM-3138 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1998-09-11 | DR-1244 | Severe Storm | Ny - Severe Wx, Sept 7, 1998 |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3107 | Snowstorm | Severe Blizzard |
| 1991-03-21 | DR-898 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1973-03-21 | DR-367 | Flood | High Winds, Wave Action & 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 Wayne County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 48 flood or flash flood records for Wayne County from 1996 to 2025, on 41 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Wayne County ranks 913th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.5 million on 209 claims filed in Wayne County; the most in one year was 62 in 2019. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 9 · 1980: 1 · 1981: 2 · 1984: 2 · 1986: 3 · 1987: 3 · 1989: 2 · 1991: 2 · 1992: 6 · 1993: 29 · 1994: 3 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 2 · 1998: 11 · 2000: 2 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 2 · 2004: 3 · 2005: 3 · 2006: 8 · 2012: 1 · 2014: 3 · 2017: 38 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 62 · 2020: 5 · 2026: 2; 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 Wayne County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Wayne County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $19.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $283K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $859K | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $14M | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $248K | 28 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $319K | 3.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $802K | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $37K | 26 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 Wayne 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 Wayne CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Wayne County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis