Home › Pennsylvania › Montour County

Montour County, Pennsylvania

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
64th of 67highest risk in Pennsylvania
$5Mexpected losses a year
15federal declarations
1 in 100homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Montour County, Pennsylvania has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 85% of US counties. It ranks 64th of 67 counties in Pennsylvania. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, strong wind and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $5.5 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $301 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in November 2018 (severe storms and flooding). About 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (62 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $3.2 million on 154 claims here, including $2.5 million for floods in 2011.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Montour County

$4.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
$290,766 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
  • Have trees near the house checked.

Tornado

Very Low
$221,062 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 20 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow38.3
$4M
Strong windLow32.1
$291K
TornadoVery Low20.3
$221K
HurricaneLow61.2
$215K
Cold waveVery Low15.1
$141K
LightningLow31.9
$107K
Heat waveVery Low27.1
$105K
EarthquakeVery Low33.8
$95K
Winter weatherLow54.3
$68K
HailVery Low5.3
$12K
LandslideVery Low57.4
$2K
WildfireVery Low4.6
$1K
Ice stormVery Low1.2
$492
AvalancheVery Low19.9
$33

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively moderate and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Montour County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood5
Severe Storm5
Hurricane3
Snowstorm2

Most recent

Nov 27, 2018Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 29, 2012Hurricane SandyEmergency
Sep 12, 2011Tropical Storm LeeMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2011Remnants of Tropical Storm LeeEmergency
Jun 30, 2006Severe Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane KatrinaEmergency
Sep 19, 2004Tropical Depression IvanMajor disaster
Sep 19, 2004Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression FrancesMajor disaster
Mar 14, 2003SnowEmergency
Jan 21, 1996Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 15
Jan 13, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Mar 10, 1994Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Mar 16, 1993Severe Snowfall & Winter StormEmergency
Sep 26, 1975Severe Storms, Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 23, 1972Tropical Storm AgnesMajor disaster

Pennsylvania also had 7 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1963

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 113 storm reports in Montour County since 1963, with 0 deaths and 5 injuries and about $1.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on May 23, 1983.

4tornadoes
17hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
76damaging thunderstorm winds
16floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 23, 1983F1–0 / 0
Oct 3, 1979F1–0 / 0
Jul 17, 1992F0–0 / 0
Apr 1, 1998F0Ottawa0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 20, 2001Thunderstorm WindWashingtonville$500K
Apr 14, 2019Thunderstorm WindLimestoneville$300K
May 23, 1983Tornado–$250K
Sep 7, 2011FloodStrawberry Ridge$100K
Jun 12, 1994Thunderstorm Wind–$50K
Aug 25, 2007Thunderstorm WindPaxinos$40K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 26, 2024. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1878, 1 hurricane and 7 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Montour County, 2 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1878, with top winds near 85 mph about 57 miles away.

1hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
7tropical storms
1979most recent: David

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 23, 1878UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph57 mi
Oct 14, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph62 mi
Sep 16, 1903UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph61 mi
Aug 29, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph43 mi
Aug 24, 1933UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph55 mi
Aug 13, 1955ConnieTropical storm, 55 mph61 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 6, 1979DavidTropical storm, 45 mph61 mi
Aug 13, 1955ConnieTropical storm, 55 mph61 mi
Aug 29, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph43 mi
Aug 24, 1933UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph55 mi
Sep 16, 1903UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph61 mi
Oct 14, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph62 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in Montour County

Check your address flood zone ›
1%of homes have federal flood insurance (62 policies)
14.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$3.2 millionpaid on 154 flood claims since 1978
2011costliest year, with $2.5 million paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Montour County

$248,100median home value (Pennsylvania $254,500, US $332,700)
1976median year homes were built (Pennsylvania 1965, US 1980)
57%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
6.4%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 8,144 housing units.

Compare in Pennsylvania

All 67 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Philadelphia CountyVery HighInland flooding
Allegheny CountyHighInland flooding
Montgomery CountyHighInland flooding
Bucks CountyHighInland flooding
Delaware CountyModerateInland flooding
Lancaster CountyHighInland flooding
Chester CountyModerateInland flooding
York CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Lycoming CountyLow19
Northumberland CountyLow17
Columbia CountyLow18

Common questions about Montour County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Montour County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Montour County, about $4.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Strong wind is second at $290,766.

How many federal disasters has Montour County had?

Montour County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Flooding in November 2018.

Is Montour County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 64th highest of 67 in Pennsylvania. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Montour County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 100 homes in Montour County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Montour County had?

NOAA records list 4 tornadoes in Montour County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on May 23, 1983. The weather service has also logged 17 hail reports and 16 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Montour County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 7 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Montour County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1878, with winds near 85 mph.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.