Tioga County, Pennsylvania
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Tioga County, Pennsylvania has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 60% of US counties. It ranks 45th of 67 counties in Pennsylvania. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $19 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $452 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (Tropical Storm Debby). About 1 in 77 homes here carry federal flood insurance (282 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $3.5 million on 234 claims here, including $1.7 million for floods in 2024.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Tioga County
- 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.
- Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
- Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
- Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
- Have trees near the house checked.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 78.9 | $16M | ||
| Hurricane | 71.8 | $620K | ||
| Strong wind | 55.2 | $558K | ||
| Tornado | 24.0 | $296K | ||
| Lightning | 58.9 | $281K | ||
| Winter weather | 75.5 | $150K | ||
| Cold wave | 14.4 | $127K | ||
| Earthquake | 31.1 | $75K | ||
| Hail | 13.4 | $38K | ||
| Heat wave | 15.9 | $36K | ||
| Ice storm | 30.1 | $28K | ||
| Landslide | 82.0 | $18K | ||
| Wildfire | 20.8 | $7K | ||
| Avalanche | 70.6 | $4K |
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 relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Tioga County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 18
Pennsylvania also had 7 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1967
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 347 storm reports in Tioga County since 1967, with 0 deaths and 15 injuries and about $7.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on May 2, 1983.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 1983 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 30, 1970 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 30, 2011 | EF1 | Knoxville | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 23, 2018 | EF1 | Nauvoo | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 8, 1997 | F1 | Tioga | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 1983 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Nov 8, 1996 | Flash Flood | Wellsboro | $3M |
| Aug 2, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Middlebury Ctr | $502K |
| Sep 7, 2011 | Flood | East Lawrence | $450K |
| Jul 12, 2021 | Flash Flood | Roseville | $300K |
| Mar 16, 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Balsam | $100K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 6, 2026. 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 1876, 0 hurricanes and 5 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Tioga County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1893, with top winds near 70 mph about 38 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 14, 1893 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 38 mi |
| Sep 17, 1903 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 18, 1876 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 24, 1933 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 6, 1979 | David | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 54 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 6, 1979 | David | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 54 mi |
| Aug 24, 1933 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 17, 1903 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 14, 1893 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 38 mi |
| Sep 18, 1876 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 61 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 Tioga County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Tioga County
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; 21,571 housing units.
Compare in Pennsylvania
All 67 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia County | Inland flooding | |
| Allegheny County | Inland flooding | |
| Montgomery County | Inland flooding | |
| Bucks County | Inland flooding | |
| Delaware County | Inland flooding | |
| Lancaster County | Inland flooding | |
| Chester County | Inland flooding | |
| York County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Lycoming County | 19 | |
| Steuben County, NY | 21 | |
| Chemung County, NY | 15 | |
| Bradford County | 19 | |
| Potter County | 12 |
Common questions about Tioga County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Tioga County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Tioga County, about $16.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $620,229.
How many federal disasters has Tioga County had?
Tioga County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Tropical Storm Debby in September 2024.
Is Tioga County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 45th 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 Tioga County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 77 homes in Tioga 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 Tioga County had?
NOAA records list 7 tornadoes in Tioga County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on May 2, 1983. The weather service has also logged 54 hail reports and 43 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Tioga County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 5 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Tioga County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1893, with winds near 70 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.