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Adams, PA; Bedford, PA; Blair, PA; Cambria, PA; Cumberland, PA; Dauphin, PA; Franklin, PA; Fulton, PA; Huntingdon, PA; Juniata, PA; Mifflin, PA; Perry, PA; Snyder, PA; Somerset, PA; Union, PA; York, PA
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Bedford, PA; Blair, PA; Cambria, PA; Cumberland, PA; Franklin, PA; Fulton, PA; Huntingdon, PA; Juniata, PA; Mifflin, PA; Perry, PA; Somerset, PA
Blair County, Pennsylvania severe weather history spans 304 recorded events between 1960 and 2026. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 73.4% of all recorded events. It ranks #1,761 nationally and #52 in Pennsylvania.
304
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$3.6M
Property damage
The record
What the Blair County, Pennsylvania severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Blair County, Pennsylvania severe weather history averages 4.6 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2010s, with 101 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 17 events fall before 1990 and 287 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Blair County, Pennsylvania record is flash flood, responsible for 1 direct deaths. The costliest is tornado, with $2.5M in reported property damage. In total, 6 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Blair County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 223 | 0 | $797K | 87 | 1960–2026 |
| Flash Flood | 37 | 1 | $290K | 0 | 1996–2025 |
| Hail | 30 | 0 | $0 | 1.5 | 1976–2025 |
| Flood | 10 | 0 | $10K | 0 | 2010–2025 |
| Tornado | 3 | 0 | $2.5M | F1 | 1988–1998 |
| Funnel Cloud | 1 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2015–2015 |
Decade by decade
Blair County, Pennsylvania severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
5 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 5 touched down inside it and 0 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-29 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.8 mi | Touched down here |
| 1998-06-02 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1996-07-19 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 1.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 1988-11-05 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1975-06-05 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Blair County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 19, 1996 | Flash Flood | COUNTYWIDE | 1 | 0 | $0 |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Significant Flash Flooding occurred in the Altoona and Hollidaysburg areas from torrential thunderstorm rains. Route 36 and Route 764 were closed due to flooding. One bridge on 14th street sustained damage to the road surface. Two families were displaced from their homes after flood waters collapsed the basements of their homes. In all, 4 homes suffered major flood damage while about 200 homes had flooded basements. In addition, six townhouses had water on the first floor. The American Red Cross provided housing for the residents in Frankstown Township.
An NWS Storm Survey confirmed a downburst in Scotch Valley on March 16, 2025 as a line of severe thunderstorms moved through. Maximum winds were estimated at 100 mph with damage occurring along a 4.5 mile long path. Dozens of trees were uprooted or snapped along Scotch Valley Road and porch roofs were blown off. Significant structural damage to a barn was also reported. The damage path widened to around 1.6 miles as it neared the end of the track.
A severe thunderstorm produced a microburst with winds estimated by a NWS Storm Survey to have been between 80 and 90 mph just to the east of Lake Altoona. Trees were snapped and uprooted in a relatively small area near Lakeside Drive.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
121,277
Population (ACS)
$161K
Median home value
18
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 30, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Mar 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM | DR |
| Oct 29, 2012 | Hurricane | HURRICANE SANDY | EM |
| Sep 8, 2011 | Flood | REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM LEE | EM |
| Apr 16, 2010 | Snowstorm | SEVERE WINTER STORMS AND SNOWSTORMS | DR |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Blair County, Pennsylvania?
304 events are on record between 1960 and 2026, causing 1 direct deaths and $3.6M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Blair County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 223 recorded events — 73.4% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Blair County?
5 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 5 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Blair County?
18 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Blair County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Blair County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Blair County as relatively low risk, placing it in the 78 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Blair County, Pennsylvania severe weather history data come from?
Every figure is drawn from United States federal public-domain records: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events for the event archive, NOAA SPC SVRGIS for mapped tornado paths, FEMA for disaster declarations and risk ratings, and the U.S. Census for population context. Dates are shown in UTC and recent entries may still be revised by NOAA.
Nearby
Neighbouring counties
- Berks County 1,349
- Bradford County 620
- Bedford County 267
- Bucks County 911
- Beaver County 840
- Butler County 903
Cite this page
“Blair County, Pennsylvania.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/pennsylvania/blair-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.