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Tornado in Orange County, New York
13 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Orange County, New York, has 13 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 13 different years.
July is the busiest month, with 5 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 5 events against 5 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.3% of the 563 tornado events recorded in New York; its 1.6 per 100 square miles compares with 1.2 statewide.
NCEI attributes 10 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 6 at (E)F0, 3 at (E)F1, 2 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with New York
| Measure | Orange County | New York | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 13 | 563 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.6 | 1.2 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 10 | 32 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | July | July | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
1May
2Jun
3Jul
5Aug
1Sep
0Oct
0Nov
1Dec
0
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 13 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $25M | — | 9 | 18 | County |
| 14 Jul 1988 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 16 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1969 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Orange County had?
13 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Orange County?
27 Aug 2020 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Orange County?
The tornado of 16 Nov 1989, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 9 deaths recorded.
How does Orange County compare with New York for tornado?
1.6 events per 100 square miles against 1.2 statewide; the county holds 13 of the state's 563 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.