States › Pennsylvania › Bucks County
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.
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. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 1 Oct 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
Bucks County, Pennsylvania, has 1,417 weather events in the NCEI Storm Events record since 1950, most of them damaging wind.
That is 234.5 events per 100 square miles, above the Pennsylvania figure of 121.6, and 21.9 per 10,000 residents against 42.0 statewide.
35 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 28 deaths and 121 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $231M and crop damage at $1.4M.
FEMA has designated the county in 27 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Remnants Of Hurricane Ida (major disaster, 10 Sep 2021).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 5,260 claims since 1978, of which 4,450 were paid, totalling $150M (about $34K per paid claim). FEMA counts 2,658 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Relatively High" and its expected annual loss as "Relatively High" ($203M a year across 18 hazards).
43 tropical storm or hurricane tracks in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 0 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.
Compared with Pennsylvania and the United States
| Measure | Bucks County | Pennsylvania | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 1,417 | 54,427 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 234.5 | 121.6 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 21.9 | 42.0 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 35 | 2,028 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 28 | 901 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $231M | $5.3B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 8.1 | 5.9 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $34K | $23K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 21.2 | 25.9 | 16.1 |
County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.
Events by decade
Trend: 788 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 558 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.
Events by type
Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.
Largest recorded events
| Date | Event type | Group | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jul 2023 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | — | — | 7 | — | County |
| 29 Oct 2011 | Winter Storm | Winter | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | Forecast zone |
| 4 Jul 1999 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 2 | 6 | Forecast zone |
| 12 Jun 1996 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $15M | — | 2 | — | County |
| 16 May 2012 | Lightning | Lightning | — | $250K | — | 1 | 3 | County |
| 1 Sep 2021 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $25M | $1.0M | 1 | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2007 | Strong Wind | Wind | 52 mph | $400K | — | 1 | 1 | Forecast zone |
| 8 Mar 2008 | Strong Wind | Wind | 52 mph | $5K | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Jan 1996 | Flood | Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Sep 2002 | High Wind | Wind | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Jun 2002 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Oct 2005 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 16 Mar 2007 | Winter Storm | Winter | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Dec 2009 | Heavy Snow | Winter | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jul 2009 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Jul 2010 | Excessive Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 May 2019 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1999 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $22M | — | — | 15 | County |
| 13 Jan 1999 | Winter Storm | Winter | — | — | — | — | 12 | Forecast zone |
| 18 Aug 2019 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | — | 9 | County |
Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.
Federal disaster declarations
| Declared | Number | Type | Incident | Title | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Sep 2021 | DR-4618 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 30 Mar 2020 | DR-4506 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3441 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 23 Mar 2016 | DR-4267 | Major disaster | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Public assistance |
| 6 Feb 2014 | EM-3367 | Emergency | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 10 Jan 2013 | DR-4099 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy | Public assistance |
| 29 Oct 2012 | EM-3356 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy | Public assistance |
| 12 Sep 2011 | DR-4030 | Major disaster | Flood | Tropical Storm Lee | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 8 Sep 2011 | EM-3340 | Emergency | Flood | Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee | Public assistance |
| 3 Sep 2011 | DR-4025 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 29 Aug 2011 | EM-3339 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene | Public assistance |
| 30 Jun 2006 | DR-1649 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 10 Sep 2005 | EM-3235 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina | Public assistance |
| 14 Apr 2005 | DR-1587 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 19 Sep 2004 | DR-1557 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Tropical Depression Ivan | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 19 Sep 2004 | DR-1555 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Frances | — |
| 21 Jun 2001 | DR-1383 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Allison | Individual assistance |
| 18 Sep 1999 | DR-1294 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 18 Jun 1996 | DR-1120 | Major disaster | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms | Individual assistance |
| 21 Jan 1996 | DR-1093 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Jan 1996 | DR-1085 | Major disaster | Snowstorm | Blizzard Of 96 | Public assistance |
| 10 Mar 1994 | DR-1015 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms | Public assistance |
| 16 Mar 1993 | EM-3105 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 17 Jul 1973 | DR-400 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 23 Jun 1972 | DR-340 | Major disaster | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 18 Sep 1971 | DR-312 | Major disaster | Flood | Floods | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 18 Aug 1965 | DR-206 | Major disaster | Drought | Water Shortage | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.
Flood insurance claims
| Year of loss | Claims | Paid claims | Amount paid | Average paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8 | 5 | $60,322 | $12,064 |
| 2025 | 5 | 5 | $244,063 | $48,813 |
| 2024 | 14 | 11 | $321,274 | $29,207 |
| 2023 | 28 | 22 | $1,789,450 | $81,339 |
| 2021 | 404 | 354 | $14,864,082 | $41,989 |
| 2020 | 55 | 48 | $3,053,097 | $63,606 |
| 2019 | 20 | 16 | $275,030 | $17,189 |
| 2018 | 25 | 19 | $476,114 | $25,059 |
| 2017 | 5 | 3 | $24,046 | $8,015 |
| 2016 | 9 | 5 | $90,890 | $18,178 |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2014 | 25 | 18 | $165,467 | $9,193 |
| 2013 | 14 | 6 | $77,520 | $12,920 |
| 2012 | 16 | 9 | $72,607 | $8,067 |
| 2011 | 643 | 545 | $15,445,918 | $28,341 |
| 2010 | 33 | 23 | $169,469 | $7,368 |
| 2009 | 35 | 24 | $319,692 | $13,320 |
| 2008 | 9 | 5 | $95,065 | $19,013 |
| 2007 | 52 | 42 | $338,816 | $8,067 |
| 2006 | 718 | 668 | $28,621,831 | $42,847 |
| 2005 | 735 | 678 | $31,339,953 | $46,224 |
| 2004 | 472 | 407 | $21,051,376 | $51,723 |
| 2003 | 38 | 27 | $145,739 | $5,398 |
| 2002 | 6 | 2 | $5,031 | $2,516 |
| 2001 | 131 | 105 | $2,595,470 | $24,719 |
OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).
National Risk Index
| Hazard (NRI) | Risk rating | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | $141,204,457 | |
| Earthquake | $13,275,921 | |
| Tornado | $10,313,454 | |
| Cold wave | $9,303,226 | |
| Heat wave | $7,494,892 | |
| Hurricane | $6,958,916 | |
| Ice storm | $4,499,913 | |
| Strong wind | $3,462,284 | |
| Winter weather | $2,352,634 | |
| Lightning | $1,616,125 | |
| Drought | $926,102 | |
| Coastal flooding | $921,854 | |
| Hail | $214,984 | |
| Wildfire | $77,847 | |
| Landslide | $2,596 | |
| Avalanche | $42 |
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Ratings are FEMA's relative comparison of counties; expected annual loss is FEMA's modelled estimate of average yearly building, population and agriculture loss. See how to read the NRI.
Hurricane and tropical storm passes
| Storm | Year | Closest approach | Max wind while within 100 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ida | 2021 | 45 mi | 40 mph |
| Fay | 2020 | 44 mi | 52 mph |
| Isaias | 2020 | 39 mi | 63 mph |
| Andrea | 2013 | 85 mi | 46 mph |
| Sandy | 2012 | 65 mi | 81 mph |
| Irene | 2011 | 53 mi | 69 mph |
| Hanna | 2008 | 40 mi | 52 mph |
| Ernesto | 2006 | 89 mi | 40 mph |
| Charley | 2004 | 100 mi | 40 mph |
| Floyd | 1999 | 86 mi | 58 mph |
| Bertha | 1996 | 33 mi | 69 mph |
| Danielle | 1992 | 66 mi | 40 mph |
| Gloria | 1985 | 97 mi | 86 mph |
| Agnes | 1972 | 90 mi | 63 mph |
| Doria | 1971 | 95 mi | 52 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1968 | 97 mi | 63 mph |
| Brenda | 1960 | 70 mi | 58 mph |
| Donna | 1960 | 97 mi | 98 mph |
| Diane | 1955 | 33 mi | 46 mph |
| Able | 1952 | 32 mi | 58 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1949 | 85 mi | 58 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1944 | 85 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1934 | 40 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1929 | 70 mi | 58 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1916 | 98 mi | 52 mph |
HURDAT2 best-track positions at tropical-storm strength (34 kt) or more, measured from the county's Census centre point; through the 2025 season. Distance from a track is not the same as the extent of the storm's wind, rain or surge.
ZIP codes with flood claims
- 19067 999
- 18938 532
- 19047 443
- 18977 365
- 19020 294
- 18972 252
- 19053 199
- 19021 175
- 18951 159
- 18966 144
- 19007 140
- 18077 138
- 18976 131
- 18947 125
- 18950 108
- 18960 98
- 18974 95
- 18933 91
- 18930 74
- 19057 68
- 19056 67
- 18954 62
- 18944 58
- 19054 58
- 18920 57
- 18901 49
- 18940 47
- 18914 35
- 18913 33
- 18902 26
- 19030 23
- 19055 21
- 18980 10
- 18912 7
- 18925 7
- 18929 7
- 18942 6
- 18969 5
ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.
Questions and answers
How often does it hail in Bucks County, PA?
NCEI records 103 hail events in Bucks County since 1950, in 31 different years; that is about 1.3 recorded events a year. 11 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Bucks County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 29 tornadoes in Bucks County since 1950, 6 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 0.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Bucks County?
10 Sep 2021: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida, a major disaster declaration for hurricane. The county appears in 27 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Bucks County, and how much was paid?
5,260 NFIP claims since 1978, 4,450 of them paid, for $150M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Bucks County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Relatively High" for overall risk, "Relatively High" for expected annual loss, "Very Low" for social vulnerability and "Relatively High" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Bucks County compare with the rest of Pennsylvania?
234.5 recorded events per 100 square miles against 121.6 statewide, and 8.1 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 5.9. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.
Provenance
Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 1 Oct 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 1 Oct 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.