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Winter in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

78 winter storms and snow events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Winter Storm, Winter Weather, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Ice Storm, Lake-Effect Snow, Sleet.

78 events · 2 deaths recorded · peak month January · county share of state 0.8%

Winter event locations in and around Luzerne County. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

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.

NCEI records 78 winter events in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 26 years.

January is the busiest month, with 20 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 36 events against 42 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.

The county holds 0.8% of the 9,299 winter events recorded in Pennsylvania; its 8.8 per 100 square miles compares with 20.8 statewide.

NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to winter storms and snow.

Some winter weather and high wind events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county; zone-recorded events whose zone is named for the county are included and marked "Forecast zone" in the table.

Compared with Pennsylvania

Measure	Luzerne County	Pennsylvania	US
Winter events since 1950	78	9,299	287,339
Per 100 square miles	8.8	20.8	8.1
Per 10,000 residents	2.4	7.2	8.7
Deaths recorded	2	130	2,509
Busiest month	January	January	January

By year

195019882026

Winter events recorded in Luzerne County per year, 1950 to 2026 (2026 is partial).

Seasonality

Jan
20Feb
18Mar
14Apr
3May
1Jun
0Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
4Nov
5Dec
13

Winter events in Luzerne County by month of occurrence, all years.

Recorded events

All 78 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
25 Jan 2026	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Dec 2025	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
2 Dec 2025	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
17 Nov 2025	Winter Weather	—	—	—	1	—	Forecast zone
19 Jan 2025	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
21 Nov 2024	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Feb 2024	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
6 Jan 2024	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
12 Mar 2022	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Feb 2021	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
31 Jan 2021	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
16 Dec 2020	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
15 Nov 2018	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
2 Mar 2018	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
14 Mar 2017	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Mar 2017	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Feb 2017	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
23 Jan 2016	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Feb 2015	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
26 Nov 2014	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Feb 2014	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
5 Feb 2014	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
2 Jan 2014	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
29 Oct 2011	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
23 Mar 2011	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
20 Feb 2011	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Feb 2010	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
10 Feb 2010	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
15 Oct 2009	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
19 Dec 2008	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Oct 2008	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
10 Feb 2008	Winter Weather	—	$100K	—	1	35	Forecast zone
17 Nov 2007	Winter Weather	—	$5K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
15 Apr 2007	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
16 Mar 2007	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Feb 2007	Winter Storm	—	$75K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
16 Dec 2005	Winter Storm	—	$10K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Dec 2005	Heavy Snow	—	$10K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Oct 2005	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
24 Mar 2005	Heavy Snow	—	$10K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Mar 2005	Heavy Snow	—	$20K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
23 Jan 2005	Heavy Snow	—	$20K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
6 Jan 2005	Winter Weather	—	$100K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
16 Mar 2004	Heavy Snow	—	$20K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
6 Dec 2003	Heavy Snow	—	$20K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
17 Feb 2003	Heavy Snow	—	$50K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
3 Jan 2003	Heavy Snow	—	$300K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
24 Dec 2002	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
11 Dec 2002	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
5 Dec 2002	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Feb 2002	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
31 Jan 2002	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
6 Jan 2002	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
4 Mar 2001	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
24 Feb 2001	Ice Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
5 Feb 2001	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
20 Jan 2001	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
19 Dec 2000	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Dec 2000	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
8 Apr 2000	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
18 Feb 2000	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Feb 2000	Ice Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
30 Jan 2000	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Jan 2000	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
20 Jan 2000	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
21 Mar 1999	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
14 Mar 1999	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Jan 1999	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
2 Jan 1999	Ice Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
23 Feb 1998	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
29 Dec 1997	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Apr 1997	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
31 Mar 1997	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
31 May 1996	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
6 Mar 1996	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
12 Jan 1996	Heavy Snow	—	$4K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
7 Jan 1996	Heavy Snow	—	$20K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
2 Jan 1996	Heavy Snow	—	$3K	—	—	—	Forecast zone

Questions and answers

How many winter events has Luzerne County had?

78 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of winter storms and snow became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.

When was the last recorded winter event in Luzerne County?

25 Jan 2026 (Winter Storm). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.

What was the most damaging winter event recorded in Luzerne County?

The heavy snow of 3 Jan 2003, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $300K.

How does Luzerne County compare with Pennsylvania for winter?

8.8 events per 100 square miles against 20.8 statewide; the county holds 78 of the state's 9,299 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 Winter hub and the county page.