NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Owego, NY
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
10 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Owego, New York since 1851, 1 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was David in 1979. Since 1950, 31 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 1
- Tropical storms
- 9
- Tornadoes
- 31
- EF3 or stronger
- 3
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Owego
The strongest storm to pass near Owego was an unnamed storm in 1878, a Category 1 hurricane with 81 mph winds when its centre passed 61 miles away. The record near Owego begins with an unnamed storm in 1876; the most recent system was David in 1979, a tropical storm 30 miles away. The 1870s and the 1970s were the busiest decades, with 2 systems each. None of the 10 systems has come since 2000. Of the 809 New York cities on this site, 49% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Owego. The highest rating among the 31 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 3 times; the most recent, on May 31, 1998, came within 7 miles. Of the 31, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 16 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 8. The most recent tornado was on February 28, 2024. Owego has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 56% of the 809 New York cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 53 times since 1985, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Owego has more hail reports within 10 miles than 64% of the 809 New York cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Owego
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | DavidSep 6 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 23 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormAug 24 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 3 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 17 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 14 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 14 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 61 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormSep 18 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Owego: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Owego
By decade
- 2020s4
- 2010s7
- 2000s5
- 1990s5(1 EF3+)
- 1980s3(2 EF3+)
- 1970s2
- 1960s3
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 1998 | F3 | 7 mi | 62 mi | 0 / 12 |
| May 2, 1983 | F3 | 16 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 1 |
| May 2, 1983 | F3 | 8 mi | 15 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF2 | 23 mi | 0.86 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 19, 1954 | F2 | 20 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 7, 2023 | EF1 | 24 mi | 9.71 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 21, 2021 | EF1 | 24 mi | 2.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 28, 2019 | EF1 | 20 mi | 3.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 2, 2014 | EF1 | 18 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 26, 2012 | EF1 | 10 mi | 13.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 26, 2011 | EF1 | 21 mi | 0.39 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF1 | 22 mi | 2.06 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 31, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Owego
The Storm Prediction Center has 53 hail reports within 10 miles of Owego since 1985, made on 29 separate days. Of these, 25 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 2 days, most recently September 4, 2011. The most recent report is from June 26, 2023. June has the most reports, 15.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Owego
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Binghamton, NY, 15 miles east of Owego at 1,606 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 78°F and low of 59°F; January is the coolest, at 30°F and 16°F. June is the wettest at 4.7 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.4 inches; the year adds up to 42.1 inches over 87 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 56% of the year's precipitation (23.5 of 42.1 inches); the other six months are drier. October has brought the most of the 10 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (4); a normal October there has highs of 57°F and 3.8 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 2 days a year, almost all from July. Lows fall below freezing on about 142 nights a year. Snowfall averages 86.5 inches a year, most of it in January. That 42.1 inches is more than at 58 of the 137 New York stations used on this site (42%). Candor, 8 miles northwest, has its own station (Ithaca 13 E, NY): 41.6 inches a year, 0.5 less than here, and a July average high of 79°F against 78°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30 | 16 | 2.6 | 6 | 20.6 |
| Feb | 32 | 17 | 2.4 | 6 | 19.7 |
| Mar | 41 | 24 | 3.1 | 7 | 16.4 |
| Apr | 54 | 35 | 3.6 | 8 | 3.8 |
| May | 66 | 46 | 3.8 | 8 | 0.1 |
| Jun | 74 | 55 | 4.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 78 | 59 | 3.8 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 77 | 58 | 4.1 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 70 | 51 | 4.0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 57 | 41 | 3.8 | 7 | 1.0 |
| Nov | 45 | 31 | 3.1 | 7 | 6.8 |
| Dec | 34 | 22 | 3.1 | 7 | 18.1 |
| Year | 55 | 38 | 42.1 | 87 | 86.5 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Binghamton, NY (1,606 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Owego
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 196 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Owego: 148 thunderstorm wind reports, 40 flash floods, 4 floods, 2 heavy rain events and 2 lightning strikes. They killed 0 people and injured 2, and the NWS estimated $463.5 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on June 12, 2015. July has had the most flash floods, 13 of 40. Of the 798 New York cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 511 have had fewer than Owego.
June 7, 1999: thunderstorm wind 10 miles from the centre of Owego — 2 injured, $22,000 damage.
September 7, 2011: flood in Owego — $309.0 million damage.
NWS: “A record flood occurred on the Susquehanna river at Owego, NY. 62 feet on September 8, 2011 with an estimated time at about 3:00 PM.”
September 7, 2011: flash flood 3 miles from the centre of Owego — $70.0 million damage.
NWS: “Catastrophic flash flooding occurring in the Owego area. Numerous roads and bridges were severely damaged.”
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Flood insurance policyholders in Owego's ZIP code 13827 have filed 917 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $38.9 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Tropical Storm Lee in 2011: 441 claims (48% of all) and $31.2 million, then Torrential rain in 2005 with 83 and Flooding in 1996 with 32. 61% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 549 New York cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 513 have fewer than Owego.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Lee2011 | 441 | $31.2 million |
| Torrential rain2005 | 83 | $1.1 million |
| Flooding1996 | 32 | $225,000 |
Tioga County, which includes Owego, has been named in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 19 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 severe storms, 6 floods, 3 hurricanes, 3 snowstorms). The latest major disaster declaration was Remnants of Tropical Storm Fred, on October 8, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Tioga County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for inland flooding; Relatively Low for hurricanes, tornadoes, strong wind, lightning and heat waves; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $20.0 million a year, the 45th highest of 62 New York counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $17.5 million (88%), is from inland flooding.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near Owego
- Apalachin, NY7 mi
- Candor, NY8 mi
- Newark Valley, NY8 mi
- Barton, NY9 mi
- Nichols, NY9 mi
- Endicott, NY11 mi
- Vestal, NY12 mi
- Rome, PA14 mi
- Spencer, NY14 mi
- Johnson City, NY15 mi
- Waverly, NY16 mi
- Sayre, PA17 mi
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