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New York · County tornado history

Orange County, New York tornadoes

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has recorded 13 tornadoes in Orange County, New York from 1950 through 2024, about one every 5.8 years. That ranks it 13 of 61 counties in New York with a recorded tornado. The most recent was an EF1 on August 27, 2020.

By Twisters.us · Updated · How we count

Tornadoes since 1950
13
Since 2000
5
Strongest
F3, July 14, 1988
Most recent
EF1, August 27, 2020
Peak month
July (5)
Per 1,000 sq mi
16
FEMA tornado risk
Relatively Moderate

F0/EF0 1 2 3 4 5 · Lines run from where each tornado touched down to where it lifted; dots are short paths. Neighboring counties are outlined.

When tornadoes hit Orange County

July has brought the most, 5 of 13. About 92% touched down between 11 am and 5 pm (Central Standard Time, as the Storm Prediction Center records it).

By decade

More tornadoes in recent decades mostly reflects better detection and reporting (Doppler radar, storm spotters, damage surveys), especially for weak EF0 tornadoes, not necessarily more storms. The 2020s bar covers only 2020 to 2024.

How strong they were

Rating Estimated 3-second gust Tornadoes
F0 / EF0 Light damage: 65 to 85 mph (EF scale) 5
F1 / EF1 Moderate: 86 to 110 mph 4
F2 / EF2 Considerable: 111 to 135 mph 3
F3 / EF3 Severe: 136 to 165 mph 1
F4 / EF4 Devastating: 166 to 200 mph 0
F5 / EF5 Incredible: over 200 mph 0

Tornadoes before February 2007 were rated on the original Fujita (F) scale; since then the National Weather Service uses the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. Wind speeds above are EF-scale estimates from damage, not measurements. See what the EF scale means.

The strongest tornadoes in Orange County

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
July 14, 1988 F3 7.2 mi 80 yd 1
July 29, 1971 F2 6.2 mi 83 yd
June 16, 1974 F2 2 mi 67 yd
July 29, 2009 EF2 7.4 mi 100 yd
November 16, 1989 F1 9.1 mi 100 yd 9 18
July 25, 1969 F1 0.1 mi 10 yd
July 29, 2011 EF1 4.7 mi 100 yd
August 27, 2020 EF1 2.6 mi 600 yd
May 15, 2018 EF0 0.6 mi 50 yd 1
June 29, 1990 F0 0.4 mi 30 yd

Deaths and injuries are for each tornado’s whole path, which can cross other counties.

The deadliest

The deadliest tornado to touch Orange County was an F1 on November 16, 1989. It killed 9 people and injured 18 along its 9.1-mile path.

Most recent tornadoes

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
August 27, 2020 EF1 2.6 mi 600 yd
May 15, 2018 EF0 0.6 mi 50 yd 1
July 29, 2011 EF1 4.7 mi 100 yd
July 29, 2009 EF2 7.4 mi 100 yd
June 16, 2008 EF0 1.4 mi 100 yd
April 30, 1996 F0 0.2 mi 33 yd
May 29, 1995 F0 0.5 mi 50 yd
June 29, 1990 F0 0.4 mi 30 yd

The official database ends with 2024. For storms since then, see the Storm Prediction Center’s reports and your local National Weather Service office.

FEMA’s tornado risk rating

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the tornado risk in Orange County as relatively moderate, with a score of 82 out of 100 compared with every other U.S. county. It estimates about 0.26 tornadoes a year here and an expected annual loss of about $4,805,680 to buildings, people and farming. The index mixes how often tornadoes strike with what is exposed and how well a community can recover, so a busy rural county can rate lower than a less active city.

Neighboring counties

Staying safe

When a tornado warning is issued, act at once. Go to a basement, storm shelter or safe room. With none, use a small windowless room on the lowest floor, as far from outside walls as you can, and cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and cars are not safe places to ride out a tornado: leave early for a sturdy building or shelter. Read the full tornado safety guide and the National Weather Service advice linked below.

Sources

Sources last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many tornadoes has Orange County had?

13 from 1950 through 2024 in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database, 5 of them since 2000.

When was the last tornado in Orange County?

The most recent in the official record was an EF1 on August 27, 2020. Later storms are not yet in the final database.

What was the strongest tornado in Orange County?

An F3 on July 14, 1988, with a 7.2-mile path.

When is tornado season in Orange County?

July has had the most tornadoes here. Across the U.S. the peak runs from spring into early summer, and the South also sees tornadoes in late fall and winter.