Cambria County
Population 128,968 (2025) 688 sq mi
Property owners in Cambria County have filed 802 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, 32nd most of 67 counties in Pennsylvania.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths since 195022
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger12
- Major flood years since 19786
At a glance
The record for Cambria County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Tornadoes since 1950
22
14th of 67 in Pennsylvania
57% more than the typical Pennsylvania county
DetailsTropical cyclones within 50 mi
6
39th of 67 in Pennsylvania
None at hurricane strength since 1851
DetailsStrongest tornado
F2
July 19, 1996, 27.4 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm (unnamed), 1893, 26.2 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 3.5 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
July 19, 1996
F2, 27.4 mile path
200 yards wide.
Most recent
Saturday, August 12, 2023
EF0, 0.2 mile path
3 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Aug 12, 2023 | EF0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 12, 2023 | EF1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 29, 2021 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 23, 2019 | EF0 | 1.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 13, 2018 | EF1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 27, 1998 | F1 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 30, 1998 | F0 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 16, 1998 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 19, 1996 | F2 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 19, 1996 | F2 | 27.4 | 6 | 0 |
| Sep 26, 1994 | F2 | 3.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1993 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 9, 1991 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 9, 1991 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 9, 1991 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 26, 1981 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 26, 1981 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 22, 1981 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 9, 1980 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 9, 1980 | F2 | 7.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 5, 1975 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 30, 1970 | F1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Cambria County: 0.
- Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
6 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
October 14, 1893
Unnamed storm, Tropical storm
26.2 miles at closest approach, winds near 71 mph.
Most recent
October 30, 2012
Sandy, Post-tropical
0.0 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Sandy | 2012 | 0.0 | Post-tropical |
| Isabel | 2003 | 42.5 | Tropical storm |
| Hugo | 1989 | 99.7 | Tropical storm |
| David | 1979 | 50.4 | Tropical storm |
| Diane | 1955 | 94.8 | Tropical storm |
| Connie | 1955 | 23.5 | Tropical storm |
| Hazel | 1954 | 51.7 | Post-tropical |
| Able | 1952 | 96.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 76.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1934 | 94.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1933 | 71.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1928 | 0.0 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 39.8 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 73.5 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 0.0 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 38.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 26.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1888 | 20.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 47.1 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1878 | 8.1 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1876 | 14.0 | Tropical storm |
- Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.
National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.
Wildfire and smoke
No large wildfire has been mapped here since satellite mapping began in 1984.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 54 days
Heavy smoke on 18 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
13.6 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
12 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 26 so far in 2026.
- A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Floods and flood insurance
802 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $3.2 million paid.
Most claims in one year
1996: 215 claims
$1.3 million paid.
2nd most
1981: 103 claims
$158,000 paid.
3rd most
1978: 74 claims
$117,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 15905 | 182 | $862,000 |
| 15906 | 126 | $297,000 |
| 15902 | 95 | $349,000 |
| 15904 | 66 | $219,000 |
| 15901 | 63 | $157,000 |
| 15714 | 33 | $200,000 |
| 15943 | 27 | $80,000 |
| 16668 | 27 | $180,000 |
| 15946 | 24 | $63,000 |
| 15962 | 18 | $310,000 |
| 15951 | 15 | $19,000 |
| 15963 | 15 | $51,000 |
| 15942 | 13 | $14,000 |
| 15955 | 10 | $14,000 |
| 15958 | 10 | $76,000 |
| 15909 | 9 | $1,266 |
| 16636 | 6 | $62,000 |
| 6 | $21,000 | |
| 16640 | 6 | $32,000 |
| 15775 | 5 | $1,940 |
| 15961 | 5 | $7,673 |
| 15956 | 5 | $1,609 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood38
- Flood13
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).
OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.
River crests
Most severe crest
May 31, 1889
Conemaugh River at Johnstown, 41.60 ft
13.60 feet above the 28.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
July 20, 1977
Stonycreek River at Ferndale, 23.21 ft
Moderate flooding.
River gauges
| Conemaugh River at Johnstown | 28.0 | 41.60 ft | 3 |
| Little Conemaugh River at East Conemaugh | 25.0 | 28.85 ft | 1 |
| Stonycreek River at Ferndale | 19.0 | 23.21 ft | 0 |
- Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 112 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 13 months.
112
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
38
Months in extreme drought
7%
Share of all months, severe or worse
7
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
January 1931
−6.95, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
13 months
August 1930 to August 1931.
Latest month
September 2026
+2.73, moderately wet
Last severe month: September 2005.
- The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.
NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.
Earthquakes and landslides
5 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1938; none reached magnitude 4.
0
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
2
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
0
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
June 12, 2019
Magnitude 3.4
9 km N of Blain, Pennsylvania; 48.9 miles away, 16.6 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
June 12, 2019
Magnitude 3.4
9 km N of Blain, Pennsylvania; 48.9 miles away.
- Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the county boundary (or inside the county).
- Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Mapped landslides
4
Landslides mapped, probable or better
2
With a recorded date
2
Source inventories
Mapped by NASA (2), USGS Conterminous (2).
- Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.
USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
693 events in the National Weather Service record, 578 of them since 1996.
28
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
2
Hail, 2 inches or larger
273
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
122
Winter weather events since 1996
1
Heat events since 1996
24
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
May 17, 1960
2.50 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
April 29, 2025
120 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 4 | 1 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Apr 29, 2025Thunderstorm Wind$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
An NWS damage survey confirmed that straight line winds estimated at 120 mph knocked over a cell tower near Carrolltown as a line of severe thunderstorms moved through.
- Sep 2, 2013Flash Flood$200,000
National Weather Service narrative
Intense heavy rainfall between 4-5 inches in less than an hour produced flash flooding in Northern Cambria. The bulk of the flooding was confined in Northern Cambria Borough and Susquehanna and Barr Townships. Deveaux Street and Route 219 North ��� both state routes - were closed temporarily due to flooding. Mosscreek Road in Barr Township received considerable debris and mud collection. The Northern Cambria Middle School reported significant flood damage and was closed for the week during the cleanup. Numerous flooded basements were also reported.
- Feb 12, 2009High Wind, Cambria$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
Non-thunderstorm wind gusts between 55 and 65 mph toppled numerous trees and wires across the Cambria County, resulting in over eight-thousand power outages. The ASOS at the John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport recorded a peak gust of 65 mph.
- Mar 4, 2015Flood$70,000
National Weather Service narrative
An ice jam brought flooding to 3 houses and 1 business along the North Branch of the Little Conemaugh River in Summerhill Township.
- Nov 28, 2025Winter Weather, Cambria$60,000
National Weather Service narrative
SNOW SQUALL. A snow squall impacted Route 22 across all of Cambria County, bringing heavy snowfall and gusty winds that allowed for near-zero visibility. Snow covering the roadways allowed for ice formation on the road, which caused a multi-vehicle incident, where multiple injuries were reported. The roadway was closed for multiple hours as a result of this incident and the resultant icy roadways.
- Aug 13, 1999Thunderstorm Wind$50,000
National Weather Service narrative
Downburst winds struck Prince Gallitzin State Park on late afternoon of Friday the 13th, crossing the heart of the campground area in the park. Hundreds of trees were blown down by the strong winds, damaging trucks, cars, tents, and campers. A 20-year old male was killed by a falling tree, and a 40-year old man received a broken arm when he was struck by a tree. Several campers were destroyed and 2 vehicles crushed. An estimated 2,000 visitors were in the camp for the weekend.
- Jun 16, 2004Flash Flood$50,000
National Weather Service narrative
Thunderstorms with torrential rains caused Flash Flooding in southern Cambria County, mainly in the Johnstown area. Along with 50 basements being flooded, extensive flooding of roads was reported. Many smaller streams and creeks in the Johnstown area were out of their banks. Area hospitals were considering evacuations because of the flooding. The county and the city of Johnstown Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) were activated.
- Oct 20, 2016Thunderstorm Wind$40,000
National Weather Service narrative
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 80 mph damaged a couple of barns, blew the top off of a silo and damaged or uprooted several trees on a farm north of Ebensburg.
- Mar 4, 2023High Wind, Cambria$40,000
National Weather Service narrative
Northwesterly winds occasionally gusting to near 60 mph occurred for several hours in Cambria County, and an RWIS mesonet site on US Route 22 near Cresson recorded a wind gust to 58 mph. As a result, there were numerous reports of trees and wires down across the county. A section of Route 756 in Richland Township was closed due to downed trees and wires, as was a section of Route 160 in Adams Township.
- Apr 29, 2025Thunderstorm Wind$30,000
National Weather Service narrative
A line of severe thunderstorms producing wind gusts estimated at 70 mph caused a bran to collapse on the 800 block of Munster Road in Portage Township. Animals were trapped inside of the collapsed barn.
- Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.
Weather records
From Ebensburg Sewage Plt, 5.5 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1964.
- All-time high
- 99°FJul 3, 1966
- All-time low
- −28°FJan 21, 1994
- Warmest night
- 75°FJun 25, 2000
- Coldest day
- −6°FJan 21, 1985
- Wettest day
- 4.63 inJul 20, 1977
- Snowiest day
- 24.0 inDec 11, 1992
- Hottest year
- 1991mean 50.6°F
- Coldest year
- 2014mean 45.0°F
- Wettest year
- 201869.97 in
- Driest year
- 200135.84 in
- Snowiest season
- 186.1 in1977-78
Median first snow
November 11
Earliest: September 30, 1993
Median last snow
April 10
Latest: May 20, 1976
0 of 56 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Ebensburg Sewage Plt (USC00362470), 1,940 ft elevation, 5.5 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1964 to October 12, 2026; 98.4% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.
NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.
Federal disaster declarations
18 since 1953. The most recent: Tropical Storm Debby, September 11, 2024.
| Sep 11, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4815-PA |
| Mar 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506-PA |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441-PA |
| Oct 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356-PA |
| Sep 8, 2011 | Flood | EM-3340-PA |
| Apr 16, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1898-PA |
| Sep 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3235-PA |
| Sep 19, 2004 | Hurricane | DR-1557-PA |
| Sep 19, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1555-PA |
| Mar 14, 2003 | Severe Storm | EM-3180-PA |
| Jul 26, 1996 | Flood | DR-1130-PA |
| Jan 21, 1996 | Flood | DR-1093-PA |
| Jan 13, 1996 | Snowstorm | DR-1085-PA |
| Mar 10, 1994 | Severe Storm | DR-1015-PA |
| Mar 16, 1993 | Snowstorm | EM-3105-PA |
| Jul 21, 1977 | Flood | DR-537-PA |
| Jan 29, 1977 | Snowstorm | EM-3026-PA |
| Jun 23, 1972 | Flood | DR-340-PA |
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).
OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.
How this compares
Where Cambria County stands among 67 counties in Pennsylvania and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 22 | 14 / 67 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 0 | — |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 6 | 39 / 67 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 0 | — |
| Flood insurance claims | 802 | 32 / 67 |
| Flood insurance paid | $3.2 million | 49 / 67 |
| Disaster declarations | 18 | 33 / 67 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 51 | 48 / 67 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 361 | 33 / 67 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 122 | 21 / 67 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $1.8 million | 55 / 67 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 4 | 40 / 67 |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 112 | 5 / 67 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 13.6 | 44 / 67 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 0 | — |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Bedford County | 13 | 8 |
| Blair County | 4 | 6 |
| Clearfield County | 8 | 4 |
| Indiana County | 20 | 5 |
| Somerset County | 16 | 6 |
| Westmoreland County | 50 | 2 |
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
- Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
- Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
- Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
- Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
- Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USC00362470.
- River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
- Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
- Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.
Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.