NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Berwick, PA
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
16 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Berwick, Pennsylvania since 1851, 2 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Isaias in 2020. Since 1950, 42 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 2
- Tropical storms
- 14
- Tornadoes
- 42
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Berwick
The strongest storm to pass near Berwick was an unnamed storm in 1878, a Category 1 hurricane with 83 mph winds when its centre passed 24 miles away. The record near Berwick begins with an unnamed storm in 1878; the most recent system was Isaias in 2020, a tropical storm 60 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1950s, with 4 systems, one of them at hurricane strength. Of the 16 systems, one has come since 2000. Berwick has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 54% of the 794 Pennsylvania cities on this site. The highest rating among the 42 tornadoes within 25 miles is F2 or EF2, reached 8 times; the most recent, on April 14, 2019, came within 12 miles. Of the 42, 5 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 16 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 11. The most recent tornado was on May 27, 2024. Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities, 76% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Berwick. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 18 times since 1994, with stones up to 1 inch (quarter size). Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities, 88% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Berwick.
Compare Berwick's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Berwick
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 6 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 19 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1955 | ConnieAug 13 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1954 | HazelOct 16 | 63 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | overhead | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormAug 24 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 3 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 4 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 17 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 22 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 14 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 24 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Berwick: 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 Berwick
By decade
- 2020s3
- 2010s7
- 2000s6
- 1990s7
- 1980s9
- 1970s4
- 1960s4
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 14, 2019 | EF2 | 12 mi | 3.69 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 13, 2018 | EF2 | 24 mi | 2.9 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Dec 1, 2006 | F2 | 9 mi | 20 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Jul 15, 1992 | F2 | 18 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jul 6, 1984 | F2 | 16 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 12 |
| Apr 17, 1982 | F2 | 12 mi | 4 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jul 26, 1981 | F2 | 13 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 10, 1968 | F2 | 16 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 27, 2024 | EF1 | 18 mi | 1.53 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 12, 2023 | EF1 | 5 mi | 3.25 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 31, 2022 | EF1 | 22 mi | 9.14 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jun 30, 2015 | EF1 | 22 mi | 1.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 42, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Berwick
The Storm Prediction Center has 18 hail reports within 10 miles of Berwick since 1994, made on 13 separate days. Of these, 6 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1 inch (quarter size), was reported on 5 days, most recently June 26, 2024. The most recent report is from June 26, 2024. July and September have the most reports, 6 each.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Berwick
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Benton 3 NE, PA, 13 miles north of Berwick at 1,095 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 80°F and low of 58°F; January is the coolest, at 33°F and 16°F. September is the wettest at 4.9 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.6 inches; the year adds up to 48.6 inches over 85 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 55% of the year's precipitation (26.7 of 48.6 inches); the other six months are drier. August has brought the most of the 16 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (8); a normal August there has highs of 78°F and 4.5 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 4 days a year, almost all from July to August. Lows fall below freezing on about 145 nights a year. Snowfall averages 46.0 inches a year, most of it in February. That 48.6 inches is more than at 120 of the 148 Pennsylvania stations used on this site (81%). Nescopeck, 3 miles southeast, has its own station (Mahanoy City 2 N, PA): 53.7 inches a year, 5.1 more than here, and the same July average high, 80°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33 | 16 | 3.2 | 6 | 12.3 |
| Feb | 36 | 18 | 2.6 | 5 | 12.9 |
| Mar | 44 | 25 | 3.4 | 7 | 8.6 |
| Apr | 58 | 35 | 4.4 | 7 | 1.4 |
| May | 69 | 46 | 4.7 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 76 | 55 | 4.6 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 80 | 58 | 4.5 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 78 | 57 | 4.5 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 72 | 50 | 4.9 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 60 | 39 | 4.8 | 8 | 0.6 |
| Nov | 48 | 31 | 3.4 | 5 | 2.2 |
| Dec | 38 | 22 | 3.6 | 7 | 8.0 |
| Year | 58 | 38 | 48.6 | 85 | 46.0 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Benton 3 NE, PA (1,095 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 Berwick
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 122 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Berwick: 112 thunderstorm wind reports, 7 flash floods and 3 floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $2.0 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 100 mph, on June 26, 2024. August has had the most flash floods, 3 of 7. Of the 788 Pennsylvania cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 112 have had fewer than Berwick.
September 7, 2011: flash flood 2 miles from the centre of Berwick — $1.0 million damage.
June 30, 1998: thunderstorm wind 5 miles from the centre of Berwick — $150,000 damage.
July 18, 1997: thunderstorm wind 2 miles from the centre of Berwick — $125,000 damage.
NWS: “A severe thunderstorm crossed into southern sections of the county. Numerous treees and wires were downed along the storm's path.”
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 Berwick's ZIP code 18603 have filed 119 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $1.6 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Tropical Storm Lee in 2011: 26 claims (22% of all) and $813,000, then Flooding in 1996 with 15. 43% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 553 Pennsylvania cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 402 have fewer than Berwick.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Lee2011 | 26 | $813,000 |
| Flooding1996 | 15 | $122,000 |
Columbia County, which includes Berwick, has been named in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 14 of them major disasters (by incident: 7 floods, 6 severe storms, 3 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on March 30, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Columbia County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for inland flooding, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Low for hurricanes, tornadoes and heat waves; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $24.4 million a year, the 38th highest of 67 Pennsylvania counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $19.8 million (81%), 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 Berwick
- Nescopeck, PA3 mi
- Orangeville, PA9 mi
- Shickshinny, PA9 mi
- Sugarloaf, PA9 mi
- Wapwallopen, PA10 mi
- Bloomsburg, PA10 mi
- Drums, PA14 mi
- Ringtown, PA14 mi
- Catawissa, PA14 mi
- Benton, PA14 mi
- Hazle Township, PA15 mi
- Millville, PA15 mi
All Pennsylvania cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Berwick with another place →