NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Clifford Township, 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
12 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Clifford Township, Pennsylvania since 1851, 1 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Isaias in 2020. Since 1950, 36 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 1
- Tropical storms
- 11
- Tornadoes
- 36
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
2 deaths in all
What the records show for Clifford Township
The strongest storm to pass near Clifford Township was an unnamed storm in 1878, a Category 1 hurricane with 81 mph winds when its centre passed 16 miles away. The record near Clifford Township begins with an unnamed storm in 1878; the most recent system was Isaias in 2020, a tropical storm 45 miles away. The 1890s and the 1970s were the busiest decades, with 2 systems each. Of the 12 systems, one has come since 2000. Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities on this site, 45% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Clifford Township. The highest rating among the 36 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on June 2, 1998, came within 17 miles. Of the 36, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 27 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 13. The most recent tornado was on May 27, 2024. Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities, 87% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Clifford Township. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 28 times since 1992, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities, 74% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Clifford Township.
Compare Clifford Township's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Clifford Township
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 6 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 23 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormAug 24 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 3 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 17 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 22 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 16 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Clifford Township: 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 Clifford Township
By decade
- 2020s5
- 2010s17
- 2000s5
- 1990s8(2 EF3+)
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2, 1998 | F3 | 17 mi | 26 mi | 2 / 15 |
| May 31, 1998 | F3 | 24 mi | 62 mi | 0 / 12 |
| Feb 25, 2017 | EF2 | 23 mi | 12.52 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 23, 2010 | EF2 | 10 mi | 25.72 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 18, 1991 | F2 | 4 mi | 4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 17, 1954 | F2 | 7 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 27, 2024 | EF1 | 19 mi | 0.4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 7, 2023 | EF1 | 19 mi | 1.96 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 7, 2023 | EF1 | 18 mi | 1.41 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 28, 2019 | EF1 | 22 mi | 0.79 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 14, 2019 | EF1 | 7 mi | 2.35 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 15, 2018 | EF1 | 13 mi | 0.22 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 36, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Clifford Township
The Storm Prediction Center has 28 hail reports within 10 miles of Clifford Township since 1992, made on 19 separate days. Of these, 20 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on May 15, 2018. The most recent report is from April 30, 2024. June has the most reports, 8.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Clifford Township
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Pleasant Mt 1 W, PA, 5 miles east of Clifford Township at 1,800 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 77°F and low of 56°F; January is the coolest, at 29°F and 12°F. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 55% of the year's precipitation (28.3 of 51.5 inches); the other six months are drier. August has brought the most of the 12 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (5); a normal August there has highs of 76°F and 4.5 inches of precipitation. Highs of 90°F are rare: fewer than one day a year on average. Lows fall below freezing on about 169 nights a year. Snowfall averages 69.2 inches a year, most of it in February. That 51.5 inches is more than at 140 of the 148 Pennsylvania stations used on this site (95%). Nicholson, 12 miles southwest, has its own station (Montrose, PA): 46.7 inches a year, 4.8 less than here, and a July average high of 80°F against 77°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29 | 12 | 3.5 | 8 | 17.3 |
| Feb | 32 | 13 | 3.0 | 7 | 17.7 |
| Mar | 40 | 20 | 3.6 | 7 | 13.0 |
| Apr | 53 | 31 | 4.2 | 9 | 1.3 |
| May | 65 | 43 | 4.9 | 10 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 73 | 52 | 5.0 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 77 | 56 | 5.0 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 76 | 55 | 4.5 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 69 | 47 | 5.0 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 57 | 36 | 5.0 | 8 | 0.4 |
| Nov | 45 | 27 | 3.8 | 7 | 4.9 |
| Dec | 34 | 19 | 4.0 | 8 | 14.6 |
| Year | 54 | 34 | 51.5 | 97 | 69.2 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Pleasant Mt 1 W, PA (1,800 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 Clifford Township
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 98 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Clifford Township: 75 thunderstorm wind reports, 21 flash floods and 2 lightning strikes. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $1.1 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 86 mph, on November 25, 2004. August has had the most flash floods, 10 of 21. Of the 788 Pennsylvania cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 347 have had fewer than Clifford Township.
November 25, 2004: thunderstorm wind 10 miles from the centre of Clifford Township — $200,000 damage.
August 9, 2024: flash flood 10 miles from the centre of Clifford Township — $150,000 damage.
June 28, 2013: flash flood 8 miles from the centre of Clifford Township — $100,000 damage.
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
Susquehanna County, which includes Clifford Township, has been named in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 19 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 severe storms, 6 floods, 5 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Tropical Storm Debby, on September 11, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Susquehanna County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Low for hurricanes, tornadoes, inland flooding, strong wind and lightning; Very Low for hail and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $17.9 million a year, the 48th highest of 67 Pennsylvania counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $13.9 million (77%), 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 Clifford Township
- Forest City, PA6 mi
- Carbondale, PA10 mi
- Nicholson, PA12 mi
- Jermyn, PA12 mi
- Waymart, PA12 mi
- New Milford, PA13 mi
- Susquehanna, PA15 mi
- Eynon, PA16 mi
- Dalton, PA16 mi
- Factoryville, PA17 mi
- Peckville, PA17 mi
- Honesdale, PA17 mi
All Pennsylvania cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Clifford Township with another place →