NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Dayton, 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
11 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Dayton, Pennsylvania since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Sandy in 2012. Since 1950, 37 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 11
- Tornadoes
- 37
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
2 deaths in all
What the records show for Dayton
None of the 11 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Dayton; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1893, a tropical storm with 71 mph winds when its centre passed 73 miles away. The record near Dayton begins with an unnamed storm in 1876; the most recent system was Sandy in 2012, a tropical storm 23 miles away. The 1870s and the 1890s were the busiest decades, with 2 systems each. Of the 11 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities on this site, 70% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Dayton. The strongest of the 37 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on June 3, 1980; its path came within 24 miles. The deadliest, an F1 on July 23, 1978, killed 1 person. Of the 37, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 15 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 13. The most recent tornado was on June 9, 2025. Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities, 85% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Dayton. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 41 times since 1993, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities, 60% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Dayton.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Dayton
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | SandyOct 30 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2003 | IsabelSep 19 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1955 | ConnieAug 13 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 20 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormOct 1 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 29 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 30 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 14 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 21 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 13 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormSep 18 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Dayton: 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 Dayton
By decade
- 2020s3
- 2010s9
- 2000s3
- 1990s6
- 1980s8(1 EF3+)
- 1970s5
- 1960s1
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 3, 1980 | F4 | 24 mi | 11.8 mi | 0 / 140 |
| Jul 11, 1976 | F2 | 19 mi | 28.7 mi | 1 / 7 |
| Mar 31, 2022 | EF2 | 3 mi | 8.55 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 2, 2018 | EF2 | 19 mi | 4.09 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 28, 2002 | F2 | 18 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jul 19, 1996 | F2 | 16 mi | 27.4 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Jul 19, 1996 | F2 | 11 mi | 10 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 23, 1986 | F2 | 12 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jul 26, 1981 | F2 | 21 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 3, 1980 | F2 | 25 mi | 4.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 23, 1966 | F2 | 15 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 27, 1951 | F2 | 3 mi | 19.7 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 37, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Dayton
The Storm Prediction Center has 41 hail reports within 10 miles of Dayton since 1993, made on 16 separate days. Of these, 34 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on July 18, 2013. The most recent report is from May 2, 2025. July has the most reports, 26.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Dayton
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Putneyville 2 SE Dam, PA, 4 miles northwest of Dayton at 1,280 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 82°F and low of 58°F; January is the coolest, at 35°F and 17°F. June is the wettest at 4.8 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.9 inches; the year adds up to 45.9 inches over 96 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 53% of the year's precipitation (24.3 of 45.9 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 11 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (5); a normal September there has highs of 74°F and 4.1 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 7 days a year, almost all from July to August. Lows fall below freezing on about 152 nights a year. Snowfall averages 34.5 inches a year, most of it in January. That 45.9 inches is more than at 89 of the 148 Pennsylvania stations used on this site (60%). Marion Center, 13 miles southeast, has its own station (Indiana 3 SE, PA): 47.8 inches a year, 1.9 more than here, and a July average high of 83°F against 82°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35 | 17 | 3.4 | 9 | 12.4 |
| Feb | 38 | 18 | 2.9 | 7 | 5.1 |
| Mar | 47 | 24 | 3.6 | 8 | 5.9 |
| Apr | 61 | 35 | 4.1 | 9 | 0.3 |
| May | 71 | 45 | 4.1 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 78 | 54 | 4.8 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 82 | 58 | 4.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 81 | 57 | 3.8 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 74 | 50 | 4.1 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 62 | 39 | 3.3 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 50 | 30 | 3.6 | 8 | 1.7 |
| Dec | 39 | 23 | 3.5 | 8 | 9.1 |
| Year | 60 | 38 | 45.9 | 96 | 34.5 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Putneyville 2 SE Dam, PA (1,280 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 Dayton
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 94 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Dayton: 84 thunderstorm wind reports, 6 flash floods and 4 floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $545,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 70 mph, on June 11, 2015. Of the 788 Pennsylvania cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 92 have had fewer than Dayton.
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
Armstrong County, which includes Dayton, has been named in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 12 of them major disasters (by incident: 5 floods, 3 hurricanes, 3 severe storms, 3 snowstorms). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on March 30, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Armstrong County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for inland flooding and lightning; Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail and strong wind; Very Low for hurricanes and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $27.8 million a year, the 32nd highest of 67 Pennsylvania counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $25.7 million (93%), 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 Dayton
- New Bethlehem, PA11 mi
- Marion Center, PA13 mi
- Kittanning, PA14 mi
- Punxsutawney, PA15 mi
- Shelocta, PA16 mi
- Ford City, PA17 mi
- Indiana, PA18 mi
- Rimersburg, PA18 mi
- Clymer, PA19 mi
- East Brady, PA21 mi
- Worthington, PA22 mi
- Brookville, PA22 mi
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