NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Freeland, 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
14 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Freeland, Pennsylvania since 1851, 1 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Isaias in 2020. Since 1950, 45 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 1
- Tropical storms
- 13
- Tornadoes
- 45
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Freeland
The strongest storm to pass near Freeland was an unnamed storm in 1878, a Category 1 hurricane with 83 mph winds when its centre passed 7 miles away. The record near Freeland begins with an unnamed storm in 1878; the most recent system was Isaias in 2020, a tropical storm 42 miles away. Of the 14 systems, one has come since 2000. Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities on this site, 45% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Freeland. The strongest of the 45 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F3 on July 26, 1981; its path came within 24 miles. Of the 45, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 17 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 14. The most recent tornado was on May 27, 2024. Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities, 71% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Freeland. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 27 times since 1971, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities, 75% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Freeland.
Compare Freeland's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Freeland
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 6 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 19 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormAug 24 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 3 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 4 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 17 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 22 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 14 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 7 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 Freeland: 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 Freeland
By decade
- 2020s3
- 2010s12
- 2000s2
- 1990s8
- 1980s10(1 EF3+)
- 1970s4
- 1960s5
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 26, 1981 | F3 | 24 mi | 3.3 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jun 13, 2018 | EF2 | 15 mi | 2.9 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Feb 25, 2017 | EF2 | 18 mi | 12.52 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 1, 2006 | F2 | 8 mi | 20 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Nov 8, 1996 | F2 | 24 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jul 15, 1992 | F2 | 11 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jul 6, 1984 | F2 | 23 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 12 |
| Jul 26, 1981 | F2 | 21 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 29, 1981 | F2 | 21 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 10, 1968 | F2 | 5 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 4, 1960 | F2 | 23 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 27, 2024 | EF1 | 18 mi | 1.53 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 45, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Freeland
The Storm Prediction Center has 27 hail reports within 10 miles of Freeland since 1971, made on 17 separate days. Of these, 14 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.5 inches (tennis ball size), fell on August 17, 2007. The most recent report is from June 26, 2024. August has the most reports, 11.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Freeland
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Mahanoy City 2 N, PA, 18 miles southwest of Freeland at 1,710 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 80°F and low of 61°F; January is the coolest, at 33°F and 18°F. July and September are the wettest at 5.2 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.0 inches; the year adds up to 53.7 inches over 96 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 54% of the year's precipitation (29.2 of 53.7 inches); the other six months are drier. August has brought the most of the 14 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (7); a normal August there has highs of 78°F and 4.7 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 2 days a year, almost all from July. Lows fall below freezing on about 139 nights a year. Snowfall averages 48.0 inches a year, most of it in February. That 53.7 inches is more than at 145 of the 148 Pennsylvania stations used on this site (98%). Mountain Top, 8 miles north, has its own station (Wilkes-Barre International Airport, PA): 39.0 inches a year, 14.7 less than here, and a July average high of 85°F against 80°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33 | 18 | 3.9 | 8 | 12.3 |
| Feb | 35 | 18 | 3.0 | 7 | 12.7 |
| Mar | 44 | 25 | 4.2 | 8 | 9.2 |
| Apr | 57 | 37 | 4.4 | 9 | 2.1 |
| May | 67 | 47 | 4.7 | 10 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 76 | 56 | 5.1 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 80 | 61 | 5.2 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 78 | 58 | 4.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 72 | 52 | 5.2 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 60 | 41 | 4.9 | 8 | 0.5 |
| Nov | 48 | 31 | 4.1 | 7 | 2.2 |
| Dec | 37 | 23 | 4.3 | 8 | 9.0 |
| Year | 57 | 39 | 53.7 | 96 | 48.0 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Mahanoy City 2 N, PA (1,710 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 Freeland
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 78 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Freeland: 56 thunderstorm wind reports, 17 flash floods, 3 heavy rain events and 2 floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $756,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 70 mph, on March 20, 2020. September has had the most flash floods, 6 of 17. Of the 788 Pennsylvania cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 301 have had fewer than Freeland.
July 21, 1998: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Freeland — $400,000 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
Luzerne County, which includes Freeland, has been named in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 16 of them major disasters (by incident: 7 hurricanes, 6 floods, 5 severe storms, 3 snowstorms). The latest major disaster declaration was Remnants of Hurricane Ida, on September 10, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Luzerne County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for inland flooding and lightning; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, tornadoes, strong wind and heat waves; Relatively Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $88.0 million a year, the 13th highest of 67 Pennsylvania counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $63.8 million (73%), 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 Freeland
- Drums, PA5 mi
- Hazle Township, PA6 mi
- Hazleton, PA6 mi
- Weatherly, PA6 mi
- Mountain Top, PA8 mi
- White Haven, PA9 mi
- Mcadoo, PA10 mi
- Wapwallopen, PA10 mi
- Sugarloaf, PA10 mi
- Nesquehoning, PA11 mi
- Jim Thorpe, PA13 mi
- Lansford, PA13 mi
All Pennsylvania cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Freeland with another place →