NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Laurel, DE
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
56 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Laurel, Delaware since 1851, 8 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Elsa in 2021. Since 1950, 49 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 8
- Tropical storms
- 48
- Tornadoes
- 49
- 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 Laurel
The strongest storm to pass near Laurel was an unnamed storm in 1879, a Category 2 hurricane with 99 mph winds when its centre passed 57 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1924, whose centre came within 18 miles. The record near Laurel begins with an unnamed storm in 1856; the most recent system was Elsa in 2021, a tropical storm 9 miles away. The 1880s and the 1900s were the busiest decades, with 6 systems each. Of the 56 systems, 11 have come since 2000. Laurel has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 67% of the 37 Delaware cities on this site. The highest rating among the 49 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on April 1, 2023, came within 15 miles. Of the 49, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 22 have come since 2000. August has had the most tornadoes, 12. The most recent tornado was on June 30, 2025. Laurel has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 51% of the 37 Delaware cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 19 times since 1993, with stones up to 2.25 inches. Laurel has more hail reports within 10 miles than 67% of the 37 Delaware cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Laurel
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ElsaJul 9 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | FayJul 10 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 8 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2011 | IreneAug 28 | 39 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2008 | HannaSep 6 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2006 | ErnestoSep 2 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 29 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | GastonAug 31 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 15 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1999 | FloydSep 16 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 13 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1992 | DanielleSep 26 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1986 | CharleyAug 18 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | GloriaSep 27 | 58 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1983 | DeanSep 30 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 28 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1963 | Unnamed 1963 stormJun 3 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 15 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 12 | 71 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 30 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | CindyJul 10 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1955 | ConnieAug 13 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1953 | BarbaraAug 14 | 74 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 21 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormAug 3 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1943 | Unnamed 1943 stormOct 1 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 2 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 12 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 18 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 17 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 30 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 15 | overhead | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 16 | 49 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 12 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 16 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 14 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 10 | 43 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 23 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 25 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 11 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 2 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 23 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormSep 10 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormAug 18 | 57 mi | Category 2 (99 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 4 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 29 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 26 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1866 | Unnamed 1866 stormOct 30 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 19 | overhead | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 27 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 17 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 20 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Laurel: 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 Laurel
By decade
- 2020s11(1 EF3+)
- 2010s6
- 2000s5(1 EF3+)
- 1990s14
- 1980s4
- 1970s3
- 1960s3
- 1950s3
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1, 2023 | EF3 | 15 mi | 14.3 mi | 1 / 0 |
| Apr 28, 2002 | F3 | 20 mi | 18 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 4, 2020 | EF2 | 13 mi | 1.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 15, 2019 | EF2 | 2 mi | 6.2 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jul 18, 1984 | F2 | 17 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 8, 1984 | F1 | 11 mi | 18 mi | 1 / 14 |
| May 16, 2025 | EF1 | 4 mi | 11.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 1, 2021 | EF1 | 24 mi | 3.85 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 4, 2020 | EF1 | 24 mi | 2.14 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 15, 2019 | EF1 | 20 mi | 6.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 7, 2017 | EF1 | 13 mi | 1.47 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 27, 2011 | EF1 | 25 mi | 0.7 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 49, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Laurel
The Storm Prediction Center has 19 hail reports within 10 miles of Laurel since 1993, made on 15 separate days. Of these, 13 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.25 inches, fell on May 16, 2022. The most recent report is from August 5, 2022. May and August have the most reports, 5 each.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Laurel
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Salisbury, MD, 13 miles south of Laurel at 10 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 70°F; January is the coolest, at 47°F and 29°F. August is the wettest at 5.3 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.2 inches; the year adds up to 48.0 inches over 77 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 54% of the year's precipitation (26.0 of 48.0 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 56 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (21); a normal September there has highs of 81°F and 4.3 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 31 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 71 nights a year. That 48.0 inches is more than at 9 of the 11 Delaware stations used on this site (82%). Seaford, 7 miles northwest, has its own station (Greenwood 2NE, DE): 46.3 inches a year, 1.7 less than here, and a July average high of 87°F against 89°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47 | 29 | 3.6 | 7 |
| Feb | 50 | 30 | 3.2 | 6 |
| Mar | 58 | 37 | 4.2 | 7 |
| Apr | 69 | 46 | 3.6 | 7 |
| May | 77 | 55 | 3.7 | 6 |
| Jun | 85 | 65 | 4.3 | 7 |
| Jul | 89 | 70 | 4.8 | 7 |
| Aug | 86 | 68 | 5.3 | 7 |
| Sep | 81 | 62 | 4.3 | 6 |
| Oct | 71 | 50 | 3.9 | 5 |
| Nov | 60 | 40 | 3.4 | 6 |
| Dec | 52 | 33 | 3.7 | 7 |
| Year | 69 | 49 | 48.0 | 77 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Salisbury, MD (10 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 Laurel
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 151 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Laurel: 85 thunderstorm wind reports, 41 heavy rain events, 14 flash floods, 6 lightning strikes and 5 floods. They killed 0 people and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $974,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 105 mph, on May 16, 2025. June has had the most flash floods, 6 of 14. Of the 37 Delaware cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 17 have had fewer than Laurel.
August 4, 2022: thunderstorm wind 4 miles from the centre of Laurel — 1 injured.
NWS: “A tree fell into a camping trailer at Trap Pond State Park. 1 minor injury was reported.”
August 26, 2012: lightning strike 7 miles from the centre of Laurel — $300,000 damage.
August 28, 2011: flood 10 miles from the centre of Laurel — $250,000 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
Flood insurance policyholders in Laurel's 2 ZIP codes have filed 20 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1980, and were paid $180,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 45% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 24 Delaware cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 3 have fewer than Laurel.
Sussex County, which includes Laurel, has been named in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1965, 14 of them major disasters (by incident: 6 hurricanes, 5 snowstorms, 3 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Winter Storm, on May 29, 2026. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Sussex County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for coastal flooding; Relatively High for hurricanes, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Moderate for inland flooding and heat waves; Relatively Low for tornadoes and hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $119.3 million a year, the 2nd highest of 3 Delaware counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $42.6 million (36%), 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 Laurel
- Delmar, DE6 mi
- Delmar, MD7 mi
- Seaford, DE7 mi
- Mardela Springs, MD12 mi
- Georgetown, DE12 mi
- Hebron, MD12 mi
- Salisbury, MD13 mi
- Bridgeville, DE13 mi
- Parsonsburg, MD14 mi
- Pittsville, MD15 mi
- Fruitland, MD16 mi
- Federalsburg, MD16 mi
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