NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Lebanon, 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
22 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Lebanon, Pennsylvania since 1851, 2 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ida in 2021. Since 1950, 73 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 2
- Tropical storms
- 20
- Tornadoes
- 73
- EF3 or stronger
- 3
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
1 deaths in all
What the records show for Lebanon
The strongest storm to pass near Lebanon was an unnamed storm in 1878, a Category 1 hurricane with 86 mph winds when its centre passed 9 miles away. The record near Lebanon begins with an unnamed storm in 1878; the most recent system was Ida in 2021, a tropical storm 50 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1950s, with 4 systems, one of them at hurricane strength. Of the 22 systems, 4 have come since 2000. Lebanon has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 54% of the 794 Pennsylvania cities on this site. The highest rating among the 73 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 3 times; the most recent, on July 14, 2004, came within 9 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on June 18, 1970, killed 1 person. Of the 73, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 28 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 15. The most recent tornado was on May 4, 2025. Lebanon has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 72% of the 794 Pennsylvania cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 57 times since 1956, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Lebanon has more hail reports within 10 miles than 52% of the 794 Pennsylvania cities.
Compare Lebanon's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Lebanon
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | IdaSep 1 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2012 | SandyOct 30 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2006 | ErnestoSep 3 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1992 | DanielleSep 26 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1979 | DavidSep 6 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 18 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1955 | ConnieAug 13 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1954 | HazelOct 16 | 42 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1943 | Unnamed 1943 stormOct 1 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 19 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormAug 24 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 3 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 4 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 16 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 21 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 14 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 9 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Lebanon: 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 Lebanon
By decade
- 2020s7
- 2010s11
- 2000s10(1 EF3+)
- 1990s16
- 1980s2
- 1970s11(1 EF3+)
- 1960s6
- 1950s10(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 18, 1970 | F3 | 8 mi | 1.9 mi | 1 / 5 |
| Jul 14, 2004 | F3 | 9 mi | 7.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 4, 1950 | F3 | 19 mi | 15.9 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 28, 2011 | EF2 | 9 mi | 1.07 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 29, 1995 | F2 | 23 mi | 2.5 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jul 17, 1992 | F2 | 5 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 6, 1991 | F2 | 22 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Jun 15, 1989 | F2 | 23 mi | 16 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Apr 5, 1977 | F2 | 22 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Oct 11, 1975 | F2 | 5 mi | 17.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 2, 1970 | F2 | 17 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 26, 1970 | F2 | 19 mi | 2.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 73, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Lebanon
The Storm Prediction Center has 57 hail reports within 10 miles of Lebanon since 1956, made on 40 separate days. Of these, 29 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on June 10, 1956. The most recent report is from May 6, 2025. June has the most reports, 18.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Lebanon
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Lebanon 2 W, PA, 2 miles west of Lebanon at 450 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 84°F and low of 64°F; January is the coolest, at 37°F and 22°F. July is the wettest at 4.9 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.6 inches; the year adds up to 46.5 inches over 81 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 56% of the year's precipitation (25.9 of 46.5 inches); the other six months are drier. August has brought the most of the 22 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (8); a normal August there has highs of 82°F and 4.6 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 13 days a year, almost all from June to August. Lows fall below freezing on about 120 nights a year. Snowfall averages 24.0 inches a year, most of it in February. That 46.5 inches is more than at 95 of the 148 Pennsylvania stations used on this site (64%). Manheim, 12 miles south, has its own station (Landisville 2 NW, PA): 45.1 inches a year, 1.4 less than here, and a July average high of 85°F against 84°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37 | 22 | 3.1 | 6 | 6.8 |
| Feb | 40 | 23 | 2.6 | 6 | 7.8 |
| Mar | 49 | 31 | 3.6 | 7 | 4.2 |
| Apr | 62 | 40 | 3.7 | 7 | 0.4 |
| May | 72 | 51 | 4.0 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 80 | 60 | 4.5 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 84 | 64 | 4.9 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 82 | 63 | 4.6 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 76 | 55 | 4.6 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 64 | 44 | 4.1 | 7 | 0.3 |
| Nov | 52 | 34 | 3.2 | 6 | 0.5 |
| Dec | 42 | 27 | 3.6 | 7 | 4.0 |
| Year | 62 | 43 | 46.5 | 81 | 24.0 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Lebanon 2 W, PA (450 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 Lebanon
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 254 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Lebanon: 228 thunderstorm wind reports, 20 flash floods, 5 floods and 1 heavy rain event. They killed 0 people and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $957,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 115 mph, on June 27, 2002. June has had the most flash floods, 10 of 20. Of the 788 Pennsylvania cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 334 have had fewer than Lebanon.
December 3, 2009: thunderstorm wind 3 miles from the centre of Lebanon — 1 injured.
NWS: “Thunderstorm winds estimated near 70 mph toppled a large tree onto a home on North Mine Road just east of Lebanon. One person was seriously injured as the tree crashed through the roof of the home.”
June 27, 2002: thunderstorm wind 8 miles from the centre of Lebanon — $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 Lebanon's 2 ZIP codes have filed 562 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $5.0 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Not a named storm in 1979: 223 claims (40% of all) and $513,000, then Tropical Storm Lee in 2011 with 117 and Tropical Storm Ivan in 2004 with 15. 66% 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, 532 have fewer than Lebanon.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Not a named storm1979 | 223 | $513,000 |
| Tropical Storm Lee2011 | 117 | $3.6 million |
| Tropical Storm Ivan2004 | 15 | $150,000 |
Lebanon County, which includes Lebanon, has been named in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 13 of them major disasters (by incident: 6 floods, 4 severe storms, 4 snowstorms, 3 hurricanes). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on March 30, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Lebanon County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for strong wind and lightning; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, tornadoes and inland flooding; Relatively Low for hail and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $43.2 million a year, the 22nd highest of 67 Pennsylvania counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $26.7 million (62%), 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.