NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Manchester, 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
25 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Manchester, Pennsylvania since 1851, 2 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ida in 2021. Since 1950, 84 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 2
- Tropical storms
- 23
- Tornadoes
- 84
- EF3 or stronger
- 3
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Manchester
The strongest storm to pass near Manchester was an unnamed storm in 1878, a Category 1 hurricane with 87 mph winds when its centre passed 14 miles away. The record near Manchester begins with an unnamed storm in 1876; the most recent system was Ida in 2021, a tropical storm 62 miles away. The 1890s and the 1950s were the busiest decades, with 4 systems each. Of the 25 systems, 4 have come since 2000. Manchester has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 54% of the 794 Pennsylvania cities on this site. The highest rating among the 84 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 3 times; the most recent, on July 14, 2004, came within 17 miles. Of the 84, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 35 have come since 2000. June and August have had the most tornadoes, 15 each. The most recent tornado was on August 9, 2024. Manchester has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 86% of the 794 Pennsylvania cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 94 times since 1955, with stones up to 4 inches (softball size). Manchester has more hail reports within 10 miles than 84% of the 794 Pennsylvania cities.
Compare Manchester's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Manchester
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | IdaSep 2 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2012 | SandyOct 30 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2006 | ErnestoSep 3 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1992 | DanielleSep 26 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1979 | DavidSep 6 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 18 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1955 | ConnieAug 13 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1954 | HazelOct 15 | 26 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1943 | Unnamed 1943 stormOct 1 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 19 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormAug 24 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 3 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 20 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 4 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 23 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 14 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 21 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 13 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 14 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormSep 18 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Manchester: 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 Manchester
By decade
- 2020s6
- 2010s14
- 2000s15(1 EF3+)
- 1990s20
- 1980s5(1 EF3+)
- 1970s11
- 1960s6
- 1950s7(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 14, 2004 | F3 | 17 mi | 7.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 7, 1980 | F3 | 18 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 5, 1952 | F3 | 8 mi | 17.5 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Apr 28, 2011 | EF2 | 25 mi | 1.07 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 28, 2011 | EF2 | 11 mi | 2.62 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 24, 2001 | F2 | 21 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 29, 1995 | F2 | 17 mi | 2.5 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Oct 9, 1992 | F2 | 13 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 6, 1991 | F2 | 3 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Jun 8, 1990 | F2 | 19 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jun 15, 1989 | F2 | 7 mi | 16 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Jul 31, 1985 | F2 | 9 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 2 |
The strongest 12 of 84, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Manchester
The Storm Prediction Center has 94 hail reports within 10 miles of Manchester since 1955, made on 60 separate days. Of these, 46 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest, 4 inches (softball size), fell on April 9, 1980. The most recent report is from September 21, 2024. June has the most reports, 25.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Manchester
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Middletown Harrisburg International Airport, PA, 9 miles north of Manchester at 312 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 87°F and low of 68°F; January is the coolest, at 39°F and 23°F. September is the wettest at 4.8 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.6 inches; the year adds up to 44.2 inches over 78 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 55% of the year's precipitation (24.1 of 44.2 inches); the other six months are drier. Highs reach 90°F on about 22 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 101 nights a year. Snowfall averages 29.9 inches a year, most of it in February. That 44.2 inches is more than at 69 of the 148 Pennsylvania stations used on this site (47%). York, 7 miles south, has its own station (York 3 SSW Pump Stn, PA): 46.4 inches a year, 2.2 more than here, and a July average high of 88°F against 87°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39 | 23 | 3.0 | 6 | 9.1 |
| Feb | 42 | 25 | 2.6 | 6 | 9.4 |
| Mar | 51 | 32 | 3.7 | 7 | 5.6 |
| Apr | 64 | 43 | 3.6 | 7 | 0.4 |
| May | 74 | 53 | 3.8 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 82 | 63 | 4.0 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 87 | 68 | 4.7 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 85 | 66 | 3.8 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 78 | 58 | 4.8 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 66 | 46 | 3.8 | 6 | 0.2 |
| Nov | 54 | 36 | 3.0 | 5 | 0.8 |
| Dec | 43 | 28 | 3.4 | 7 | 4.4 |
| Year | 64 | 45 | 44.2 | 78 | 29.9 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Middletown Harrisburg International Airport, PA (312 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 Manchester
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 299 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Manchester: 240 thunderstorm wind reports, 41 flash floods and 18 floods. They killed 2 people and injured 7, and the NWS estimated $7.0 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 98 mph, on May 31, 1998. July has had the most flash floods, 18 of 41. Of the 788 Pennsylvania cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 484 have had fewer than Manchester.
September 7, 2011: flood 6 miles from the centre of Manchester — 1 killed, $4.7 million damage.
August 10, 1998: thunderstorm wind 8 miles from the centre of Manchester — 1 killed.
July 28, 2021: thunderstorm wind 8 miles from the centre of Manchester — 6 injured, $2,000 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 Manchester's ZIP code 17345 have filed 100 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $1.1 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Tropical Storm Lee in 2011: 25 claims (25% of all) and $369,000, then Flooding in 1996 with 10. 56% 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, 380 have fewer than Manchester.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Lee2011 | 25 | $369,000 |
| Flooding1996 | 10 | $68,000 |
York County, which includes Manchester, has been named in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 14 of them major disasters (by incident: 6 floods, 5 hurricanes, 4 snowstorms, 3 severe storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Remnants of Hurricane Ida, on September 10, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives York County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for inland flooding, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes and heat waves; Relatively Low for tornadoes; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $106.0 million a year, the 10th highest of 67 Pennsylvania counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $69.0 million (65%), 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.