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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Norristown, 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

33 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Norristown, Pennsylvania since 1851, 2 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ida in 2021. Since 1950, 81 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
2

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
31

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
81

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
3

6 deaths in all

What the records show for Norristown

The strongest storm to pass near Norristown was an unnamed storm in 1878, a Category 1 hurricane with 85 mph winds when its centre passed 47 miles away. The record near Norristown begins with an unnamed storm in 1861; the most recent system was Ida in 2021, a tropical storm 17 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1870s, with 4 systems, one of them at hurricane strength. Of the 33 systems, 7 have come since 2000. Norristown has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 54% of the 794 Pennsylvania cities on this site. The highest rating among the 81 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 3 times; the most recent, on July 29, 2021, came within 19 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on July 27, 1994, killed 3 people. Of the 81, 5 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 22 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 20. The most recent tornado was on July 1, 2025. Norristown has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 84% of the 794 Pennsylvania cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 83 times since 1957, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Norristown has more hail reports within 10 miles than 78% of the 794 Pennsylvania cities.

Compare Norristown's storm record with another city →

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Norristown

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Norristown, Pennsylvania, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2021IdaSep 217 miTropical storm (41 mph)Category 4
2020IsaiasAug 47 miTropical storm (64 mph)Category 1
2020FayJul 1055 miTropical storm (43 mph)Tropical storm
2012SandyOct 3029 miTropical storm (70 mph)Category 3
2011IreneAug 2862 miTropical storm (66 mph)Category 3
2008HannaSep 642 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 1
2006ErnestoSep 373 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1999FloydSep 1672 miTropical storm (62 mph)Category 4
1996BerthaJul 1336 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1992DanielleSep 2647 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1971DoriaAug 2849 miTropical storm (63 mph)Tropical storm
1961Unnamed 1961 stormSep 1573 miTropical storm (61 mph)Tropical storm
1960BrendaJul 3056 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1955DianeAug 1910 miTropical storm (41 mph)Category 2
1952AbleSep 124 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 2
1934Unnamed 1934 stormJun 1920 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1929Unnamed 1929 stormOct 341 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 4
1924Unnamed 1924 stormSep 3051 miTropical storm (70 mph)Category 1
1915Unnamed 1915 stormAug 411 miTropical storm (53 mph)Category 1
1904Unnamed 1904 stormSep 1568 miCategory 1 (76 mph)Category 1
1903Unnamed 1903 stormSep 1621 miTropical storm (64 mph)Category 2
1899Unnamed 1899 stormNov 118 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 2
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 2927 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 3
1888Unnamed 1888 stormSep 1156 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1888Unnamed 1888 stormAug 2251 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3
1882Unnamed 1882 stormSep 2468 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1878Unnamed 1878 stormOct 2347 miCategory 1 (85 mph)Category 2
1877Unnamed 1877 stormOct 560 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1874Unnamed 1874 stormSep 2944 miTropical storm (62 mph)Category 1
1872Unnamed 1872 stormOct 2642 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1866Unnamed 1866 stormOct 3063 miTropical storm (63 mph)Tropical storm
1863Unnamed 1863 stormSep 1936 miTropical storm (53 mph)Tropical storm
1861Unnamed 1861 stormSep 2854 miTropical storm (67 mph)Category 1

Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Norristown: 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 Norristown

By decade

  • 2020s14(1 EF3+)
  • 2010s5
  • 2000s3
  • 1990s26(1 EF3+)
  • 1980s13
  • 1970s5
  • 1960s7
  • 1950s8(1 EF3+)
Strongest tornadoes near Norristown, Pennsylvania
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Jul 27, 1994F311 mi2 mi3 / 25
Mar 22, 1955F38 mi9.6 mi1 / 0
Jul 29, 2021EF319 mi3.4 mi0 / 0
Sep 1, 2021EF27 mi8.28 mi1 / 2
Aug 4, 2020EF216 mi20.77 mi0 / 18
Oct 31, 2019EF217 mi0.47 mi0 / 2
May 31, 1998F218 mi5.6 mi0 / 0
Jul 17, 1992F224 mi4 mi0 / 0
Jun 9, 1989F217 mi2 mi0 / 1
Apr 3, 1975F216 mi3 mi0 / 0
Jun 29, 1973F216 mi1.9 mi0 / 0
Jun 29, 1973F219 mi1.9 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 81, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

Hail in Norristown

The Storm Prediction Center has 83 hail reports within 10 miles of Norristown since 1957, made on 45 separate days. Of these, 41 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 5 days, most recently June 6, 2023. The most recent report is from August 18, 2024. July has the most reports, 31.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.

Radar-estimated hail days in Norristown since 2019 →

Weather by month in Norristown

The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Norristown, PA, 2 miles southeast of Norristown at 62 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 67°F; January is the coolest, at 42°F and 23°F. August is the wettest at 5.0 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.0 inches; the year adds up to 50.7 inches over 86 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 53% of the year's precipitation (26.7 of 50.7 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 33 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (15); a normal September there has highs of 80°F and 4.9 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 39 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 107 nights a year. Snowfall averages 25.3 inches a year, most of it in February. That 50.7 inches is more than at 133 of the 148 Pennsylvania stations used on this site (90%). Collegeville, 6 miles northwest, has its own station (Graterford 1 E, PA): 48.6 inches a year, 2.1 less than here, and a July average high of 86°F against 89°F.

Water temperature at the NOAA tide station Philadelphia, PA, 18 miles southeast, averaged 80°F in July and 38°F in February over 2021–2025. It averaged 80°F or warmer from July. Sea level at the Philadelphia tide gauge, 18 miles from Norristown, has risen 1.24 ± 0.04 inches per decade from 1900 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 12.4 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 73 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.

Monthly climate normals 1991–2020 at Norristown, PA
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. inDays ≥ 0.1"Snow inWater °F
Jan42233.776.838
Feb44253.0610.938
Mar52324.473.045
Apr65423.980.254
May75524.380.063
Jun84624.280.073
Jul89674.780.080
Aug87655.070.079
Sep80584.960.074
Oct68454.370.165
Nov57353.670.154
Dec46284.784.243
Year664450.78625.359

Averages for 1991–2020 at Norristown, PA (62 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station Philadelphia, PA, from NOAA Tides & Currents. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.

Pennsylvania weather by month, station by station →

Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Norristown

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 575 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Norristown: 394 thunderstorm wind reports, 118 flash floods, 45 floods, 12 lightning strikes and 6 heavy rain events. They killed 5 people and injured 8, and the NWS estimated $55.3 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on October 31, 2019. August has had the most flash floods, 48 of 118. Of the 788 Pennsylvania cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 687 have had fewer than Norristown.

  • September 1, 2021: flash flood 4 miles from the centre of Norristown — 2 killed, $21.0 million damage.

  • October 14, 2003: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Norristown — 1 killed, 1 injured.

  • June 10, 2008: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Norristown — 1 killed, $200,000 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 Norristown's 2 ZIP codes have filed 999 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $25.0 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Ida in 2021: 98 claims (10% of all) and $10.2 million, then Hurricane Floyd in 1999 with 74 and Not a named storm in 1979 with 68. 48% 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, 546 have fewer than Norristown.

Flood insurance claims in Norristown by named event
EventClaimsPaid
Hurricane Ida202198$10.2 million
Hurricane Floyd199974$3.1 million
Not a named storm197968$683,000
Flooding199661$1.3 million
Mid-spring storms201456$1.5 million
Hurricane Irene201150$780,000

Montgomery County, which includes Norristown, has been named in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1965, 21 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 hurricanes, 7 floods, 6 severe storms, 4 snowstorms). The latest major disaster declaration was Remnants of Hurricane Ida, on September 10, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Montgomery County a Relatively High rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for strong wind; Relatively High for tornadoes, inland flooding and heat waves; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes and lightning; Relatively Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $296.7 million a year, the 3rd highest of 67 Pennsylvania counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $192.6 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.

Cities near Norristown