NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Palmyra, 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
24 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Palmyra, Pennsylvania since 1851, 2 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ida in 2021. Since 1950, 87 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 2
- Tropical storms
- 22
- Tornadoes
- 87
- 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 Palmyra
The strongest storm to pass near Palmyra was an unnamed storm in 1878, a Category 1 hurricane with 86 mph winds when its centre passed 15 miles away. The record near Palmyra begins with an unnamed storm in 1876; the most recent system was Ida in 2021, a tropical storm 51 miles away. The 1890s and the 1950s were the busiest decades, with 4 systems each. Of the 24 systems, 4 have come since 2000. Palmyra has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 54% of the 794 Pennsylvania cities on this site. The highest rating among the 87 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on July 14, 2004, came within 2 miles. The deadliest, an F1 on December 1, 2006, killed 1 person. Of the 87, 6 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 38 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 19. The most recent tornado was on August 9, 2024. Palmyra has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 89% of the 794 Pennsylvania cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 58 times since 1956, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). Palmyra has more hail reports within 10 miles than 52% of the 794 Pennsylvania cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Palmyra
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | IdaSep 1 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2012 | SandyOct 30 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2006 | ErnestoSep 3 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1992 | DanielleSep 26 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1979 | DavidSep 6 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 18 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1955 | ConnieAug 13 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1954 | HazelOct 16 | 33 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1943 | Unnamed 1943 stormOct 1 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 19 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormAug 24 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 3 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 4 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 23 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 14 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 21 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 13 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 15 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormSep 18 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Palmyra: 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 Palmyra
By decade
- 2020s6
- 2010s16
- 2000s16(1 EF3+)
- 1990s19
- 1980s4
- 1970s11(1 EF3+)
- 1960s6
- 1950s9
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 18, 1970 | F3 | 17 mi | 1.9 mi | 1 / 5 |
| Jul 14, 2004 | F3 | 2 mi | 7.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 28, 2011 | EF2 | 7 mi | 1.07 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 28, 2011 | EF2 | 20 mi | 2.62 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 29, 1995 | F2 | 23 mi | 2.5 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Oct 9, 1992 | F2 | 23 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 17, 1992 | F2 | 13 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 6, 1991 | F2 | 16 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Jun 15, 1989 | F2 | 22 mi | 16 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Jul 31, 1985 | F2 | 17 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Apr 5, 1977 | F2 | 13 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Oct 11, 1975 | F2 | 6 mi | 17.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 87, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Palmyra
The Storm Prediction Center has 58 hail reports within 10 miles of Palmyra since 1956, made on 41 separate days. Of these, 31 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.5 inches (tennis ball size), fell on August 7, 1986. The most recent report is from August 3, 2024. July has the most reports, 19.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Palmyra
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Lebanon 2 W, PA, 7 miles east of Palmyra 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. 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%). Hershey, 3 miles southwest, has its own station (Middletown Harrisburg International Airport, PA): 44.2 inches a year, 2.3 less than here, and a July average high of 87°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 Palmyra
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 260 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Palmyra: 228 thunderstorm wind reports, 18 flash floods and 14 floods. They killed 7 people and injured 0, and the NWS estimated $154.1 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 96 mph, on June 29, 2012. June has had the most flash floods, 9 of 18. Of the 788 Pennsylvania cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 313 have had fewer than Palmyra.
September 7, 2011: flood 6 miles from the centre of Palmyra — 4 killed, $150.7 million damage.
September 7, 2011: flood 6 miles from the centre of Palmyra — 2 killed, $2.0 million damage.
July 23, 2018: flood 8 miles from the centre of Palmyra — 1 killed.
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 Palmyra's ZIP code 17078 have filed 53 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $753,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Not a named storm in 1979: 14 claims (26% of all) and $35,000. 49% 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, 285 have fewer than Palmyra.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Not a named storm1979 | 14 | $35,000 |
Lebanon County, which includes Palmyra, 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.
Cities near Palmyra
- Hershey, PA3 mi
- Annville, PA4 mi
- Hummelstown, PA6 mi
- Grantville, PA7 mi
- Lebanon, PA9 mi
- Jonestown, PA10 mi
- Elizabethtown, PA10 mi
- Middletown, PA10 mi
- Highspire, PA12 mi
- Harrisburg, PA13 mi
- Steelton, PA13 mi
- Manheim, PA13 mi
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