NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Pennsburg, 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
29 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Pennsburg, Pennsylvania since 1851, 1 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ida in 2021. Since 1950, 71 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 1
- Tropical storms
- 28
- Tornadoes
- 71
- EF3 or stronger
- 4
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
5 deaths in all
What the records show for Pennsburg
The strongest storm to pass near Pennsburg was an unnamed storm in 1878, a Category 1 hurricane with 85 mph winds when its centre passed 33 miles away. The record near Pennsburg begins with an unnamed storm in 1861; the most recent system was Ida in 2021, a tropical storm 36 miles away. Of the 29 systems, 7 have come since 2000. Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities on this site, 45% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Pennsburg. The highest rating among the 71 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 4 times; the most recent, on May 31, 1998, came within 14 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on July 27, 1994, killed 3 people. Of the 71, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 17 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 18. The most recent tornado was on July 1, 2025. Pennsburg has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 68% of the 794 Pennsylvania cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 64 times since 1962, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Pennsburg has more hail reports within 10 miles than 59% of the 794 Pennsylvania cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Pennsburg
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | IdaSep 2 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | FayJul 11 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | SandyOct 30 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2011 | IreneAug 28 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2008 | HannaSep 6 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2006 | ErnestoSep 3 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 13 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1992 | DanielleSep 26 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 28 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 30 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1955 | DianeAug 19 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 19 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 3 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 4 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 16 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 11 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 22 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 33 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 29 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 26 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1866 | Unnamed 1866 stormOct 30 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 19 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 28 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Pennsburg: 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 Pennsburg
By decade
- 2020s12
- 2010s4
- 2000s1
- 1990s17(2 EF3+)
- 1980s16
- 1970s9
- 1960s5
- 1950s7(2 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 27, 1994 | F3 | 11 mi | 2 mi | 3 / 25 |
| Mar 22, 1955 | F3 | 23 mi | 9.6 mi | 1 / 0 |
| May 31, 1998 | F3 | 14 mi | 8.3 mi | 0 / 7 |
| Nov 4, 1950 | F3 | 23 mi | 15.9 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | EF2 | 21 mi | 8.28 mi | 1 / 2 |
| Aug 4, 2020 | EF2 | 18 mi | 20.77 mi | 0 / 18 |
| Jul 5, 1984 | F2 | 7 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 5, 1984 | F2 | 9 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 5, 1984 | F2 | 13 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 5, 1984 | F2 | 12 mi | 7 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Oct 5, 1979 | F2 | 23 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Sep 5, 1979 | F2 | 17 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 71, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Pennsburg
The Storm Prediction Center has 64 hail reports within 10 miles of Pennsburg since 1962, made on 43 separate days. Of these, 35 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2 inches (hen egg size), was reported on 2 days, most recently May 29, 2019. The most recent report is from August 15, 2023. May has the most reports, 27.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Pennsburg
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Sellersville, PA, 9 miles east of Pennsburg at 302 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 85°F and low of 63°F; January is the coolest, at 38°F and 19°F. July is the wettest at 5.3 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.1 inches; the year adds up to 51.7 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 (27.5 of 51.7 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 29 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (11); a normal September there has highs of 77°F and 4.9 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 15 days a year, almost all from June to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 131 nights a year. Snowfall averages 21.7 inches a year, most of it in February. That 51.7 inches is more than at 141 of the 148 Pennsylvania stations used on this site (95%). Perkiomenville, 5 miles south, has its own station (Pottstown Limerick Airport, PA): 45.3 inches a year, 6.4 less than here, and a July average high of 84°F against 85°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38 | 19 | 3.6 | 7 | 5.9 |
| Feb | 41 | 21 | 3.1 | 7 | 6.1 |
| Mar | 49 | 28 | 4.4 | 7 | 5.0 |
| Apr | 62 | 38 | 4.1 | 8 | 1.1 |
| May | 71 | 48 | 4.6 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 80 | 57 | 4.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 85 | 63 | 5.3 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 83 | 61 | 4.7 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 77 | 54 | 4.9 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 64 | 41 | 4.4 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 53 | 32 | 3.5 | 6 | 0.4 |
| Dec | 43 | 25 | 4.4 | 8 | 3.2 |
| Year | 62 | 41 | 51.7 | 86 | 21.7 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Sellersville, PA (302 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 Pennsburg
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 350 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Pennsburg: 230 thunderstorm wind reports, 66 flash floods, 43 floods, 8 lightning strikes and 3 heavy rain events. They killed 0 people and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $23.9 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 110 mph, on May 29, 2019. July has had the most flash floods, 22 of 66. Of the 788 Pennsylvania cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 581 have had fewer than Pennsburg.
March 3, 2020: thunderstorm wind 10 miles from the centre of Pennsburg — 1 injured.
September 1, 2021: flash flood 6 miles from the centre of Pennsburg — $21.0 million damage.
April 15, 2007: flood 9 miles from the centre of Pennsburg — $1.0 million 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 Pennsburg's ZIP code 18073 have filed 12 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1984, and were paid $193,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 58% 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, 31 have fewer than Pennsburg.
Montgomery County, which includes Pennsburg, 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 Pennsburg
- Red Hill, PAunder 1 mi
- East Greenville, PA2 mi
- Green Lane, PA4 mi
- Perkiomenville, PA5 mi
- Barto, PA6 mi
- Zionsville, PA6 mi
- Bechtelsville, PA7 mi
- Gilbertsville, PA8 mi
- Quakertown, PA8 mi
- Telford, PA9 mi
- Schwenksville, PA9 mi
- Sellersville, PA9 mi
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