NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Schellsburg, 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
15 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Schellsburg, Pennsylvania since 1851, 1 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Sandy in 2012. Since 1950, 29 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 1
- Tropical storms
- 14
- Tornadoes
- 29
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Schellsburg
The strongest storm to pass near Schellsburg was Hazel in 1954, a Category 1 hurricane with 82 mph winds when its centre passed 74 miles away. The record near Schellsburg begins with an unnamed storm in 1876; the most recent system was Sandy in 2012, a tropical storm 18 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1890s, with 3 systems. Of the 15 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities on this site, 45% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Schellsburg. The strongest of the 29 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on June 2, 1998; its path came within 24 miles. Of the 29, none had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 11 have come since 2000. June has had the most tornadoes, 7. The most recent tornado was on June 17, 2025. Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities, 91% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Schellsburg. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 17 times since 1989, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities, 89% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Schellsburg.
Compare Schellsburg's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Schellsburg
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | SandyOct 30 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2003 | IsabelSep 19 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 6 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1955 | ConnieAug 13 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1954 | HazelOct 15 | 74 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 20 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormOct 1 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 30 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 23 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 14 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 21 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 13 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 13 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormSep 18 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Schellsburg: 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 Schellsburg
By decade
- 2020s2
- 2010s7
- 2000s2
- 1990s13(1 EF3+)
- 1980s2
- 1970s1
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2, 1998 | F4 | 24 mi | 36.5 mi | 0 / 5 |
| May 13, 1956 | F2 | 16 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 1 |
| May 11, 1951 | F2 | 17 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jun 17, 2025 | EF1 | 25 mi | 1.06 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 29, 2024 | EF1 | 22 mi | 0.81 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 13, 2018 | EF1 | 14 mi | 0.29 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 13, 2018 | EF1 | 23 mi | 0.54 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 11, 2014 | EF1 | 13 mi | 10.98 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 17, 2004 | F1 | 10 mi | 2.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 17, 2004 | F1 | 14 mi | 3.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 30, 1998 | F1 | 11 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 16, 1998 | F1 | 23 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 29, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Schellsburg
The Storm Prediction Center has 17 hail reports within 10 miles of Schellsburg since 1989, made on 14 separate days. Of these, 10 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 2 days, most recently June 11, 2014. The most recent report is from June 16, 2016. June has the most reports, 5.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Schellsburg
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Shawnee Sp, PA, 2 miles southeast of Schellsburg at 1,275 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 84°F and low of 59°F; January is the coolest, at 36°F and 19°F. May is the wettest at 4.1 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.4 inches; the year adds up to 39.9 inches over 79 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 51% of the year's precipitation (20.5 of 39.9 inches); the other six months are drier. Highs reach 90°F on about 10 days a year, almost all from June to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 149 nights a year. That 39.9 inches is more than at 12 of the 148 Pennsylvania stations used on this site (8%). New Paris, 6 miles northeast, has its own station (Wolfsburg, PA): 40.6 inches a year, 0.7 more than here, and a July average high of 86°F against 84°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36 | 19 | 2.8 | 6 |
| Feb | 40 | 19 | 2.4 | 5 |
| Mar | 48 | 26 | 3.3 | 7 |
| Apr | 62 | 36 | 3.6 | 8 |
| May | 72 | 46 | 4.1 | 9 |
| Jun | 79 | 55 | 4.0 | 7 |
| Jul | 84 | 59 | 3.2 | 7 |
| Aug | 83 | 58 | 3.5 | 6 |
| Sep | 75 | 50 | 3.7 | 7 |
| Oct | 64 | 38 | 3.1 | 5 |
| Nov | 51 | 30 | 3.0 | 6 |
| Dec | 40 | 23 | 3.2 | 6 |
| Year | 61 | 38 | 39.9 | 79 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Shawnee Sp, PA (1,275 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 Schellsburg
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 61 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Schellsburg: 55 thunderstorm wind reports, 4 flash floods, 1 flood and 1 lightning strike. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $271,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on June 16, 2016.
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
Bedford County, which includes Schellsburg, has been named in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 15 of them major disasters (by incident: 7 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 Bedford County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for inland flooding and strong wind; Relatively Low for hurricanes and lightning; Very Low for tornadoes, hail and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $24.2 million a year, the 39th highest of 67 Pennsylvania counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $21.3 million (88%), 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 Schellsburg
- New Paris, PA6 mi
- Central City, PA8 mi
- Bedford, PA9 mi
- Windber, PA14 mi
- Stoystown, PA15 mi
- New Enterprise, PA15 mi
- Everett, PA16 mi
- Berlin, PA17 mi
- Friedens, PA17 mi
- Hollsopple, PA19 mi
- Sidman, PA19 mi
- Claysburg, PA19 mi
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