NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Seneca, 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
9 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Seneca, Pennsylvania since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Sandy in 2012. Since 1950, 54 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 5 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 9
- Tornadoes
- 54
- EF3 or stronger
- 5
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
23 deaths in all
What the records show for Seneca
None of the 9 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Seneca; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1896, a tropical storm with 60 mph winds when its centre passed 42 miles away. The record near Seneca begins with an unnamed storm in 1878; the most recent system was Sandy in 2012, a tropical storm 36 miles away. Of the 9 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities on this site, 79% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Seneca. The highest rating among the 54 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4, reached 2 times; the most recent, on May 31, 1985, came within 4 miles. Of the 54, one had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 26 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 18. The most recent tornado was on June 9, 2025. Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities, 57% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Seneca. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 45 times since 1986, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities, 57% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Seneca.
Compare Seneca's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Seneca
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | SandyOct 31 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2003 | IsabelSep 19 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 6 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1989 | HugoSep 22 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1955 | ConnieAug 13 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 20 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 29 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 30 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 13 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Seneca: 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 Seneca
By decade
- 2020s4
- 2010s14
- 2000s8
- 1990s5
- 1980s12(4 EF3+)
- 1970s7(1 EF3+)
- 1960s1
- 1950s3
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 1985 | F4 | 4 mi | 56.2 mi | 16 / 125 |
| May 31, 1985 | F4 | 12 mi | 29 mi | 7 / 30 |
| May 31, 1985 | F3 | 23 mi | 17 mi | 0 / 8 |
| May 31, 1985 | F3 | 24 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 2, 1972 | F3 | 23 mi | 7.9 mi | 0 / 3 |
| May 25, 2004 | F2 | 21 mi | 7 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 3, 1986 | F2 | 25 mi | 9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 31, 1985 | F2 | 12 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Aug 7, 1981 | F2 | 9 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 28, 1981 | F2 | 17 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Jun 1, 1954 | F2 | 12 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 1, 1954 | F2 | 21 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 3 |
The strongest 12 of 54, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Seneca
The Storm Prediction Center has 45 hail reports within 10 miles of Seneca since 1986, made on 37 separate days. Of these, 14 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on August 15, 1996. The most recent report is from April 14, 2024. August has the most reports, 12.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Seneca
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Franklin, PA, 8 miles west of Seneca at 1,015 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 83°F and low of 60°F; January is the coolest, at 34°F and 18°F. July is the wettest at 5.3 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.7 inches; the year adds up to 46.5 inches over 99 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 10 days a year, almost all from June to August. Lows fall below freezing on about 142 nights a year. Snowfall averages 53.7 inches a year, most of it in January. That 46.5 inches is more than at 93 of the 148 Pennsylvania stations used on this site (63%). Knox, 12 miles southeast, has its own station (Clarion 3 SW, PA): 46.9 inches a year, 0.4 more than here, and a July average high of 82°F against 83°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34 | 18 | 3.3 | 9 | 17.9 |
| Feb | 36 | 19 | 2.7 | 7 | 11.5 |
| Mar | 46 | 25 | 3.4 | 8 | 8.9 |
| Apr | 60 | 35 | 4.2 | 9 | 1.1 |
| May | 71 | 46 | 4.0 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 79 | 56 | 4.9 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 83 | 60 | 5.3 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 81 | 58 | 4.2 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 74 | 52 | 3.9 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 61 | 41 | 3.8 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 49 | 32 | 3.4 | 8 | 2.6 |
| Dec | 38 | 24 | 3.4 | 8 | 11.7 |
| Year | 59 | 39 | 46.5 | 99 | 53.7 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Franklin, PA (1,015 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 Seneca
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 210 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Seneca: 170 thunderstorm wind reports, 23 flash floods, 15 floods, 1 heavy rain event and 1 lightning strike. They killed 1 person and injured 2, and the NWS estimated $2.4 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 90 mph, on July 26, 2012. June has had the most flash floods, 11 of 23. Of the 788 Pennsylvania cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 370 have had fewer than Seneca.
July 24, 2022: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Seneca — 1 killed, $10,000 damage.
June 14, 2004: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Seneca — 2 injured, $30,000 damage.
June 14, 2005: thunderstorm wind 4 miles from the centre of Seneca — $100,000 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
Venango County, which includes Seneca, has been named in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 10 of them major disasters (by incident: 4 floods, 3 hurricanes, 3 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on March 30, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Venango County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for lightning; Relatively Moderate for inland flooding and strong wind; Relatively Low for tornadoes; Very Low for hurricanes, hail and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $15.8 million a year, the 51st highest of 67 Pennsylvania counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $13.2 million (84%), 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 Seneca
- Oil City, PA4 mi
- Franklin, PA8 mi
- Knox, PA12 mi
- Emlenton, PA13 mi
- Polk, PA13 mi
- Shippenville, PA15 mi
- Titusville, PA17 mi
- Tionesta, PA17 mi
- Parker, PA19 mi
- Sandy Lake, PA20 mi
- Clarion, PA20 mi
- Stoneboro, PA21 mi
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