NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Shenandoah, 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
18 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania since 1851, 2 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Isaias in 2020. Since 1950, 42 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 2
- Tropical storms
- 16
- Tornadoes
- 42
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Shenandoah
The strongest storm to pass near Shenandoah was an unnamed storm in 1878, a Category 1 hurricane with 84 mph winds when its centre passed 15 miles away. The record near Shenandoah begins with an unnamed storm in 1878; the most recent system was Isaias in 2020, a tropical storm 52 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1950s, with 4 systems, one of them at hurricane strength. Of the 18 systems, 3 have come since 2000. Shenandoah has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 54% of the 794 Pennsylvania cities on this site. The highest rating among the 42 tornadoes within 25 miles is F2, reached 5 times; the most recent, on December 1, 2006, came within 19 miles. Of the 42, 2 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 15 have come since 2000. June has had the most tornadoes, 9. The most recent tornado was on May 27, 2024. Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities, 76% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Shenandoah. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 11 times since 1970, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 794 Pennsylvania cities, 95% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Shenandoah.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Shenandoah
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2012 | SandyOct 30 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2006 | ErnestoSep 3 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 6 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 19 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1955 | ConnieAug 13 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1954 | HazelOct 16 | 62 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormAug 24 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 3 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 4 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 17 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 22 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 14 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 15 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Shenandoah: 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 Shenandoah
By decade
- 2020s4
- 2010s8
- 2000s3
- 1990s7
- 1980s5
- 1970s7
- 1960s4
- 1950s4
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1, 2006 | F2 | 19 mi | 20 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Jul 15, 1992 | F2 | 11 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jul 26, 1981 | F2 | 4 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 10, 1968 | F2 | 16 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 12, 1953 | F2 | 23 mi | 4.7 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 27, 2024 | EF1 | 3 mi | 1.53 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 12, 2023 | EF1 | 14 mi | 3.25 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 18, 2021 | EF1 | 22 mi | 1.07 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 9, 2015 | EF1 | 20 mi | 0.74 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jun 30, 2015 | EF1 | 23 mi | 1.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 26, 2012 | EF1 | 21 mi | 0.52 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 26, 2011 | EF1 | 13 mi | 17 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 42, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Shenandoah
The Storm Prediction Center has 11 hail reports within 10 miles of Shenandoah since 1970, made on 10 separate days. Of these, 6 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 May 11, 1996. The most recent report is from September 11, 2013. June has the most reports, 5.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Shenandoah
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Mahanoy City 2 N, PA, 3 miles east of Shenandoah at 1,710 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 80°F and low of 61°F; January is the coolest, at 33°F and 18°F. July and September are the wettest at 5.2 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.0 inches; the year adds up to 53.7 inches over 96 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 54% of the year's precipitation (29.2 of 53.7 inches); the other six months are drier. August has brought the most of the 18 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (8); a normal August there has highs of 78°F and 4.7 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 2 days a year, almost all from July. Lows fall below freezing on about 139 nights a year. Snowfall averages 48.0 inches a year, most of it in February. That 53.7 inches is more than at 145 of the 148 Pennsylvania stations used on this site (98%). Ashland, 9 miles southwest, has its own station (Bear Gap, PA): 48.2 inches a year, 5.5 less than here, and a July average high of 84°F against 80°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33 | 18 | 3.9 | 8 | 12.3 |
| Feb | 35 | 18 | 3.0 | 7 | 12.7 |
| Mar | 44 | 25 | 4.2 | 8 | 9.2 |
| Apr | 57 | 37 | 4.4 | 9 | 2.1 |
| May | 67 | 47 | 4.7 | 10 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 76 | 56 | 5.1 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 80 | 61 | 5.2 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 78 | 58 | 4.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 72 | 52 | 5.2 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 60 | 41 | 4.9 | 8 | 0.5 |
| Nov | 48 | 31 | 4.1 | 7 | 2.2 |
| Dec | 37 | 23 | 4.3 | 8 | 9.0 |
| Year | 57 | 39 | 53.7 | 96 | 48.0 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Mahanoy City 2 N, PA (1,710 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 Shenandoah
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 73 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Shenandoah: 66 thunderstorm wind reports, 4 flash floods and 3 floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $196,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on April 8, 2010.
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
Schuylkill County, which includes Shenandoah, has been named in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1965, 17 of them major disasters (by incident: 7 floods, 6 severe storms, 4 hurricanes, 4 snowstorms). The latest major disaster declaration was Remnants of Hurricane Ida, on September 10, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Schuylkill County a Relatively Moderate 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 heat waves; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $48.9 million a year, the 19th highest of 67 Pennsylvania counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $36.3 million (74%), 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 Shenandoah
- Ringtown, PA3 mi
- Frackville, PA3 mi
- Mahanoy City, PA4 mi
- Saint Clair, PA7 mi
- Barnesville, PA7 mi
- Ashland, PA9 mi
- Pottsville, PA9 mi
- Minersville, PA9 mi
- Mount Carmel, PA11 mi
- Tamaqua, PA12 mi
- Mcadoo, PA12 mi
- Sugarloaf, PA13 mi
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