NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Wappingers Falls, NY
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
31 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Wappingers Falls, New York since 1851, 4 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Isaias in 2020. Since 1950, 46 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 4
- Tropical storms
- 27
- Tornadoes
- 46
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
10 deaths in all
What the records show for Wappingers Falls
The strongest storm to pass near Wappingers Falls was an unnamed storm in 1938, a Category 2 hurricane with 107 mph winds when its centre passed 50 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1893, whose centre came within 17 miles. The record near Wappingers Falls begins with an unnamed storm in 1861; the most recent system was Isaias in 2020, a tropical storm 35 miles away. Of the 31 systems, 3 have come since 2000. Wappingers Falls has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 60% of the 809 New York cities on this site. The highest rating among the 46 tornadoes within 25 miles is F2 or EF2, reached 7 times; the most recent, on May 15, 2018, came within 13 miles. The deadliest, an F1 on November 16, 1989, killed 9 people. Of the 46, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 23 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 13. The most recent tornado was on August 9, 2024. Wappingers Falls has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 95% of the 809 New York cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 93 times since 1957, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Wappingers Falls has more hail reports within 10 miles than 92% of the 809 New York cities.
Compare Wappingers Falls's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Wappingers Falls
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2011 | IreneAug 28 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2008 | HannaSep 7 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1999 | FloydSep 17 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 13 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | GloriaSep 27 | 49 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1976 | BelleAug 10 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 22 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 28 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1968 | Unnamed 1968 stormSep 11 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 15 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 30 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1955 | DianeAug 19 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1938 | Unnamed 1938 stormSep 21 | 50 mi | Category 2 (107 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormSep 9 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 3 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 4 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 24 | 17 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 12 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 22 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 47 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 30 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 26 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1866 | Unnamed 1866 stormOct 30 | overhead | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 19 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 28 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Wappingers Falls: 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 Wappingers Falls
By decade
- 2020s8
- 2010s5
- 2000s10
- 1990s6
- 1980s7
- 1970s8
- 1960s1
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2018 | EF2 | 13 mi | 1.18 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 18, 2000 | F2 | 16 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 10, 1989 | F2 | 16 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Mar 21, 1976 | F2 | 25 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 29, 1971 | F2 | 14 mi | 4.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 29, 1971 | F2 | 11 mi | 6.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 21, 1951 | F2 | 25 mi | 43.9 mi | 0 / 9 |
| Nov 16, 1989 | F1 | 14 mi | 9.1 mi | 9 / 18 |
| Jul 13, 2022 | EF1 | 24 mi | 0.52 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 12, 2021 | EF1 | 17 mi | 2.44 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 21, 2021 | EF1 | 24 mi | 0.64 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 27, 2020 | EF1 | 17 mi | 2.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 46, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Wappingers Falls
The Storm Prediction Center has 93 hail reports within 10 miles of Wappingers Falls since 1957, made on 48 separate days. Of these, 55 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 11 days, most recently May 31, 2017. The most recent report is from August 18, 2019. June has the most reports, 29.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Wappingers Falls
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Poughkeepsie Dutchess Co Airport, NY, 2 miles north of Wappingers Falls at 166 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 85°F and low of 62°F; January is the coolest, at 36°F and 18°F. August and September are the wettest at 4.3 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.2 inches; the year adds up to 41.9 inches over 77 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 56% of the year's precipitation (23.3 of 41.9 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 31 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (13); a normal September there has highs of 75°F and 4.3 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 19 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 136 nights a year. That 41.9 inches is more than at 55 of the 137 New York stations used on this site (40%). Hopewell Junction, 5 miles east, has its own station (Stormville, NY): 49.0 inches a year, 7.1 more than here, and a July average high of 83°F against 85°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36 | 18 | 2.8 | 5 |
| Feb | 39 | 20 | 2.2 | 6 |
| Mar | 48 | 27 | 3.1 | 7 |
| Apr | 61 | 38 | 3.6 | 7 |
| May | 71 | 48 | 3.5 | 7 |
| Jun | 80 | 57 | 3.9 | 8 |
| Jul | 85 | 62 | 3.8 | 7 |
| Aug | 83 | 61 | 4.3 | 7 |
| Sep | 75 | 53 | 4.3 | 6 |
| Oct | 63 | 41 | 3.7 | 6 |
| Nov | 51 | 32 | 3.3 | 6 |
| Dec | 41 | 24 | 3.4 | 7 |
| Year | 61 | 40 | 41.9 | 77 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Poughkeepsie Dutchess Co Airport, NY (166 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 Wappingers Falls
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 342 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Wappingers Falls: 285 thunderstorm wind reports, 33 flash floods, 15 floods, 7 lightning strikes and 2 heavy rain events. They killed 6 people and injured 5, and the NWS estimated $7.7 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 145 mph, on May 18, 2000. September has had the most flash floods, 10 of 33. Of the 798 New York cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 475 have had fewer than Wappingers Falls.
August 12, 2016: lightning strike 8 miles from the centre of Wappingers Falls — 2 killed, 3 injured.
May 15, 2018: thunderstorm wind 10 miles from the centre of Wappingers Falls — 1 killed, 1 injured, $5,000 damage.
July 3, 2009: lightning strike 10 miles from the centre of Wappingers Falls — 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 Wappingers Falls's ZIP code 12590 have filed 49 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $350,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from April 2007 Nor'easter in 2007: 12 claims (24% of all) and $117,000. 55% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 549 New York cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 277 have fewer than Wappingers Falls.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| April 2007 Nor'easter2007 | 12 | $117,000 |
Dutchess County, which includes Wappingers Falls, has been named in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1965, 17 of them major disasters (by incident: 7 hurricanes, 6 severe storms, 5 snowstorms, 3 floods). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms and Flooding, on July 22, 2023. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Dutchess County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for strong wind and lightning; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes and inland flooding; Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail, coastal flooding and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $85.2 million a year, the 12th highest of 62 New York counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $59.9 million (70%), 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 Wappingers Falls
- Fishkill, NY4 mi
- Marlboro, NY5 mi
- Hopewell Junction, NY5 mi
- Milton, NY6 mi
- Poughkeepsie, NY6 mi
- Beacon, NY7 mi
- Lagrangeville, NY9 mi
- Newburgh, NY9 mi
- Stormville, NY9 mi
- Highland, NY10 mi
- Cold Spring, NY11 mi
- Poughquag, NY11 mi
All New York cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Wappingers Falls with another place →