395
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
4
Direct injuries
$1.6M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania: 395 recorded events between 1964 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 95. That places the county #219 nationally and #18 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Lehigh County is the 2010s, when 136 of the county's 395 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Lehigh County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 56.9% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #219 for this hazard and #18 within Pennsylvania, putting it in the 93.0 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Lehigh County with 124 recorded events, while Jan is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10, 2013 | NEWHARD | 52 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Dec 1, 2006 | JACKSONVILLE | 52 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Sep 7, 1998 | ALBURTIS | 55 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| May 11, 1996 | SOUTHEAST HALF | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 16, 2026 | CENTER VLY | 50 | $0 |
| Mar 16, 2026 | EAST PENN JCT | 50 | $0 |
| Mar 16, 2026 | EAST PENN JCT | 50 | $0 |
| Dec 19, 2025 | ALLENTOWN MUNI | 54 | $0 |
| Jul 25, 2025 | ALBURTIS | 50 | $0 |
| Jul 25, 2025 | BREINIGSVILLE | 50 | $0 |
| Jul 25, 2025 | ALLENTOWN MUNI | 50 | $0 |
| Jul 3, 2025 | EAST PENN JCT | 50 | $0 |
| Jul 3, 2025 | COPLAY | 50 | $0 |
| May 16, 2025 | EMERALD | 55 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Lehigh County
- Flash Flood 95
- Hail 93
- Heavy Rain 41
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A strong microburst caused wind damage in Whitehall Township in and near the Stiles section of the township. Because of the wind damage, a township state of emergency was declared. Numerous trees were knocked down and many roads were impassable due to the downed trees. The downed trees damaged twenty-nine homes and buildings. One building sustained major damage. The township advised residents to stay off the roads. Around 600 Pennsylvania, Power and Light customers within the township were still without power late in the evening on the 30th. Some of the most significant crop damage occurred along Columbia Street where large sections of corn fields were flattened.
A microburst from a severe thunderstorm also affected northern parts of Catasauqua Borough. Numerous trees were knocked down. Several roadways even remained closed the next day as workers continued to remove trees and restore electric service. Hardest hit in the borough were locations from Strawberry Street northeast through Walnut and 14th Streets.
A squall line of severe thunderstorms tore down numerous trees throughout Lehigh County. Some roofs within the county were damaged. wind damage was reported in Allentown, Catasauqua, Centronia, East Salisbury, Fogelsville, Lower Macungie, Salisbury, South Whitehall, Trexlertown and West Salisbury. The county opened two warming centers because of the power outages.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania?
395 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Lehigh County between 1964 and 2026, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Lehigh County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Lehigh County measured 95.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Lehigh County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/pennsylvania/lehigh-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.