1,070
Recorded events
67
Counties affected
83
Direct deaths
$1.8B
Property damage
Pennsylvania tornado history: 1,070 recorded events across 67 counties between 1950 and 2025.
Decade by decade
Pennsylvania tornado history by decade
The 1990s are the busiest decade on record with 223 reported tornado events across Pennsylvania. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most tornado events in Pennsylvania
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Westmoreland County | 49 | 1 | $268.1M | 1954–2025 |
| #2 | Crawford County | 40 | 11 | $287.6M | 1950–2025 |
| #3 | Lancaster County | 38 | 0 | $26.3M | 1950–2025 |
| #4 | York County | 32 | 0 | $14.8M | 1952–2023 |
| #5 | Berks County | 30 | 0 | $16.4M | 1950–2025 |
| #6 | Chester County | 29 | 2 | $13.8M | 1953–2023 |
| #7 | Bucks County | 29 | 0 | $10.5M | 1950–2023 |
| #8 | Lycoming County | 29 | 2 | $28.5M | 1966–2022 |
| #9 | Butler County | 28 | 6 | $26.9M | 1954–2025 |
| #10 | Allegheny County | 27 | 2 | $292.9M | 1954–2024 |
| #11 | Mercer County | 25 | 9 | $30.7M | 1954–2024 |
| #12 | Erie County | 24 | 12 | $30.2M | 1952–2025 |
| #13 | Beaver County | 24 | 3 | $28.6M | 1954–2024 |
| #14 | Washington County | 22 | 0 | $9.2M | 1973–2025 |
| #15 | Bradford County | 21 | 0 | $2.2M | 1951–2019 |
| #16 | Cambria County | 20 | 0 | $3.1M | 1970–2023 |
| #17 | Luzerne County | 20 | 0 | $8.1M | 1960–2023 |
| #18 | Fayette County | 20 | 0 | $7.9M | 1954–2025 |
| #19 | Lebanon County | 19 | 1 | $24.9M | 1957–2021 |
| #20 | Montgomery County | 19 | 4 | $59.9M | 1956–2021 |
| #21 | Indiana County | 19 | 0 | $4.3M | 1953–2025 |
| #22 | Dauphin County | 19 | 1 | $6.0M | 1950–2023 |
| #23 | Warren County | 18 | 0 | $1.5M | 1970–2019 |
| #24 | Cumberland County | 17 | 0 | $1.2M | 1961–2022 |
| #25 | Adams County | 17 | 0 | $2.9M | 1951–2021 |
Significant events
Deadliest tornado events in Pennsylvania
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 1985 | Erie County | F4 | 12 | 82 |
| May 31, 1985 | Crawford County | F4 | 8 | 75 |
| May 31, 1985 | Mercer County | F5 | 8 | 60 |
| May 31, 1985 | Venango County | F4 | 8 | 40 |
| May 31, 1985 | Forest County | F4 | 7 | 30 |
| Jun 1, 1985 | Butler County | F3 | 6 | 80 |
| Jun 1, 1985 | McKean County | F4 | 4 | 40 |
| Jun 1, 1985 | Beaver County | F3 | 3 | 40 |
| Jul 28, 1994 | Montgomery County | F3 | 3 | 25 |
| Jun 1, 1985 | Northumberland County | F3 | 2 | 20 |