Lansdowne

Population 11,141 (2025)

14 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of Lansdowne since 1851; the strongest at closest approach was Bertha in 1996 (Tropical storm).

Hazard fingerprint for Lansdowne Tornado: 42th percentile. Tropical: 63th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 99th percentile. Hail & wind: 99th percentile. Heat: 97th percentile. Cold: 81th percentile. Winter: 90th percentile. TORTROPFIREFLOODSEVEREHEATCOLDWINTER

Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed

2026
  • Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 195095
  • Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger37
  • Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 19841
  • Major flood years since 1978, Delaware County7

At a glance

Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Delaware County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Delaware County.

Flood insurance claims

3,034

Delaware County

$57.2 million paid since 1978

Details

Tropical cyclones within 50 mi

14

None at hurricane strength since 1851

Details

Tornadoes since 1950, within 25 mi

95

5 rated F3/EF3 or stronger

Details

Large wildfires within 25 mi

1

Largest: Buzby Boggs, 2023

Details

Strongest tornado

EF3

September 1, 2021, 12.4 mile path

Strongest tropical cyclone

TS

Tropical storm Bertha, 1996, 27.3 miles away

Largest earthquake within 50 mi

4.6magnitude

January 15, 1994, 48.4 miles away

Details

Federal disaster declarations

24

Most recent: Remnants of Hurricane Ida, 2021

Details

Tornadoes

About one tornado a year since 1950, 5 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

September 1, 2021

EF3, 12.4 mile path

400 yards wide.

Deadliest

July 27, 1994

3 killed, F3

25 injured along the whole path.

Most recent

Friday, May 16, 2025

EF1, 8.1 mile path

Within the past year.

Tornadoes by decade, within 25 miles Doppler radar era² 1950s: 7 7 1960s: 9 9 1970s: 9 9 1980s: 17 17 1990s: 23 23 2000s: 5 5 2010s: 9 9 2020s: 16 16 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 1 F: 1 M: 7 A: 6 M: 5 J: 12 J: 23 23 A: 15 S: 13 O: 4 N: 8 D: 0 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes within 25 miles since 1950
May 16, 2025EF18.130000
Aug 8, 2024EF11.115000
Aug 10, 2023EF10.77000
Apr 1, 2023EF16.060000
Jun 9, 2022EF10.36000
Sep 1, 2021EF13.020000
Sep 1, 2021EF312.440020
Sep 1, 2021EF14.330000
Sep 1, 2021EF28.340021
Aug 18, 2021EF18.814000
Jul 29, 2021EF00.44000
Jul 29, 2021EF33.453000
Nov 30, 2020EF00.910000
Aug 7, 2020EF14.245000
Aug 4, 2020EF220.8500180
Aug 4, 2020EF03.120000
Oct 31, 2019EF20.525020
Jul 11, 2019EF11.315000
Jul 6, 2019EF00.1500
Jun 13, 2019EF12.120000
Jun 13, 2019EF00.35000
Jul 9, 2015EF00.57500
Sep 4, 2012EF00.22500
May 18, 2011EF00.13320
Aug 22, 2010EF00.38000
Jun 2, 2006F00.825000
Sep 28, 2004F25.015000
Sep 28, 2004F02.51700
Oct 27, 2003F00.53001
Sep 23, 2003F10.810000
Feb 12, 1999F10.54000
Jan 18, 1999F00.220180
Sep 2, 1998F00.33000
May 31, 1998F25.620000
May 31, 1998F13.010000
Nov 2, 1997F00.15000
Sep 8, 1996F00.55000
Jul 22, 1995F00.85000
May 29, 1995F11.55000
Aug 14, 1994F11.010000
Aug 13, 1994F10.310000
Jul 27, 1994F32.0100253
Jul 27, 1994F13.510000
Jul 3, 1994F11.050000
Apr 16, 1994F10.33300
Apr 13, 1994F12.515000
Sep 27, 1993F12.510000
Sep 27, 1993F13.020000
Jul 17, 1992F24.010000
Jul 15, 1992F10.710000
Aug 3, 1991F15.010000
Oct 18, 1990F21.043000
Jul 9, 1990F15.05000
Nov 16, 1989F01.05010
Nov 16, 1989F11.55030
Nov 16, 1989F11.01710
Nov 16, 1989F00.11000
Jun 9, 1989F22.05010
Jun 9, 1989F22.010010
Mar 18, 1989F11.01000
Mar 18, 1989F16.55000
Mar 18, 1989F10.25000
Aug 17, 1988F21.540000
Jul 20, 1988F10.24000
Jul 12, 1987F11.51000
Jul 31, 1985F11.52010
Apr 5, 1984F10.55000
Mar 21, 1983F18.05000
Jun 29, 1982F11.51300
Jul 16, 1980F10.75000
Sep 5, 1979F22.520050
Jun 7, 1978F10.510000
Aug 10, 1977F11.02700
Mar 21, 1976F10.11010
Apr 3, 1975F23.02000
Nov 28, 1973F00.11000
Nov 28, 1973F00.11000
Jun 29, 1973F21.96300
Jun 29, 1973F21.910000
Oct 18, 1967F10.31700
Aug 27, 1967F00.55000
Jul 4, 1966F02.02050
Mar 10, 1964F159.120050
Jul 21, 1962F11.210000
Jun 8, 1961F21.020010
Apr 28, 1961F30.33000
Jul 14, 1960F215.645060
Jun 24, 1960F20.82700
Jul 14, 1958F148.52000
Jul 14, 1958F29.82700
Jul 14, 1958F02.015000
Aug 13, 1956F21.333300
Jul 13, 1956F10.515080
Mar 22, 1955F39.660001
Aug 29, 1950F11.01000
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
  2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

14 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.

Strongest within 50 miles

July 13, 1996

Bertha, Tropical storm

27.3 miles at closest approach, winds near 69 mph.

Most recent

September 2, 2021

Ida, Post-tropical

7.6 miles at closest approach.

Tropical cyclones within 50 miles by decade 50s: 0 60s: 2 2 70s: 2 80s: 0 90s: 1 00s: 1 10s: 1 20s: 0 30s: 0 40s: 0 50s: 2 60s: 1 70s: 1 80s: 0 90s: 1 00s: 1 10s: 0 20s: 1 50s60s70s80s90s00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s00s10s20s
Storms within 50 miles, by decade. Records before about 1900 miss storms that never reached land or ships.

Every storm within 100 miles

Tropical cyclones within 100 miles
Ida20217.6Post-tropical41Category 4
Elsa202166.0Tropical storm58Category 1
Zeta202090.9Post-tropical52Category 3
Isaias202022.0Tropical storm66Category 1
Fay202050.1Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Andrea201373.2Post-tropical46Tropical storm
Sandy201217.1Post-tropical71Category 3
Irene201155.7Tropical storm66Category 3
Hanna200830.4Tropical storm52Category 1
Ernesto200675.5Post-tropical40Category 1
Jeanne200484.6Post-tropical40Category 3
Charley200490.2Post-tropical40Category 4
Floyd199964.0Tropical storm61Category 4
Bertha199627.3Tropical storm69Category 3
Gloria198579.2Category 192Category 4
Henri198597.9Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Belle197693.4Category 184Category 3
Doria197141.6Tropical storm66Tropical storm
Unnamed196894.7Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Unnamed196162.5Tropical storm60Tropical storm
Donna196094.1Category 298Category 4
Brenda196045.2Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Diane195524.4Tropical storm41Category 2
Connie195588.2Tropical storm56Category 4
Able195237.0Tropical storm58Category 2
Unnamed194990.6Tropical storm58Category 4
Unnamed194496.4Post-tropical48Category 4
Unnamed194464.8Tropical storm40Category 1
Unnamed19347.2Post-tropical46Category 2
Unnamed193394.9Tropical storm55Category 4
Unnamed192949.6Post-tropical58Category 4
Unnamed192444.5Post-tropical71Category 1
Unnamed191672.4Post-tropical53Tropical storm
Unnamed191524.9Tropical storm53Category 1
Unnamed190459.9Post-tropical75Category 1
Unnamed190320.0Tropical storm69Category 2
Unnamed190274.2Post-tropical45Tropical storm
Unnamed190074.2Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Unnamed189929.8Post-tropical58Category 2
Unnamed189790.5Tropical storm63Tropical storm
Unnamed189477.5Category 186Category 3
Unnamed189399.2Tropical storm44Tropical storm
Unnamed189342.3Tropical storm63Category 3
Unnamed189373.0Category 189Category 3
Unnamed188843.2Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Unnamed188864.8Tropical storm46Category 3
Unnamed188255.7Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Unnamed187999.3Category 194Category 3
Unnamed187858.2Category 186Category 2
Unnamed187748.6Post-tropical69Category 3
Unnamed187433.8Tropical storm61Category 1
Unnamed187230.2Tropical storm46Category 1
Unnamed186657.1Post-tropical63Tropical storm
Unnamed186327.5Tropical storm54Tropical storm
Unnamed186143.8Tropical storm67Category 1
Unnamed185683.3Tropical storm58Tropical storm
  1. Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.

National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.

Wildfire and smoke

1 large fire burned within 25 miles since 1984.

Largest

June 10, 2023

Buzby Boggs Fire, 527 acres

20.5 miles from the city centre.

Most recent

June 10, 2023

Buzby Boggs Fire

527 acres in total.

Acres burned by large fires within 25 miles, cumulative 2023: 527 527 acres 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Running total of acres burned (line) and each year’s acres (bars).

Every large fire

Large wildfires since 1984
Buzby Boggs202320.5527
  1. Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.

Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.

Smoke overhead

Smokiest year

2023: 56 days

Heavy smoke on 11 days in 2023, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

13.8 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

15 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 25 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 2 2012: 3 2013: 0 2014: 4 2015: 8 2016: 0 2017: 1 2018: 8 2019: 7 2020: 8 2021: 25 2022: 10 2023: 56 56 2024: 8 2025: 15 201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Days each year on which a satellite-traced plume of medium or heavy smoke covered the city centre, 2011 to 2025.
  1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Floods and flood insurance

3,034 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $57.2 million paid.

Flood insurance figures are for Delaware County, the county that contains Lansdowne.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1978: 61 1979: 125 1980: 26 1981: 36 1982: 6 1983: 11 1984: 52 1985: 18 1988: 8 1989: 127 1990: 14 1991: 86 1992: 14 1993: 16 1994: 77 1996: 55 1997: 6 1999: 509 509 2000: 18 2001: 24 2002: 5 2003: 82 2004: 334 2005: 18 2006: 11 2007: 27 2008: 7 2009: 29 2010: 326 2011: 314 2012: 35 2013: 24 2014: 53 2015: 9 2016: 9 2017: 5 2018: 77 2019: 37 2020: 268 2021: 35 2023: 8 2024: 14 2025: 7 197819831990199620022007201220172023
Claims per year since 1978. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

1999: 509 claims

$11.7 million paid.

2nd most

2004: 334 claims

$5.6 million paid.

3rd most

2010: 326 claims

$8.8 million paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
19023553$14.9 million
19015497$9.6 million
19082361$5.0 million
19013191$3.4 million
19083156$977,000
19064145$3.3 million
19087126$674,000
1902987$699,000
1931774$3.6 million
1900866$2.4 million
1906365$581,000
1906163$2.6 million
1907061$875,000
1902656$1.5 million
1901841$1.2 million
1905040$183,000
1901438$627,000
1907335$407,000
1901034$163,000
1908131$232,000
1908629$282,000
1934226$277,000
1903326$570,000
1902224$230,000
1909424$371,000
1903622$194,000
1907820$120,000
1907917$71,000
1906013$109,000
1907612$30,000
1900311$99,000
1904311$53,000
1908511$331,000
193739$20,000
193668$128,000
193317$53,000
193195$149,000
193825$61,000

Flood events since 1996

  • Flash Flood157
  • Flood71
  • Heavy Rain45
  • Coastal Flood38

1 death recorded in flood events since 1996.

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).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

River crests

River gauges in Delaware County, the county that contains Lansdowne.

Most severe crest

September 13, 1971

Chester Creek near Chester, 24.60 ft

16.60 feet above the 8.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.

Most recent moderate or major crest

May 23, 2026

Cobbs Creek at Mt. Moriah Cemetery, 15.76 ft

Moderate flooding.

Highest river crests above flood stage
Sep 13, 1971Chester Creek near Chester24.60+16.60Major
Sep 2, 2021Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford21.04+12.04Major
Sep 16, 1999Chester Creek near Chester19.55+11.55Major
Oct 1, 2010Chester Creek near Chester17.54+9.54Major
Aug 8, 2020Chester Creek near Chester17.38+9.38Major
Aug 4, 2020Chester Creek near Chester17.10+9.10Major
Sep 29, 2004Chester Creek near Chester16.43+8.43Major
Nov 25, 1950Chester Creek near Chester16.21+8.21Major
Sep 17, 1999Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford17.15+8.15Major
Aug 28, 2011Chester Creek near Chester15.76+7.76Major
Jun 22, 1972Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford16.56+7.56Major
May 1, 2014Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford16.05+7.05Major
Aug 4, 2020Cobbs Creek at Mt. Moriah Cemetery18.05+7.05Major
Jun 20, 2003Chester Creek near Chester14.65+6.65Major
Aug 28, 2011Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford15.23+6.23Major
Mar 5, 1920Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford15.00+6.00Major
Aug 9, 1942Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford14.80+5.80Major
Aug 4, 1915Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford14.70+5.70Major
Aug 19, 1955Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford14.64+5.64Major
Jan 25, 1979Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford14.35+5.35Major
Aug 5, 2020Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford14.32+5.32Major
Jan 20, 1996Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford14.23+5.23Major
Jan 26, 1978Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford14.11+5.11Major
Sep 15, 2003Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford13.74+4.74Major
Sep 29, 2004Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford13.62+4.62Major

River gauges

River gauges and their highest listed crests
Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford9.021.04 ftSep 2, 202117
Chester Creek near Chester8.024.60 ftSep 13, 19719
Cobbs Creek at Mt. Moriah Cemetery11.018.05 ftAug 4, 20201
Delaware River at Marcus Hook (IN MLLW)7.710.14 ftOct 30, 20124
  1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

High tide flooding

Tide gauges in Delaware County.

Most in one year, Marcus Hook

11 days

May 2023 to April 2024.

Last ten years

5.0 days a year

At Marcus Hook, 2016–26.

Moderate or major

9 days

Since 2003, 0 of them major.

High tide flooding days per year at Marcus Hook 2003: 2 2004: 2 2005: 1 2006: 3 2007: 1 2008: 1 2009: 5 2010: 2 2011: 7 2012: 5 2013: 2 2014: 1 2017: 4 2018: 6 2019: 5 2020: 2 2021: 5 2022: 2 2023: 11 11 2024: 5 2025: 5 200320132025
Days at or above NOAA’s minor high tide flooding threshold, each meteorological year (May to April) from 1920. Years with less than 80 percent of data are left out.
  1. High tide flooding days are days on which a NOAA tide gauge recorded water at or above NOAA's minor flood threshold, set from the gauge's tide range, counted by meteorological year (May to April). These are the counts in NOAA's annual high tide flooding reports; they are not National Weather Service flood stages. Years with less than 80 percent of data are left out.

NOAA CO-OPS high tide flooding counts, through April 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Drought

In severe drought or worse for 114 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 25 months.

The drought index is for Delaware County, the county that contains Lansdowne.

114

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

36

Months in extreme drought

7%

Share of all months, severe or worse

44

Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996

Lowest reading

February 2002

−5.37, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

25 months

August 1964 to August 1966.

Latest month

September 2026

−1.43, mild drought

Last severe month: July 2026.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 0 1896: 1 1897: 0 1898: 0 1899: 0 1900: 0 1901: 0 1902: 0 1903: 0 1904: 0 1905: 0 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 0 1909: 1 1910: 0 1911: 0 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 1 1915: 0 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 0 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 0 1922: 2 1923: 2 1924: 0 1925: 0 1926: 0 1927: 0 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 2 1931: 5 1932: 0 1933: 0 1934: 0 1935: 0 1936: 0 1937: 0 1938: 0 1939: 0 1940: 0 1941: 3 1942: 2 1943: 0 1944: 0 1945: 0 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 1 1951: 0 1952: 0 1953: 0 1954: 1 1955: 3 1956: 0 1957: 4 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 0 1963: 3 1964: 5 1965: 12 12 1966: 8 1967: 0 1968: 0 1969: 2 1970: 0 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 1 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 3 1986: 2 1987: 0 1988: 0 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 3 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 4 1999: 5 2000: 0 2001: 2 2002: 9 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 0 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 2 2017: 4 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 3 2025: 11 18951905191519251935194519551965197519851995200520152025
Months each year with a Palmer index of −3 or lower, 1895 to 2025. Twelve means the whole year.
  1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Earthquakes

2 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.6 in 1994.

7

Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973

2

Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900

0

Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900

Largest within 50 miles

January 15, 1994

Magnitude 4.6

2 km W of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania; 48.4 miles away, 3.1 miles deep.

Most recent, magnitude 3 or more

August 26, 2003

Magnitude 3.1

4 km NNW of Milford, New Jersey; 46.9 miles away.

Earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles, by year 1973: 1 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 2 2 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 0 1988: 0 1989: 0 1990: 1 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 2 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 1 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 0 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 19731978198319881993199820032008201320182023
Per year, 1973 to 2025.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

Earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
Jan 15, 19944.648.43.12 km W of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania
Jan 15, 19944.246.93.10 km E of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania
  1. Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
  2. Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Severe weather and other events

1,382 events in the National Weather Service record for Delaware County, 1,313 of them since 1996.

32

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

0

Hail, 2 inches or larger

294

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

214

Winter weather events since 1996

107

Heat events since 1996

30

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

July 10, 1992

1.75 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

April 4, 2025

105 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Storm surge and tide1700Aug 27, 2011
Lightning3915Mar 28, 2017
Dense fog and smoke3500Feb 17, 2026

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Sep 16, 1999Flash Flood$15.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Hurricane Floyd battered Eastern Pennsylvania (especially Southeast sections around Philadelphia) on September 16th and brought with it torrential and in some places record breaking rains and damaging winds. The hurricane caused widespread flash flooding as storm totals averaged around six inches in the Poconos and Berks County, eight inches in the Lehigh Valley and from eight to twelve inches in the Greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area. Six people died directly from the hurricane - four drownings and two persons were hit by trees. The hurricane also indirectly contributed to the death of about seven other persons. About 40 persons were seriously injured. There were hundreds of…

  2. Sep 1, 2021Flash Flood$15.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Widespread flash flooding occurred in Delaware County with numerous road closures. Many creeks in the county overflowed their banks, including Chester Creek, Ridley Creek, Crum Creek and Cobbs Creek.

  3. Sep 1, 2021Flash Flood$15.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Widespread flash flooding occurred in Delaware County with numerous road closures. Many creeks in the county overflowed their banks, including Chester Creek, Ridley Creek, Crum Creek and Cobbs Creek.

  4. Aug 1, 2004Flash Flood$10.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Slow moving thunderstorms with torrential downpours caused flash flooding of streams as well as widespread poor drainage flooding in eastern Delaware County. Doppler Radar storm total estimates reached between 5 and 6 inches. Hardest hit were Haverford and Upper Darby Townships as well as Darby Borough. States of emergencies were declared in Darby and Upper Darby. About 660 residents were evacuated from the three municipalities. One hundred forty-two homes, seventy-seven apartments and sixty-nine businesses suffered major damage. In addition, about 400 other homes and 50 other businesses suffered minor damage. Furniture, appliances, household goods and food were all damaged or…

  5. Sep 18, 2003High Wind, Delaware$5.2 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Tropical Storm Isabel produced strong power outage producing winds, moderate tidal flooding along the Delaware River and stream flooding in Chester County. Isabel made landfall as a hurricane near Drum Inlet, North Carolina around 100 p.m. EDT on the 18th and weakened as it tracked farther inland. At one time in its life cycle, it was a powerful Category 5 hurricane when it was north of the Leewood Islands. Winds gusted up to 60 mph in Eastern Pennsylvania and downed countless numbers of trees, tree limbs and power lines. It was the worst outage on record for PECO Energy in southeastern Pennsylvania. About 572,425 of its customers lost power. This exceeded the outages that…

  6. Oct 1, 2010Flood$5.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Flooding along the Darby Creek in Darby Borough was described as the heaviest since Hurricane Floyd. Dozens of families were evacuated and sought shelter at the Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital. People were rescued from the second floor windows on Springfield Road. Water was six to seven feet deep at the intersection of Springfield Road and MacDade Boulevard. A few homes in the borough were severely flooded as well as one automobile parts store. Major flooding also occurred along the entire length of Chester Creek from Thornbury Township into Chester City. About sixty homes were damaged in Chester City. Upland and Brookhaven also had flooding along the Creek. There were about 100 county…

  7. Feb 9, 2010Winter Storm, Delaware$2.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    For the second time within a week a major winter storm affected Eastern Pennsylvania on the 10th and 11th and smashed seasonal snowfall records in the Philadelphia area. Snowfall averaged one to two feet with some locally higher amounts in the Philadelphia northwest suburbs. ||Around the local Philadelphia area, snow began during the early evening on the 9th. As warmer air moved in aloft, the snow changed to sleet and freezing rain between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. EST on the 10th. Surface temperatures responded slower and the sleet and freezing rain changed over to rain during the morning of the 10th. Some sleet mixed in from time to time. As the low pressure system moved northeast of…

  8. Jun 23, 2015Thunderstorm Wind$2.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Chester City was also hard hit by the powerful macroburst associated with the line of severe thunderstorms. About twenty homes and buildings were condemned because of wind damage including fallen trees. Buildings along the Avenue Of The States as well as trees within city parks were particularly hard hit. A tractor-trailer along Interstate 95 was overturned by the severe thunderstorm. the driver was not injured. Wind damage in the city was estimated at 2.5 million dollars.

  9. Jan 7, 1996Blizzard, Delaware$1.4 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    The Blizzard of '96, the second coined "STORM OF THE CENTURY" of this decade brought record breaking snow to most of Southeast Pennsylvania and paralyzed the region for several days, caused most municipalities to exceed their annual snow budgets during this one storm, caused several building collapses and caused directly or directly 42 deaths and countless injuries. Six persons died of hypothermia, 4 in Philadelphia, 1 in Delaware County and 1 in Lehigh County. Some were homeless persons, but one woman in Allentown accidentally locked herself out of her home. Twenty-nine persons suffered heart attacks and died while shoveling snow, using snowblowers or trying to walk in the deep…

  10. Jun 23, 2015Thunderstorm Wind$1.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    An extremely powerful macroburst associated with a severe thunderstorm cut a swath of wind damage across the eastern side of Aston Township to the east of Concord Road. Peak wind gusts were estimated to reach 85 mph. Shingles and siding was ripped from homes as well as numerous homes that were struck by fallen trees. About fifteen homes were condemned in the township. Wind damage from the macroburst continued southeast through Chester City.

  1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

Weather records

From Phila International Airport, 5.3 miles from the city centre, with records from 1940.

All-time high
104°FJul 3, 1966
All-time low
−7°F2 times, most recently Jan 22, 1984
Warmest night
83°F2 times, most recently Jul 23, 2011
Coldest day
6°FJan 19, 1994
Wettest day
8.02 inJul 28, 2013
Snowiest day
27.6 inJan 7, 1996
Hottest year
2012mean 58.9°F
Coldest year
1963mean 52.0°F
Wettest year
201164.33 in
Driest year
196529.34 in
Snowiest season
78.7 in2009-10
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Phila International Airport 32°F 41° 27° 3.1 Jan 45° 29° 2.8 Feb 54° 36° 3.9 Mar 65° 45° 3.6 Apr 74° 55° 3.4 May 83° 65° 4.3 Jun 88° 71° 4.3 Jul 86° 69° 4.5 Aug 79° 62° 4.4 Sep 68° 51° 3.5 Oct 56° 40° 2.8 Nov 46° 32° 4.1 Dec Precipitation, inches
Average daily high and low by month, and average monthly precipitation, over the last 30 years.
Days reaching 95°F per year 1976: 0 1977: 5 1978: 2 1979: 0 1980: 10 1981: 1 1982: 0 1983: 9 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 3 1987: 5 1988: 18 1989: 0 1990: 2 1991: 17 1992: 1 1993: 16 1994: 8 1995: 11 1996: 0 1997: 6 1998: 1 1999: 11 2000: 0 2001: 4 2002: 19 19 2003: 4 2004: 0 2005: 9 2006: 5 2007: 5 2008: 7 2009: 2 2010: 17 2011: 11 2012: 13 2013: 4 2014: 2 2015: 6 2016: 14 2017: 3 2018: 8 2019: 6 2020: 7 2021: 6 2022: 11 2023: 5 2024: 14 2025: 8 19761986199620062016
Days reaching 95°F each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 6.9.
Snowfall by winter 1976: 18.7 in 1977: 54.9 in 1978: 40.2 in 1979: 20.9 in 1980: 15.4 in 1981: 25.4 in 1982: 37.9 in 1983: 21.6 in 1984: 16.5 in 1985: 16.4 in 1986: 25.7 in 1987: 15.0 in 1988: 11.2 in 1989: 17.0 in 1990: 14.6 in 1991: 4.7 in 1992: 24.3 in 1993: 23.1 in 1994: 9.8 in 1995: 65.5 in 1996: 12.9 in 1997: 0.8 in 1998: 12.5 in 1999: 21.0 in 2000: 26.1 in 2001: 4.0 in 2002: 46.3 in 2003: 18.0 in 2004: 30.4 in 2005: 19.5 in 2006: 13.4 in 2007: 6.3 in 2008: 22.9 in 2009: 78.7 in 78.7 2010: 44.0 in 2011: 4.0 in 2012: 8.3 in 2013: 68.0 in 2014: 27.0 in 2015: 27.5 in 2016: 15.0 in 2017: 29.8 in 2018: 17.1 in 2019: 0.3 in 2020: 23.9 in 2021: 12.9 in 2022: 0.3 in 2023: 11.2 in 2024: 8.1 in 2025: 30.1 in 19761986199620062016
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

Median first snow

December 13

Earliest: October 10, 1979

Median last snow

March 14

Latest: April 27, 1967

1 of 85 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Phila International Airport (USW00013739), 7 ft elevation, 5.3 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1940 to October 27, 2026; 100.0% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

Federal disaster declarations

24 since 1953. The most recent: Remnants of Hurricane Ida, September 10, 2021.

Declarations for Delaware County.

Federal disaster declarations
Sep 10, 2021HurricaneRemnants of Hurricane IdaMajor disasterDR-4618-PA
Mar 30, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4506-PA
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3441-PA
Feb 6, 2014Severe Ice StormSevere Winter StormEmergencyEM-3367-PA
Oct 29, 2012HurricaneHurricane SandyEmergencyEM-3356-PA
Sep 12, 2011FloodTropical Storm LeeMajor disasterDR-4030-PA
Sep 8, 2011FloodRemnants of Tropical Storm LeeEmergencyEM-3340-PA
Sep 3, 2011HurricaneHurricane IreneMajor disasterDR-4025-PA
Aug 29, 2011HurricaneHurricane IreneEmergencyEM-3339-PA
Apr 16, 2010SnowstormSevere Winter Storms and SnowstormsMajor disasterDR-1898-PA
Sep 10, 2005HurricaneHurricane KatrinaEmergencyEM-3235-PA
Sep 19, 2004HurricaneTropical Depression IvanMajor disasterDR-1557-PA
Sep 19, 2004Severe StormSevere Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression FrancesMajor disasterDR-1555-PA
Aug 6, 2004Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1538-PA
Mar 14, 2003Severe StormSnowEmergencyEM-3180-PA
Sep 18, 1999HurricaneHurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsMajor disasterDR-1294-PA
Jan 21, 1996FloodSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1093-PA
Jan 13, 1996SnowstormBlizzard of 96Major disasterDR-1085-PA
Mar 10, 1994Severe StormSevere Winter StormsMajor disasterDR-1015-PA
Mar 16, 1993SnowstormSevere Snowfall & Winter StormEmergencyEM-3105-PA
Jul 17, 1973FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-400-PA
Jun 23, 1972FloodTropical Storm AgnesMajor disasterDR-340-PA
Sep 18, 1971FloodFloodsMajor disasterDR-312-PA
Aug 18, 1965DroughtWater ShortageMajor disasterDR-206-PA

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).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

Sources and vintage

Every number on this page comes from these public records.

  • Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
  • Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
  • Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
  • Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
  • Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
  • Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00013739.
  • River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Tide gauges NOAA CO-OPS high tide flooding counts, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
  • Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.