Tornado History

Elk Tornado History

This county-level tornado history page focuses on Elk, Pennsylvania. The records below identify 16 tornadoes from 1963 through 2025, including a highest listed rating of F4 (Devastating damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $2.9M, with 0 deaths and 21 injuries recorded across the listed events.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes16
Total Deaths0
Total Injuries21
Property Damage$2.9M
Avg Length2.8 mi
Avg Width201 yd

Key Tornado Facts for Elk, Pennsylvania

Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.

Average 0.3 tornadoes per year (0.7/yr in last decade)
May is the peak tornado month with 7 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F3 in Elk, Pennsylvania with 0 deaths
1985 was the most active year with 2 tornadoes
The 2000s had the most tornado activity (4 events)
Longest tornado: 11.5 miles in Elk, Pennsylvania
Widest tornado: 1,000.0 yards in Elk, Pennsylvania
Most tornadoes in one day: 2 on May 31, 1985

Monthly Distribution

Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Summary: In Elk, Pennsylvania, May is the most active month with 7 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.

20

Summary: 1985 was the most active year with 2 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
EF0
F1
EF1
F2
EF2
F3
F4

Summary: EF1 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 7 recorded events.

Property Damage Trends

Visualizes reported property damage over time. Bars use a log-like scale so very large damage years do not flatten the rest of the chart.

$2.5M$250K$25K$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 1963 with at least $2.5M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Historical Track Sketch

F4 May 31, 19851985F3 September 3, 19631963F2 May 31, 19851985EF2 May 1, 20172017EF1 March 16, 20252025EF1 October 16, 20212021F1 June 20, 20012001EF1 July 26, 20092009EF1 August 21, 20182018F1 May 31, 19981998F1 August 19, 20012001EF1 August 9, 20092009EF1 May 1, 20172017EF1 May 4, 20212021F0 May 31, 1998EF0 October 2, 2018© OpenStreetMap contributors
This map covers the wider location—not your exact property.Measure the closest recorded track to a street address in or near Elk, Pennsylvania.
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Notable Tornado Records

The table highlights the strongest and most damaging records in this page's local dataset. Damage totals are NOAA-reported minimum estimates where available.

DateRatingAreaLengthWidthDeathsInjuriesMin. property damage
May 31, 1985F4Elk, Pennsylvania11.5 mi1000 yd00N/A
September 3, 1963F3Elk, Pennsylvania8.4 mi100 yd020$2.5M
May 31, 1985F2Elk, Pennsylvania10.5 mi300 yd00N/A
May 1, 2017EF2Elk, Pennsylvania0.53 mi175 yd00N/A
March 16, 2025EF1Elk, Pennsylvania0.51 mi200 yd00$350K
October 16, 2021EF1Elk, Pennsylvania0.64 mi260 yd01$20K
June 20, 2001F1Elk, Pennsylvania3 mi60 yd00$10K
July 26, 2009EF1Elk, Pennsylvania1.25 mi30 yd00$5K
August 21, 2018EF1Elk, Pennsylvania1.06 mi300 yd00$5K
May 31, 1998F1Elk, Pennsylvania3 mi100 yd00N/A
August 19, 2001F1Elk, Pennsylvania2 mi100 yd00N/A
August 9, 2009EF1Elk, Pennsylvania0.25 mi150 yd00N/A
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Source And Limits

Data sourced from NOAA Storm Prediction Center and the NCEI Storm Events Database. TornadoTrace summarizes reported weather events for screening and research; it is not a damage assessment, inspection, or insurance determination. Coordinates and records can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. No warranty of completeness or accuracy.

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