Tornado History
Lancaster Tornado History
This county-level tornado history page focuses on Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The records below identify 36 tornadoes from 1950 through 2025, including a highest listed rating of F3 (Severe damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $26.3M, with 0 deaths and 40 injuries recorded across the listed events.
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Key Tornado Statistics
Key Tornado Facts for Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.
Average 0.5 tornadoes per year (0.7/yr in last decade)
May is the peak tornado month with 9 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F3 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with 0 deaths
2004 was the most active year with 3 tornadoes
The 2000s had the most tornado activity (7 events)
Longest tornado: 16.56 miles in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Widest tornado: 1,760.0 yards in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Most tornadoes in one day: 2 on Jun 15, 1989
Monthly Distribution
Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.
Summary: In Lancaster, Pennsylvania, May is the most active month with 9 tornadoes.
Annual Tornado Trend
Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.
Summary: 2004 was the most active year with 3 recorded tornadoes.
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.
Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 2016 with at least $8.0M in NOAA-listed property damage.
Historical Track Sketch
This map covers the wider location—not your exact property.Measure the closest recorded track to a street address in or near Lancaster, 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.
| Date | Rating | Area | Length | Width | Deaths | Injuries | Min. property damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 4, 1950 | F3 | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | 4.7 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K |
| February 24, 2016 | EF2 | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | 4.87 mi | 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $8.0M |
| July 29, 1961 | F2 | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | 13.4 mi | 500 yd | 0 | 2 | $2.5M |
| June 15, 1989 | F2 | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | 3 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M |
| July 31, 1985 | F2 | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | 3 mi | 20 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K |
| June 15, 1989 | F2 | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | 4 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K |
| May 6, 1991 | F2 | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | 1 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K |
| July 2, 1970 | F2 | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | 1 mi | 1760 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| August 17, 1974 | F2 | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | 0.7 mi | 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| November 23, 1953 | F2 | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | 0.1 mi | 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| May 31, 1998 | F2 | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | 7 mi | 880 yd | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| October 19, 2012 | EF1 | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | 16.56 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 15 | $6.0M |
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Related Location Pages
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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.