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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Allentown, NJ

Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.

48 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Allentown, New Jersey since 1851, 9 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ida in 2021. Since 1950, 69 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
9

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
39

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
69

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
4

1 deaths in all

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Allentown

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Allentown, New Jersey, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2021IdaSep 25 miTropical storm (43 mph)Category 4
2021ElsaJul 950 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
2020IsaiasAug 445 miTropical storm (64 mph)Category 1
2020FayJul 1014 miTropical storm (41 mph)Tropical storm
2013AndreaJun 852 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2012SandyOct 3043 miCategory 1 (77 mph)Category 3
2011IreneAug 2822 miTropical storm (64 mph)Category 3
2008HannaSep 711 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 1
2004CharleyAug 1572 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 4
1999FloydSep 1636 miTropical storm (61 mph)Category 4
1996BerthaJul 132 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1985GloriaSep 2751 miCategory 1 (90 mph)Category 4
1985HenriSep 2471 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1976BelleAug 1059 miCategory 1 (79 mph)Category 3
1972AgnesJun 2255 miTropical storm (61 mph)Category 1
1971DoriaAug 2813 miTropical storm (54 mph)Tropical storm
1968Unnamed 1968 stormSep 1161 miTropical storm (59 mph)Tropical storm
1961Unnamed 1961 stormSep 1540 miTropical storm (61 mph)Tropical storm
1960DonnaSep 1264 miCategory 2 (98 mph)Category 4
1960BrendaJul 3022 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1955DianeAug 1921 miTropical storm (45 mph)Category 2
1952AbleSep 148 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 2
1944Unnamed 1944 stormSep 1474 miCategory 2 (105 mph)Category 5
1944Unnamed 1944 stormAug 362 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1934Unnamed 1934 stormSep 868 miCategory 1 (76 mph)Category 2
1934Unnamed 1934 stormJun 192 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1924Unnamed 1924 stormSep 3014 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 1
1916Unnamed 1916 stormMay 1752 miTropical storm (54 mph)Tropical storm
1915Unnamed 1915 stormAug 433 miTropical storm (55 mph)Category 1
1904Unnamed 1904 stormSep 1543 miCategory 1 (77 mph)Category 1
1903Unnamed 1903 stormSep 1620 miTropical storm (67 mph)Category 2
1902Unnamed 1902 stormJun 1653 miTropical storm (44 mph)Tropical storm
1900Unnamed 1900 stormOct 1442 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1899Unnamed 1899 stormNov 151 miTropical storm (56 mph)Category 2
1897Unnamed 1897 stormSep 2461 miTropical storm (63 mph)Tropical storm
1894Unnamed 1894 stormOct 1054 miCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 2955 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 2436 miCategory 1 (87 mph)Category 3
1888Unnamed 1888 stormSep 1127 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1888Unnamed 1888 stormAug 2263 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3
1882Unnamed 1882 stormSep 2440 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1877Unnamed 1877 stormOct 536 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1874Unnamed 1874 stormSep 2912 miTropical storm (64 mph)Category 1
1872Unnamed 1872 stormOct 2612 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1866Unnamed 1866 stormOct 3022 miTropical storm (62 mph)Tropical storm
1863Unnamed 1863 stormSep 191 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1861Unnamed 1861 stormSep 2820 miTropical storm (66 mph)Category 1
1856Unnamed 1856 stormAug 2072 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm

Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Allentown: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.

Tornadoes within 25 miles of Allentown

By decade

  • 2020s19(1 EF3+)
  • 2010s9
  • 2000s6
  • 1990s11(1 EF3+)
  • 1980s9
  • 1970s3(1 EF3+)
  • 1960s6(1 EF3+)
  • 1950s6
Strongest tornadoes near Allentown, New Jersey
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Jul 29, 2021EF319 mi3.4 mi0 / 0
Oct 18, 1990F324 mi0.5 mi0 / 8
Sep 26, 1977F315 mi5.9 mi0 / 0
Jun 24, 1960F36 mi12.9 mi0 / 0
Apr 1, 2023EF216 mi1.59 mi0 / 0
Apr 1, 2023EF210 mi2.1 mi0 / 0
Feb 21, 2023EF27 mi5.8 mi0 / 0
Jul 29, 2021EF217 mi6.31 mi0 / 0
Aug 4, 2020EF221 mi20.77 mi0 / 18
May 27, 2001F218 mi1.5 mi0 / 0
May 31, 1998F221 mi5.6 mi0 / 0
Aug 17, 1988F210 mi4.5 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 69, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

How to read this page

A storm is listed when the centre of its track passed within 75 miles of Allentown while it was at least a tropical storm, which is the reach of damaging wind and rain for a typical hurricane. Being on the list does not mean the city took a direct hit; the "closest" column says how near the centre came. Tornadoes are counted when any part of the path came within 25 miles.

Tornado records before the 1990s are thinner, because weak tornadoes in open country often went unreported before Doppler radar and mobile phones. A rise in the decade counts is mostly better reporting, not a change in the weather.

Tracks come from the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2 database, tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center's database. Both are the official federal records and both are revised as old storms are re-analysed.

Other cities in New Jersey