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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Orchard Park, NY

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

10 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Orchard Park, New York since 1851, 1 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Frances in 2004. Since 1950, 34 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
1

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
9

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
34

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
2

no recorded deaths

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Orchard Park

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Orchard Park, New York, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2004FrancesSep 941 miTropical storm (39 mph)Category 4
1995OpalOct 617 miTropical storm (41 mph)Category 4
1989HugoSep 2321 miTropical storm (41 mph)Category 5
1955ConnieAug 1465 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 4
1954HazelOct 1631 miCategory 1 (75 mph)Category 4
1902Unnamed 1902 stormJun 2967 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1896Unnamed 1896 stormSep 3054 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormOct 1459 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1878Unnamed 1878 stormSep 13overheadTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1876Unnamed 1876 stormSep 1866 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3

Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Orchard Park: 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 Orchard Park

By decade

  • 2020s6
  • 2010s4
  • 2000s3
  • 1990s9
  • 1980s1
  • 1970s5(1 EF3+)
  • 1960s5(1 EF3+)
  • 1950s1
Strongest tornadoes near Orchard Park, New York
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Aug 19, 1970F37 mi2.3 mi0 / 3
Jul 24, 1967F324 mi11.4 mi0 / 0
Jul 10, 2024EF28 mi3.2 mi0 / 0
Jul 28, 2022EF224 mi10 mi0 / 0
Jul 20, 2017EF23 mi6.11 mi0 / 0
Jul 30, 1987F211 mi1.5 mi0 / 1
May 2, 1972F212 mi12 mi0 / 0
Aug 23, 1971F211 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
Jul 7, 1961F217 mi7.8 mi0 / 0
Aug 5, 2024EF111 mi1.4 mi0 / 0
Jul 10, 2024EF15 mi2.8 mi0 / 0
Jul 25, 2009EF121 mi4.12 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 34, 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 Orchard Park 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.

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