Delaware experiences relatively infrequent severe weather compared to the central United States, with 78 confirmed tornadoes, 158 hailstorm events and 1,037 damaging-wind events recorded by the National Weather Service since 1950. The state ranks among the lowest in the country for tornado frequency, and averages 1 tornadoes per year over the 75-year record. The interactive map below plots every significant severe-weather event in Delaware from the official NOAA Storm Events Database (1950 through September 2025).
Use the map to find your county, click any marker for the date, magnitude, and casualty details of that event, and switch between tornadoes, hail and wind using the chips. For the national view across all 50 states, see our NOAA Storm Reports interactive map. For tornado tracks specifically, see the US Tornado Tracks map; for hail size and frequency, the US Hailstorms map.
—Significant events
—Tornadoes
—Hailstorms ≥ 2″
—Wind ≥ 65 kt
—Direct deaths
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Delaware Severe Weather by the Numbers (1950–2025)
78 tornadoes recorded between 1950 and 2025
17 violent tornadoes rated F2/EF2 or stronger
3 direct tornado deaths and 76 direct injuries
158 hailstorm events recorded by the NWS
1,037 damaging-wind events on record
1 tornadoes per year on average across the 75-year record
July is the peak severe-weather month, accounting for roughly 28.2% of Delaware tornadoes
33 total direct deaths from all severe-weather event types tracked by the NWS
When Delaware Severe Weather Happens
Delaware tornado activity peaks in spring, with March through June accounting for about 35% of all events. The single busiest month is July, which alone produces around 28.2% of recorded tornadoes.
July: 22 tornadoes (28.2%) — peak month
August: 17 tornadoes (21.8%)
June: 11 tornadoes (14.1%)
April: 8 tornadoes (10.3%)
September: 7 tornadoes (9%)
May: 4 tornadoes (5.1%)
Delaware Tornado Strength Distribution
Most Delaware tornadoes are weak: roughly 78% are rated F0/EF0 or F1/EF1. Violent tornadoes (F2+/EF2+) account for around 22.4% of rated tornadoes in the state.
F0/EF0 (weak): 25 tornadoes — 32.9% of rated events
F1/EF1: 34 tornadoes — 44.7% of rated events
F2/EF2 (strong): 15 tornadoes — 19.7% of rated events
F3/EF3: 2 tornadoes — 2.6% of rated events
Record-Setting Severe Weather in Delaware
Largest hailstone: 2.50 inches in diameter, observed in New Castle County near Harnous Corner on May 22, 2014. The three largest hailstones on record in Delaware measured 2.50″, 2.25″, 2.00″.
Highest measured wind gust: 85 knots (98 mph) recorded in Sussex County near Bridgeville on April 1, 2023. Most damaging-wind events in Delaware are estimated rather than measured because anemometers are sparse across the rural areas where supercells most often produce destructive thunderstorm winds.
How Delaware Compares Nationally
Delaware ranks among the lowest in the country for tornado frequency, with severe-weather activity well below the central-US average.
Delaware hail total: 158 hail events on record since 1950.
Delaware wind total: 1,037 damaging-wind events on record since 1950.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tornadoes does Delaware have on average per year?
Delaware averages 1 tornadoes per year over the 1950–2025 period. Counts vary widely year to year, but the long-term mean over 75 years of NWS records is a reliable benchmark for typical activity.
How does Delaware compare to its neighbors?
Delaware shares a severe-weather climate with Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland. Severe storms regularly cross state lines, so the same supercells, hail cores and wind events often appear in Delaware’s neighbors’ records on the same date.
How recent is the data on this map?
The map and statistics on this page are pulled from NOAA’s official Storm Events Database, which currently runs from January 1950 through September 2025. New records typically appear in the database within 30–90 days of the event date, once damage surveys and ratings are complete.
Compare Delaware to Neighboring States
Severe weather doesn’t stop at state lines. The same supercell systems that produce Delaware tornadoes regularly cross into neighboring states. Compare Delaware’s storm history to its land neighbors:
I'm Daniel O'Donohue, the voice and creator behind The MapScaping Podcast ( A podcast for the geospatial community ). With a professional background as a geospatial specialist, I've spent years harnessing the power of spatial to unravel the complexities of our world, one layer at a time.
