VORTEX
TORNADO HISTORY
← All Cities

Middletown, DE Tornado History — 73 Tornadoes Since 1950

Delaware · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Middletown, DE had?

Middletown has had 73 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 2 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Middletown?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Middletown was an EF1 on August 8, 2024.

When is tornado season in Middletown?

July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Middletown, with 20 on record. April through June account for 21 of the 73 tornadoes on record near Middletown.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
73
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
2
2.7% of total
Peak Month
July
20 on record
Per Year Avg
1.0
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Middletown

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 14 total, averaging 0.7 per year over this window.

2026 0+2 prelim
2025 0
2024 1
2023 2
2022 0
2021 0
2020 5
2019 1
2018 0
2017 0
2016 0
2015 1
2014 1
2013 1
2012 0
2011 1
2010 1
2009 0
2008 0
2007 0

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Middletown since December 29, 2025

These are 2 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.

Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.

Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.

Preliminary August 20, 2026
Dover, Kent County, DE
Trained spotter reported a rain wrapped tornado on the ground... flying debris. (PHI)
Preliminary August 20, 2026
2 W Barclay, Queen Annes County, MD
A brief tornado occurred near Barclay... snapping and uprooting several softwood and hardwood trees in a wooded area next to a residence located near the intersection o (PHI)

Within 25 miles of Middletown. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

What storm spotters reported near Middletown

One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of Middletown and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on June 19, 2025 and the most recent on June 19, 2025. It is already counted in the Middletown totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.

June 19, 2025
3 SE Worton, Kent County, MD
Winds took down a tree in the Goose Hill area... which landed on power wires and snapped a telephone pole in half. Additional wind damage in a nearby wooded area... whe (PHI)

Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 4
1960s 6
1970s 15
1980s 10
1990s 16
2000s 8
2010s 6
2020s 8

Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating

F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.

EF0 17
EF1 37
EF2 17
EF3 2

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 1
Mar 3
Apr 5
May 9
Jun 7
Jul 20
Aug 14
Sep 6
Oct 4
Nov 4
Dec 0

Casualties on Record Near Middletown

3 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Middletown since 1950, across 2 events. 81 injuries have been reported across all events. 1983 was the deadliest year on record near Middletown.

The deadliest single event was an F2 on July 21, 1983, which caused 2 fatalities along a 1.0-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Middletown

Deadliest Tornado
F2 on July 21, 1983 — 2 fatalities, 1.0 mi path, 20 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F3 on July 27, 1994 — est. ~$2.8M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
EF1 on June 13, 2019 — 580 yards wide.
Longest Path
EF2 on August 4, 2020 — 35.8 mile track.
Most Recent
EF1 on August 8, 2024.

What the record shows near Middletown

The 1990s were the busiest decade near Middletown, with 16 of the 73 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 8 so far. The Middletown record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Middletown, 54 reached EF0 or EF1 and 19 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Middletown is rated EF3, of which 2 are logged.

Across the last 20 years Middletown has averaged 0.7 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 14 in total. 2020 was the busiest of them with 5, and 11 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Middletown, DE had?
Since 1950, 73 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Middletown. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Middletown?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Middletown was an F2 on July 21, 1983, which caused 2 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Middletown?
July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Middletown, with 20 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
When was the most recent tornado near Middletown?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Middletown was an EF1 on August 8, 2024.
How do I get tornado warnings for Middletown?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

More Cities in Delaware