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Plum, PA Tornado History — 71 Tornadoes Since 1950

Pennsylvania · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Plum, PA had?

Plum has had 71 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 4 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Plum?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Plum was an EF1 on May 21, 2025.

When is tornado season in Plum?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Plum, with 25 on record. April through June account for 44 of the 71 tornadoes on record near Plum.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
71
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
4
5.6% of total
Peak Month
June
25 on record
Per Year Avg
0.9
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Plum

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 32 total, averaging 1.6 per year over this window.

2026 0+2 prelim
2025 1
2024 13
2023 0
2022 0
2021 4
2020 2
2019 0
2018 5
2017 1
2016 2
2015 1
2014 0
2013 0
2012 1
2011 1
2010 0
2009 0
2008 0
2007 1

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Plum 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 16, 2026
1 SSE Orchard Hills, Armstrong County, PA
Corrects previous tornado report from 1 SSE Orchard Hills. NWS Storm Survey confirms an EF-0 tornado with maximum wind of 85 mph in Orchard Hills. (PBZ)
Preliminary July 18, 2026
2 NNE Mcchesneytown-Loy, Westmoreland County, PA
Video from a storm chaser confirmed a rotating condensation funnel in contact with the ground along Stewarts Road. Time estimated from radar. (PBZ)

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

What storm spotters reported near Plum

One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of Plum and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on May 21, 2025 and the most recent on May 21, 2025. It is already counted in the Plum totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.

May 21, 2025
Finleyville, Washington County, PA
Tornado confirmed with damage noted near the Gastonville area. (PBZ)

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

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 4
1960s 3
1970s 9
1980s 9
1990s 10
2000s 5
2010s 11
2020s 20

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 29
EF1 25
EF2 12
EF3 3
EF4 1
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 0
Mar 1
Apr 6
May 13
Jun 25
Jul 9
Aug 5
Sep 3
Oct 6
Nov 2
Dec 1

Casualties on Record Near Plum

12 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Plum since 1950, across 3 events. 420 injuries have been reported across all events. 1985 was the deadliest year on record near Plum.

The deadliest single event was an F3 on May 31, 1985, which caused 9 fatalities along a 39.0-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Plum

Deadliest Tornado
F3 on May 31, 1985 — 9 fatalities, 39.0 mi path, 243 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F4 on June 3, 1980 — est. ~$275.0M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F2 on June 15, 1964 — 800 yards wide.
Longest Path
F2 on June 4, 1975 — 45.3 mile track.
Most Recent
EF1 on May 21, 2025.

What the record shows near Plum

The 2020s are the busiest decade on record so far near Plum, with 20 of the 71 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles. The Plum record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Plum, 54 reached EF0 or EF1 and 16 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Plum is rated EF4, of which 1 is logged. A further 1 near Plum is unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.

Across the last 20 years Plum has averaged 1.6 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 32 in total. 2024 was the busiest of them with 13, and 9 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Plum, PA had?
Since 1950, 71 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Plum. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Plum?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Plum was an F3 on May 31, 1985, which caused 9 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Plum?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Plum, with 25 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.
Has Plum been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Plum, there has been 0 EF5 and 1 EF4 tornado recorded since 1950. EF4 and EF5 tornadoes are the most destructive ratings on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds above 166 mph.
When was the most recent tornado near Plum?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Plum was an EF1 on May 21, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Plum?
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

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