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West Mifflin, PA Tornado History — 71 Tornadoes Since 1950

Pennsylvania · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has West Mifflin, PA had?

West Mifflin has had 71 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 3 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near West Mifflin?

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

When is tornado season in West Mifflin?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near West Mifflin, with 27 on record. Spring through early summer (April–June) generally sees the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
71
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
3
4.2% of total
Peak Month
June
27 on record
Per Year Avg
0.9
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near West Mifflin

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

2026 0+3 prelim
2025 1
2024 12
2023 0
2022 0
2021 5
2020 2
2019 0
2018 5
2017 2
2016 1
2015 0
2014 0
2013 0
2012 2
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 West Mifflin since December 29, 2025

These are 3 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 June 8, 2026
1 E Centerville, Washington County, PA
Preliminary June 6, 2026
4 ESE Smithton, Westmoreland County, PA
Preliminary June 6, 2026
1 SSE Ellsworth, Washington County, PA

Within 25 miles of West Mifflin. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 4
1960s 3
1970s 10
1980s 7
1990s 12
2000s 4
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 25
EF1 30
EF2 12
EF3 2
EF4 1
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 0
Mar 1
Apr 4
May 10
Jun 27
Jul 10
Aug 5
Sep 3
Oct 7
Nov 3
Dec 1

Casualties on Record Near West Mifflin

3 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of West Mifflin since 1950, across 2 events. 313 injuries have been reported across all events. 1963 was the deadliest year on record.

The deadliest single event was a F3 on August 3, 1963, which caused 2 fatalities along a 0.1-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near West Mifflin

Deadliest Tornado
F3 on August 3, 1963 — 2 fatalities, 0.1 mi path, 10 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.

About Tornadoes in West Mifflin

This overview was written July 27, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.

The West Mifflin, Pennsylvania area sits within a part of the country where tornadoes are a recurring part of the climate rather than a rare anomaly. The tornado history summarized on this page is drawn from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center's severe weather database, which covers the area within the search radius shown above. The counts, ratings and individual events listed on this page are generated directly from that database and update as it is revised, so they always reflect the current record rather than a snapshot frozen at the time this summary was written.

Activity in this area concentrates most heavily in the summer months, when daytime heating does most of the work. The underlying setup is a familiar one: moisture riding north ahead of strong frontal systems interacts with summer heating and complex terrain. Tornadoes here are less frequent than in the Plains or the South, but they do occur, and tree cover and rolling terrain can make them difficult to see coming.

Tornado intensity is described using the Enhanced Fujita scale, which runs from EF0 for the weakest tornadoes to EF5 for the most extreme, and which rates a tornado by the damage it leaves behind rather than by wind speed measured directly. Most tornadoes in the area have been at the weaker end of the scale, but the record also includes violent tornadoes at the top of it. That matters more than the raw frequency does: a single violent tornado can cause more damage and loss than decades of weaker events combined. Tornadoes in this area have caused loss of life; the casualty figures and the specific events behind them are listed above, straight from the record.

One caveat is worth carrying into any look at the numbers above: the modern record begins in 1950, and reported tornado counts have risen over the decades in large part because detection and reporting have improved. Doppler radar, storm spotter networks, mobile phones and denser development all mean that tornadoes which would once have gone unrecorded are now documented. A rising count does not by itself prove that more tornadoes are forming. The practical takeaway for West Mifflin residents is unchanged: know where your safe room is, keep a way to receive warnings that will wake you at night, and treat every warning as though it applies to you, because the record here shows that it can.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has West Mifflin, PA had?
Since 1950, 71 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of West Mifflin. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near West Mifflin?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of West Mifflin was a F3 on August 3, 1963, which caused 2 fatalities.
When is tornado season in West Mifflin?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near West Mifflin, with 27 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 West Mifflin been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of West Mifflin, 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 West Mifflin?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of West Mifflin was an EF1 on May 21, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for West Mifflin?
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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