Tornadoes in Delaware
The Storm Prediction Center records 79 tornadoes that touched Delaware between 1954 and 2025, and 74 of them began there. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in every state it touched. They killed 5 people and injured 94. The busiest month is July, with 22 tornadoes.
- 79tornadoes
- 5deaths
- 94injuries
- 405per 10,000 sq mi of land
- 3counties touched
Tornadoes per 10,000 square miles lets you compare states of different sizes. It counts every tornado that touched the state.
How strong were Delaware's tornadoes?
| Rating | Tornadoes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | 26 | 33% |
| F1 / EF1 | 36 | 46% |
| F2 / EF2 | 15 | 19% |
| F3 / EF3 | 2 | 3% |
| F4 / EF4 | 0 | 0% |
| F5 / EF5 | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown rating | 0 | 0% |
Delaware tornadoes over time
The 2020s only run to 2025, so that bar is for a shorter period. The record starts in 1954.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 5 |
| 1960s | 8 |
| 1970s | 14 |
| 1980s | 10 |
| 1990s | 20 |
| 2000s | 2 |
| 2010s | 8 |
| 2020s | 12 |
The record has changed over the decades as detection and reporting improved, so more weak tornadoes show up in recent years than in the 1950s. The year with the most in Delaware was 1992, with 6.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 1 |
| Feb | 0 |
| Mar | 4 |
| Apr | 8 |
| May | 5 |
| Jun | 11 |
| Jul | 22 |
| Aug | 15 |
| Sep | 8 |
| Oct | 3 |
| Nov | 2 |
| Dec | 0 |
Deadliest tornadoes that touched Delaware
- Delaware tornado21 July 1983, F2, 2 deaths, 9 injuries, 1 mile long
- Bridgeville, Delaware tornado1 April 2023, EF3, 1 death, 14.3 miles long
- Pennsylvania tornado5 September 1979, F2, 1 death, 4 injuries, 4.1 miles long
- Maryland tornado8 May 1984, F1, 1 death, 14 injuries, 18 miles long
Strongest tornadoes that touched Delaware
- Bridgeville, Delaware tornado1 April 2023, EF3, 1 death, 14.3 miles long
- Delaware tornado28 April 1961, F3, 0.3 miles long
- Delaware tornado21 July 1983, F2, 2 deaths, 9 injuries, 1 mile long
- Pennsylvania tornado5 September 1979, F2, 1 death, 4 injuries, 4.1 miles long
- Delaware tornado4 August 2020, EF2, 35.8 miles long
- Delaware tornado27 September 1993, F2, 10 miles long
Most recent tornadoes in Delaware
- Delaware tornado30 June 2025, EF0, 0.5 miles long
- Maryland tornado16 May 2025, EF1, 11.3 miles long
- Delaware tornado8 August 2024, EF1, 1.1 miles long
- Delaware tornado11 September 2023, EF0, 0.7 miles long
- Delaware tornado9 July 2023, EF1, 1.2 miles long
Notable Delaware tornadoes with their own pages
- Bridgeville, Delaware tornado1 April 2023, EF3, 1 death, 14.3 miles long
Many of these tornadoes killed or injured people. The numbers are the official record's, and they may be revised.
Delaware counties
Every county that a tornado has touched is listed, most tornadoes first. 3 of them have at least 3 tornadoes and their own page.
| County | Tornadoes | Strongest |
|---|---|---|
| New Castle County | 29 | F/EF3 |
| Sussex County | 28 | F/EF3 |
| Kent County | 25 | F/EF2 |