National Storms

Delaware tornado history

From 1950 through 2025, 80 tornadoes touched Delaware, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, the 46th most of the 48 contiguous states and DC. None was rated F4/EF4 or stronger by the National Weather Service; along their paths they killed 5 people and injured 94. The deadliest, on July 21, 1983, was rated F2 and killed 2 (Kent County). From 2016 to 2025, Delaware averaged 2 tornadoes a year. SPC has logged 5 preliminary tornado reports in Delaware in 2026 (latest August 20, 2026).

80tornadoes since 1950
152016–2025
2F3/EF3 or stronger
5deaths
94injuries
Jun 30, 2025latest in final record

Map of every Delaware tornado path since 1950

Rating: 012345 unknown or preliminaryLines run from the start to the end point of each path; dots mark where each tornado touched down.

All 80 paths plus 5 preliminary 2026 reports (gray dots). Zoom in to your county; click a path for its date and rating.

1954: 1 F21955: 1 F21957: 2 F11958: 1 F01961: 1 F31962: 3 F11964: 1 F11967: 1 F01967: 2 F11967: 1 F21973: 1 F01975: 3 F01975: 2 F11976: 1 F01976: 1 F11977: 2 F11977: 1 F21979: 1 F11979: 2 F21983: 1 F21984: 2 F11984: 1 F21988: 1 F01988: 1 F11989: 3 F11989: 1 F21990: 1 F21991: 1 F01992: 3 F01992: 2 F11992: 1 F21993: 2 F01993: 2 F11993: 1 F21994: 2 F01994: 2 F11995: 2 F01998: 1 F02004: 1 F02004: 1 F22011: 1 EF12012: 1 EF02013: 1 EF02014: 1 EF12015: 1 EF02017: 1 EF02019: 1 EF12019: 1 EF22020: 3 EF12020: 1 EF22021: 2 EF12023: 1 EF02023: 1 EF12023: 1 EF32024: 1 EF12025: 1 EF02025: 1 EF119501957196419711978198519921999200620132020max 6
Tornadoes per year in Delaware by rating, 1950–2025. Colors: F/EF0 (yellow) to F/EF5 (black); gray = unknown rating.

Source: National Storms (nationalstorms.com), CC BY 4.0, data from NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports.

Most recent tornadoes in Delaware

DateRatingPath lengthDeaths / injuriesStarted in
Jun 30, 2025EF00.5 mi0 / 0Sussex County, DE
May 16, 2025EF111.3 mi0 / 0Dorchester County, MD → DE
Aug 8, 2024EF11.1 mi0 / 0New Castle County, DE
Sep 11, 2023EF00.7 mi0 / 0Sussex County, DE
Jul 9, 2023EF11.2 mi0 / 0New Castle County, DE
Apr 1, 2023EF314.3 mi1 / 0Sussex County, DE
Jul 1, 2021EF14.7 mi0 / 0Sussex County, DE
Jul 1, 2021EF13.9 mi0 / 0Kent County, DE
Aug 7, 2020EF14.2 mi0 / 0New Castle County, DE
Aug 4, 2020EF235.8 mi0 / 0Kent County, DE
Aug 4, 2020EF12.1 mi0 / 0Sussex County, DE
Aug 4, 2020EF13.0 mi0 / 0Kent County, DE
Apr 14, 2019EF16.2 mi0 / 0Sussex County, DE
Apr 14, 2019EF26.2 mi0 / 1Sussex County, DE
Jun 19, 2017EF00.6 mi0 / 0Sussex County, DE
Jul 9, 2015EF00.5 mi0 / 0New Castle County, DE
May 22, 2014EF10.3 mi0 / 2Kent County, DE
Jun 10, 2013EF00.9 mi0 / 0New Castle County, DE
Sep 3, 2012EF00.2 mi0 / 0Kent County, DE
Aug 27, 2011EF10.7 mi0 / 0Sussex County, DE
Sep 28, 2004F25.0 mi0 / 0New Castle County, DE
Jul 12, 2004F00.5 mi0 / 0Kent County, DE
Aug 13, 1998F00.1 mi0 / 0Sussex County, DE
Jun 26, 1995F00.1 mi0 / 0Sussex County, DE
May 25, 1995F00.2 mi0 / 0New Castle County, DE

2026 preliminary tornado reports in Delaware

Reports from SPC's daily logs. A tornado often draws several reports; NOAA publishes confirmed tornadoes, paths and ratings with its final data.

DateRatingPath lengthDeaths / injuriesStarted in
Aug 20, 2026Prelim. report––Kent County, DE
Aug 20, 2026Prelim. report––Kent County, DE
Aug 20, 2026Prelim. report––Kent County, DE
Aug 20, 2026Prelim. report––Kent County, DE
Mar 16, 2026Prelim. report––Kent County, DE

Deadliest tornadoes in Delaware

DateRatingPath lengthDeaths / injuriesStarted in
Jul 21, 1983F21.0 mi2 / 9Kent County, DE
Apr 1, 2023EF314.3 mi1 / 0Sussex County, DE
May 8, 1984F118.0 mi1 / 14Dorchester County, MD → DE
Sep 5, 1979F24.1 mi1 / 4Chester County, PA → DE

The 50 strongest Delaware tornadoes, ranked by rating, deaths and path length: Strongest tornadoes in Delaware history

Longest tornado paths in Delaware

DateRatingPath lengthDeaths / injuriesStarted in
Aug 4, 2020EF235.8 mi0 / 0Kent County, DE
Jun 7, 1988F123.0 mi0 / 30New Castle County, DE
May 8, 1984F118.0 mi1 / 14Dorchester County, MD → DE
May 8, 1984F118.0 mi0 / 10Dorchester County, MD → DE
Jun 27, 1994F115.0 mi0 / 0Kent County, DE
Apr 1, 2023EF314.3 mi1 / 0Sussex County, DE
Aug 15, 1989F112.7 mi0 / 0Sussex County, DE
May 16, 2025EF111.3 mi0 / 0Dorchester County, MD → DE
Jul 5, 1957F111.3 mi0 / 0Sussex County, DE → MD
Sep 27, 1993F210.0 mi0 / 0New Castle County, DE

For tornadoes that crossed into another state, the path length, deaths and injuries are for the whole path.

Tornadoes by county

CountyTornadoes since 19502016–2025StrongestDeaths along pathsMost recent
Sussex County299F3/EF32Jun 30, 2025
New Castle County294F3/EF31Aug 8, 2024
Kent County254F2/EF22Jul 1, 2021

Cities with 5 or more tornadoes within 10 miles

Bridgeville Camden Cheswold Clayton Dover Elsmere Georgetown Harrington Laurel Lewes Middletown Milford Millsboro Milton New Castle Newark Ocean View Seaford Selbyville Smyrna Townsend Wilmington

Tornadoes in Delaware by year

YearTornadoesF/EF012345UnknownDeathsInjuries
20265 preliminary tornado reports so far (not a tornado count; ratings come with NOAA's final data)
20252110000000
20241010000000
20233110100010
20212020000000
20204031000000
20192011000001
20171100000000
20151100000000
20141010000002
20131100000000
20121100000000
20111010000000
20042101000000
19981100000000
19952200000000
19944220000004
19935221000000
19926321000000
19911100000000
19901001000000
19894031000002
198821100000030
198430210000124
19831001000029
19793012000019
19773021000001
19762110000001
19755320000003
19731100000000
19674121000007
19641010000000
19623030000000
19611000100000
19581100000000
19572020000000
19551001000001
19541001000000

More for Delaware: strongest tornadoes · damaging wind history · hail history · all states

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center (SPC) Severe Weather Database (SVRGIS) tornado file, 1950–2025, and SPC preliminary storm reports for 2026 (data through November 6, 2026). Ratings are the ones the National Weather Service assigned: Fujita (F) scale before Feb 1, 2007, Enhanced Fujita (EF) after. Paths are drawn as straight lines from the start to the end point SPC records; real paths curve. City and county boundaries: US Census Bureau.