Lightning in Pennsylvania

Events

554

Deaths

27

Injuries

230

Damage

$18 million

• Tornadoes and Hail in Pennsylvania, July 1 to 31, 19991 death · 3 injured · $1.9 million · F1 · 109 eventsA number of trees were downed.
• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, July 6, 20202 deaths · 2 injured · $15,000 · 50 kt wind · 3 eventsThunderstorms developed during the heat of the afternoon over portions of Northeast Pennsylvania. One of these storms became severe and produced some tree and power line damage in Pike County.
• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, April 29, 20251 death · $1.4 million · 104 kt wind · 69 eventsLow pressure stationed over western Quebec allowed for a surface cold front to track across central Pennsylvania alongside an upper-level jet streak right entrance region.
• Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, June 13, 20192 deaths · 1 eventOn the evening of June 13th two teenagers were struck by lightning and died from a passing storm. No severe thunderstorm warning was issued for this event, no severe wind or hail was reported in the area.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, June 10, 20081 death · 2 injured · $340,000 · 1.75 in hail · 22 eventsAn unseasonably hot and humid air mass led to severe thunderstorms occurring across Eastern Pennsylvania during the late afternoon and evening of the 10th. Wind damage was reported in nearly every county in Eastern Pennsylvania. About 185,000 homes and businesses lost power.
• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strikes in Pennsylvania, June 14, 20081 death · 3 injured · $301,000 · 52 kt wind · 9 eventsA slow moving cold front helped trigger scattered showers and thunderstorns across eastern Pennsylvania during the afternoon and evening of the 14th. Because of the hot and humid air mass preceding this front, some of the storms became severe.
• Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, May 16, 20121 death · 3 injured · $250,000 · 1 eventIn addition to the flash flooding, the lightning from the thunderstorm ignited a chemical plant fire in Bristol in Bucks County.
• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strikes in Pennsylvania, August 5, 20121 death · 8 injured · $5,000 · 52 kt wind · 13 eventsA series of strong to severe thunderstorms that culminated with a squall late in the afternoon affected Eastern Pennsylvania on the 5th. Lightning caused one death and nine injuries at Pocono Raceway in Monroe County that afternoon.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, June 9, 20111 death · $100,000 · 1 in hail · 26 eventsA strong cold front triggered numerous severe thunderstorms across central and eastern Pennsylvania. The storms produced widespread wind damage and several reports of hail.
• Tornado and Flash Flooding in Pennsylvania, August 6, 2024$8.2 million · 1.75 in hail · 86 eventsA shortwave trough over the Great Lakes interacting with a quasi-stationary boundary over eastern Ohio and western PA spawned severe weather from mid afternoon through late evening.
• Flood and Hail in Pennsylvania, June 10, 19991 death · 3 injured · $40,000 · 1 in hail · 8 eventsTwo children of undetermined age were struck by lightning while playing outside. Both received only minor injuries and were treated and released from hospital.
• Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, June 27, 20051 death · 7 injured · 1 eventOne woman was killed as she and 7 others stood under a tree when rain and thunder began at Tionesta Lake.
• Damaging Wind and Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, July 18, 19971 death · $125,000 · 55 kt wind · 2 eventsA severe thunderstorm crossed into southern sections of the county. Numerous treees and wires were downed along the storm's path. In the towns of East Berwick and Conyngham, many trees and wires were felled.
• Flash Flood and Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, June 20, 20011 death · 2 injured · $50,000 · 2 eventsStrong thunderstorms produced an estimated 3 inches of rainfall in only a few hours in the Uniontown area. This heavy rainfall flooded roadways in Uniontown, leaving several motorists stranded in their cars.
• Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, August 2, 20021 death · 6 injured · 1 eventA 16-year-old boy scout was struck and killed by lightning while attending the Resica Falls Boy Scout Camp off Pennsylvania State Route 402 in Middle Smithfield Township. Lightning apparently struck a tent where he and eleven other scouts were eating.
• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, June 23, 20155 injured · $5.1 million · 74 kt wind · 36 eventsThe combination of an unseasonably hot and humid air mass, an approaching cold front and strong winds aloft caused a squall line of severe thunderstorms to move through southeast Pennsylvania during the late afternoon and early evening of the 23rd.
• Tornado and Hail in Pennsylvania, June 19, 20071 death · 1 injured · EF0 · 36 eventsWidespread severe weather occurred on this day. Thunderstorms initiated in a warm and humid airmass ahead of a strong cold front moving eastward through the Ohio Valley. One storm produced and EF-0 tornado between Muncy and Hughesville in Lycoming county.
• Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, August 7, 20051 death · 4 injured · 1 eventLightning struck and injured 4 motorcyclists, one fatally, who were taking refuge under a tree adjacent to Route 36 in Cambria County.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, August 13 to 16, 20161 death · 2 injured · 52 kt wind · 6 eventsA trough of low pressure led to the development of a round of showers and thunderstorms. Some of thunderstorms became severe with damaging winds. the start of the Musikfest festival was delayed till after 9 am due to the thunderstorms.
• Hail and Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, April 15, 20231 death · 1 injured · 0.88 in hail · 6 eventsA closed upper level low lifted north just to the west of our region, bringing scattered showers and thunderstorms. A few severe storms produced damaging winds and small to medium sized hail.
• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, July 24, 20121 death · 1 injured · $10,000 · 50 kt wind · 3 eventsThunderstorms developed early in the morning across southwest Pennsylvania on the northern edge of a large convective system moving eastward from the Ohio Valley into the central Appalachians.
• Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, July 17, 200521 injured · 1 eventLightning struck a Pavilion in Fort Indiantown Gap. Twenty one National Guard soldiers, members of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment were injured by the lightning strike, while under the pavilion waiting for a bus.
• Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, August 31, 20141 death · 1 injured · 1 eventAn 8-year-old boy was struck and killed by lightning while running across an open field after getting out of the Conowingo Creek in Fulton Township Lancaster County.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in Pennsylvania, July 13, 2021$8.6 million · 1.5 in hail · 28 eventsWidespread severe thunderstorms formed during the afternoon and evening within an environment of moderate CAPE and moderate shear.
• Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, May 25, 19981 death · 1 eventA 37-year-old male was struck and killed by lightning at the Golden Oakes Golf Course in Ruscombmanor Township in Berks County. The gentleman was leaving for shelter on the fourth hole of the golf course when lightning struck him in the face.

Lightning everywhereEvery kind of event in Pennsylvania

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24.