Bucks County Tornadoes Rise Over Past Decade

Tornadoes remain a rare phenomenon in the area, but Bucks County has seen a marked rise in funnel clouds over the past decade.

Since 1950, Bucks County has recorded just over 30 tornadoes within its borders.

According to federal data, the tornadoes have led to 16 injuries and more than $10 million in property damage over the years.

A five-year tornado average shows a 50 percent increase in tornado activity compared to earlier years and puts the county’s 10-year average at 1.8 tornadoes annually.

The county has not reported a tornado since 2023.

The most active year for tornadoes was 2021 when a record seven tornadoes touched down. Three touched down on Sept. 1, 2021, according to data going back to 1950.

The 2020s have already seen 11 tornado events, making it the most active decade on the books.

According to a Midwestern Regional Climate Center map that uses National Weather Service data, the most recent Lower Bucks County tornadoes occurred in 2021 across Bristol Borough and Bristol Township. They were followed by a 2023 tornado in Newtown borough and township. Both tornadoes were rated EF1.

Records show the Levittown area has previously been struck by only a handful of additional tornadoes. Touchdowns were reported in 1975, 1982, and 1992.

In 2020, a tornado traveled 16.9 miles after touching down in Philadelphia and moving across the county before ending in the Doylestown area. The storm damaged a day care and Doylestown Hospital.

The strongest recorded tornado in county history took place in 2023 when an EF3 tornado tore through Bensalem Township during a powerful line of storms. Packing winds of 140 mph, the tornado destroyed and severely damaged numerous homes.

Tornadoes can happen almost anywhere if there are the proper conditions, and they have been documented in all 50 states, according to the National Weather Service.

Statewide, tornadoes have caused roughly $90 million in property damage in Pennsylvania since 2004.

According to Stormsell Weather, 25 Pennsylvania counties have reported tornadoes this year, with the majority in the western and central portions of the state.

Bucks County emergency officials recently issued their hazard mitigation plan, which details local vulnerabilities to tornadoes and other serious hazards.

“Climate models project atmospheric conditions conducive to severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hail and wind will become more likely, but those events may not actually become more frequent themselves,” the report states.

“Past experience with tornadoes in Bucks County shows that death and injury are indeed possibilities,” the report noted. “Vulnerability to the effects of a tornado or high wind is somewhat dependent upon the age of a structure because as building codes become more stringent, buildings are capable of enduring greater wind forces.”

Safety tips from the National Weather Service:

At Your House: If you are in a tornado warning, go to your basement, safe room, or an interior room away from windows. Don’t forget pets if time allows.

At Your Workplace or School: Follow your tornado drill and proceed to your tornado shelter location quickly and calmly. Stay away from windows and do not go to large open rooms such as cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums.

Do not open windows! This is a mistake – it will only serve to allow strong winds to enter your home and perhaps cause more damage.

Outside: Seek shelter inside a sturdy building immediately if a tornado is approaching. Sheds and storage facilities are not safe. Neither is a mobile home or tent.  If you have time, get to a safe building.

In a vehicle: Being in a vehicle during a tornado is not safe. The best course of action is to drive to the closest permanent shelter. If you are unable to make it to a safe shelter, either get down in your car and cover your head, or abandon your car and seek shelter in a low lying area such as a ditch or ravine. Do not seek shelter under a highway overpass! That has been proven to be more dangerous than lying flat in a ditch.