Severe weather

5th November tornado watch for Philadelphia since 1998, until 7 PM

By Ryan Hall, Y'all Weather Desk · Published November 12, 2026, 1:17 PM ET

Written by our automated news desk from National Weather Service data.

A tornado watch is in effect until 7 PM Eastern today, Thursday, Nov. 12, for Philadelphia, Trenton, Wilmington and Allentown. Storms this afternoon could bring a few tornadoes, hail up to 1.5 inches and isolated gusts to 70 mph across eastern Pennsylvania, central New Jersey and northern Delaware.

Storms are already firing just west of the city. Since 1998, only five tornado watches in November have covered downtown Philadelphia, and this is one of them.

What the watch covers

A watch means the ingredients are in place for tornadoes. It does not mean one is on the ground. A warning means a storm is producing one or is about to, and that is the moment to act.

A low pressure center is sliding east along the Mid-Atlantic today and is expected to cross New Jersey this afternoon. Near that low and along the warm front stretching east from it, air is rising and the atmosphere is getting unstable. The wind also changes speed and direction with height in the lowest part of the sky. That twist is what lets a storm rotate.

What the storms are doing right now

At 12:45 PM, severe thunderstorm warnings were up for Berks and Chester counties in Pennsylvania, and for New Castle County, Delaware, and Chester County together. That last storm was warned for 1-inch hail and winds near 60 mph. Warnings also covered Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and Cecil County, Maryland. Quarter-size hail fell near North East, Maryland, at 12:30 PM.

Our live warnings page shows what is active at any moment, and storm reports shows what has actually happened on the ground.

How big the threat is

This is a small, focused setup, not a widespread outbreak. The storm fuel is around 500 to 900 J/kg of CAPE. The computer models have been consistent in showing a few isolated supercells, which are single, rotating storms.

For the Level 2 area, the odds break down like this:

• Hail: Hail is the main concern, with a 15% chance of severe hail near any point.
• Tornadoes: There is a 5% chance of a tornado near any point. A tornado or two is possible, not a swarm.
• Wind: There is a 5% chance of damaging gusts of 60 mph or more.

A broader Marginal Risk (Level 1) reaches north and south of the main area. It touches the New York City area, Newark and Dover. Flash flooding is a Level 1 of 4 risk over parts of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Isolated flash flooding is possible.

How sure are we? The watch is scheduled to run until 7 PM. Which exact neighborhoods get a storm is not certain.

What to do

• Have a way to get warnings on your phone through 7 PM. You can sign up for free Y'all Alerts.
• Know your shelter spot now. Pick a room on the lowest floor, away from windows, in the middle of the building.
• Move the car into a garage if you can. One-inch to 1.5-inch hail can dent cars and crack windshields.
• Bring in or tie down loose patio furniture and trash cans before the storms arrive.
• If a tornado warning is issued for your area, go to shelter right away and do not wait to see it. Do not try to outdrive a storm on I-95 or the Schuylkill Expressway.
• Do not drive through water over the road if a downpour stacks up.

Bottom line

A tornado watch for Philadelphia in November is rare, and the Level 2 risk is small but real through 7 PM Eastern today. Have your warning plan ready this afternoon. Friday, Nov. 13, looks free of severe storms.

Explained: Watch vs. warning: what PDS watches and emergencies mean

More on Mid-Atlantic severe weather, November 2026

Places in this story: Philadelphia, PA; Newark, NJ; Allentown, PA

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