On April 12, 1856, there was a strong tornado that struck the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At morning, Philadelphia was experiencing high westernly winds, with little rain and humid air. It was around 10 PM EST where winds started to pick up, occupied with lightning, and hail. The storm was most felt at Northern Philadelphia, where the tornado struck. This tornado might have been part of a Tornado Family, as 30 minutes before the Philadelphia Tornado struck, another tornado struck West Chester, killing one. This tornado also may have been part of a Derecho event producing an outbreak, as another strong tornado struck Alliance, Ohio, and storm damage reported from Chicago to Cleveland down to New Jersey.