NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Ashby, MA
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
43 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Ashby, Massachusetts since 1851, 8 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Elsa in 2021. Since 1950, 51 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 8
- Tropical storms
- 35
- Tornadoes
- 51
- EF3 or stronger
- 4
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
97 deaths in all
What the records show for Ashby
The strongest storm to pass near Ashby was Carol in 1954, a Category 2 hurricane with 98 mph winds when its centre passed 13 miles away. The record near Ashby begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Elsa in 2021, a tropical storm 62 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1890s, with 6 systems. Of the 43 systems, 5 have come since 2000. Of the 346 Massachusetts cities on this site, 76% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Ashby. The strongest of the 51 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on June 9, 1953; its path came within 19 miles, and it killed 94 people. Of the 51, one had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 12 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 19. The most recent tornado was on September 6, 2025. Ashby has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 56% of the 346 Massachusetts cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 46 times since 1956, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 346 Massachusetts cities, 65% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Ashby.
Compare Ashby's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Ashby
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ElsaJul 9 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 8 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2011 | IreneAug 28 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2008 | HannaSep 7 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2007 | BarryJun 4 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1999 | FloydSep 17 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 14 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1991 | BobAug 19 | 61 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | GloriaSep 27 | 17 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1976 | BelleAug 10 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 28 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1968 | Unnamed 1968 stormSep 11 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 15 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 12 | 22 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 30 | overhead | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1954 | CarolAug 31 | 13 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 2 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormSep 15 | 61 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1938 | Unnamed 1938 stormSep 21 | 62 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormSep 9 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormOct 1 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 19 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 21 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 17 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 5 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormMay 31 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 17 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 24 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 10 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 10 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 24 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 12 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 22 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 24 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 30 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 27 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormSep 8 | 32 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormNov 3 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 28 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1858 | Unnamed 1858 stormSep 16 | 21 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormOct 19 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Ashby: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Ashby
By decade
- 2020s9
- 2010s2
- 2000s1
- 1990s2
- 1980s7(1 EF3+)
- 1970s10(1 EF3+)
- 1960s14(1 EF3+)
- 1950s6(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 9, 1953 | F4 | 19 mi | 34.9 mi | 94 / 1228 |
| Oct 3, 1970 | F3 | 13 mi | 35.4 mi | 1 / 0 |
| Jun 22, 1981 | F3 | 10 mi | 7.1 mi | 0 / 3 |
| May 20, 1963 | F3 | 21 mi | 14 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 10, 1979 | F2 | 25 mi | 9.7 mi | 2 / 2 |
| Jul 3, 1997 | F2 | 19 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 9, 1972 | F2 | 12 mi | 9.7 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jul 21, 1972 | F2 | 20 mi | 7.6 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Jul 17, 1968 | F2 | 11 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 28, 1965 | F2 | 25 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 13, 1963 | F2 | 22 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 20, 1963 | F2 | 22 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 51, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Ashby
The Storm Prediction Center has 46 hail reports within 10 miles of Ashby since 1956, made on 28 separate days. Of these, 21 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 5 days, most recently August 4, 2015. The most recent report is from September 6, 2025. July has the most reports, 15.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Ashby
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Ashburnham N, MA, 6 miles west of Ashby at 1,146 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 79°F and low of 58°F; January is the coolest, at 31°F and 11°F. October is the wettest at 5.1 inches of precipitation on average and January the driest at 3.2 inches; the year adds up to 48.8 inches over 90 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 53% of the year's precipitation (25.7 of 48.8 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 43 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (17); a normal September there has highs of 71°F and 4.3 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 2 days a year. Lows fall below freezing on about 163 nights a year. That 48.8 inches is more than at 34 of the 65 Massachusetts stations used on this site (52%). Mason, NH, 6 miles north, has its own station (Greenville 1 NNE, NH): 49.6 inches a year, 0.8 more than here, and the same July average high, 79°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31 | 11 | 3.2 | 7 |
| Feb | 33 | 13 | 3.3 | 8 |
| Mar | 41 | 21 | 4.2 | 7 |
| Apr | 54 | 32 | 4.0 | 8 |
| May | 66 | 44 | 4.1 | 9 |
| Jun | 74 | 53 | 4.2 | 9 |
| Jul | 79 | 58 | 3.9 | 7 |
| Aug | 78 | 57 | 4.4 | 7 |
| Sep | 71 | 49 | 4.3 | 6 |
| Oct | 58 | 38 | 5.1 | 8 |
| Nov | 46 | 29 | 3.8 | 7 |
| Dec | 36 | 19 | 4.3 | 8 |
| Year | 56 | 35 | 48.8 | 90 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Ashburnham N, MA (1,146 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Ashby
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 114 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Ashby: 87 thunderstorm wind reports, 15 flash floods, 8 floods and 4 lightning strikes. They killed 0 people and injured 7, and the NWS estimated $4.1 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on July 9, 2007. July has had the most flash floods, 7 of 15. Of the 339 Massachusetts cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 130 have had fewer than Ashby.
August 23, 2020: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Ashby — 6 injured.
July 9, 2007: lightning strike in Ashby — 1 injured.
NWS: “Woman was struck by lightning in Ashby. Extent of injuries unknown.”
March 14, 2010: flood 10 miles from the centre of Ashby — $2.7 million damage.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Middlesex County, which includes Ashby, has been named in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1985, 19 of them major disasters (by incident: 9 severe storms, 8 snowstorms, 7 hurricanes, 5 floods). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on March 27, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Middlesex County a Relatively High rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for hurricanes, inland flooding, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes and heat waves; Relatively Low for coastal flooding; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $321.9 million a year, the highest of 14 Massachusetts counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $224.4 million (70%), is from inland flooding.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.