NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Bethel, ME
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
29 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Bethel, Maine since 1851, 3 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Irene in 2011. Since 1950, 19 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 3
- Tropical storms
- 26
- Tornadoes
- 19
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Bethel
The strongest storm to pass near Bethel was an unnamed storm in 1869, a Category 1 hurricane with 91 mph winds when its centre passed 47 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Carol in 1954, whose centre came within 19 miles. The record near Bethel begins with an unnamed storm in 1858; the most recent system was Irene in 2011, a tropical storm 42 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1890s, with 6 systems. Of the 29 systems, one has come since 2000. Of the 160 Maine cities on this site, 38% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Bethel. The highest rating among the 19 tornadoes within 25 miles is F1 or EF1, reached 15 times; the most recent, on July 1, 2017, came within 21 miles. Of the 19, none had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 12 have come since 2000. June has had the most tornadoes, 7. Bethel has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 66% of the 160 Maine cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 19 times since 1978, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 160 Maine cities, 69% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Bethel.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Bethel
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | IreneAug 29 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1999 | FloydSep 17 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1991 | BobAug 20 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | GloriaSep 27 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 6 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 28 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1968 | Unnamed 1968 stormSep 11 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | EstherSep 26 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 15 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 13 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 31 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1954 | CarolAug 31 | 19 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormSep 9 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 19 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 17 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormMay 31 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 24 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 11 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 10 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 24 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 30 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormOct 5 | 47 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormSep 9 | 23 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormNov 3 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 28 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1858 | Unnamed 1858 stormSep 16 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Bethel: 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 Bethel
By decade
- 2010s7
- 2000s5
- 1990s2
- 1980s1
- 1970s2
- 1960s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1, 2017 | EF1 | 22 mi | 2.48 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jul 1, 2017 | EF1 | 24 mi | 0.32 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 1, 2017 | EF1 | 21 mi | 1.53 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 1, 2011 | EF1 | 7 mi | 0.26 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 5, 2010 | EF1 | 21 mi | 4.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 21, 2009 | EF1 | 14 mi | 16.42 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 31, 2002 | F1 | 13 mi | 2.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 17, 2001 | F1 | 8 mi | 0.4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 18, 2000 | F1 | 12 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 13, 1999 | F1 | 17 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 1, 1998 | F1 | 20 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 6, 1981 | F1 | 13 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 19, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Bethel
The Storm Prediction Center has 19 hail reports within 10 miles of Bethel since 1978, made on 13 separate days. Of these, 12 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), fell on June 1, 2011. The most recent report is from May 22, 2022. June has the most reports, 11.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Bethel
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Rumford 1 SSE, ME, 18 miles northeast of Bethel at 630 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 79°F and low of 58°F; January is the coolest, at 28°F and 7°F. June is the wettest at 6.1 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.4 inches; the year adds up to 49.0 inches over 84 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 58% of the year's precipitation (28.3 of 49.0 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 29 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (14); a normal September there has highs of 71°F and 3.7 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 6 days a year, almost all from June to August. Lows fall below freezing on about 163 nights a year. Snowfall averages 87.9 inches a year, most of it in January. That 49.0 inches is more than at 29 of the 47 Maine stations used on this site (62%). Norway, 15 miles southeast, has its own station (Bridgton 3 NW, ME): 50.7 inches a year, 1.7 more than here, and a July average high of 78°F against 79°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | 7 | 3.3 | 6 | 24.6 |
| Feb | 31 | 7 | 2.4 | 5 | 20.2 |
| Mar | 40 | 18 | 3.2 | 6 | 17.5 |
| Apr | 53 | 32 | 4.1 | 7 | 4.9 |
| May | 67 | 43 | 3.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 74 | 53 | 6.1 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 79 | 58 | 4.5 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 78 | 56 | 4.8 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 71 | 48 | 3.7 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 58 | 37 | 5.0 | 7 | 0.1 |
| Nov | 44 | 26 | 4.2 | 7 | 3.8 |
| Dec | 33 | 16 | 4.0 | 7 | 16.8 |
| Year | 55 | 33 | 49.0 | 84 | 87.9 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Rumford 1 SSE, ME (630 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 Bethel
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 49 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Bethel: 28 thunderstorm wind reports, 16 flash floods, 4 floods and 1 lightning strike. They killed 2 people and injured 0, and the NWS estimated $12.5 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on June 27, 2002. December has had the most flash floods, 7 of 16. Of the 154 Maine cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 147 have had fewer than Bethel.
December 18, 2023: flood 7 miles from the centre of Bethel — 2 killed, $5.0 million damage.
NWS: “Catastrophic flooding on the Androscoggin River resulting from 5 to 6 inches of rainfall and 2 to 3 inches of snowmelt. 1 feet.”
July 11, 2007: flash flood 4 miles from the centre of Bethel — $2.2 million damage.
December 18, 2023: flood 3 miles from the centre of Bethel — $1.8 million damage.
NWS: “Catastrophic flooding occurred in and around Bethel after a storm brought 7 to 10 inches of combined rain and snowmelt to the region.”
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
Flood insurance policyholders in Bethel's ZIP code 04217 have filed 23 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1981, and were paid $342,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 61% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 61 Maine cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 30 have fewer than Bethel.
Oxford County, which includes Bethel, has been named in 37 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1970, 28 of them major disasters (by incident: 14 severe storms, 9 floods, 6 snowstorms, 5 hurricanes). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storm and Flooding, on January 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Oxford County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, inland flooding and lightning; Relatively Low for strong wind; Very Low for tornadoes, hail and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $22.4 million a year, the 8th highest of 16 Maine counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $13.3 million (60%), 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.
Cities near Bethel
- Norway, ME15 mi
- Rumford, ME17 mi
- Gorham, NH17 mi
- South Paris, ME18 mi
- Mexico, ME19 mi
- Berlin, NH19 mi
- Harrison, ME20 mi
- Bridgton, ME22 mi
- Buckfield, ME23 mi
- Fryeburg, ME23 mi
- Oxford, ME24 mi
- Dixfield, ME24 mi
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