NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Damariscotta, 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
37 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Damariscotta, Maine since 1851, 3 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Elsa in 2021. Since 1950, 8 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 3
- Tropical storms
- 34
- Tornadoes
- 8
- 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 Damariscotta
The strongest storm to pass near Damariscotta was an unnamed storm in 1869, a Category 1 hurricane with 91 mph winds when its centre passed 22 miles away. The record near Damariscotta begins with an unnamed storm in 1858; the most recent system was Elsa in 2021, a tropical storm 44 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1890s, with 5 systems. Of the 37 systems, 3 have come since 2000. Of the 160 Maine cities on this site, 38% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Damariscotta. The strongest of the 8 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F2 on July 8, 1996; its path came within 25 miles. Of the 8, none had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 2 have come since 2000. The most recent tornado was on July 24, 2012. Of the 160 Maine cities, 73% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Damariscotta. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 9 times since 1974, with stones up to 1.5 inches (ping pong ball size). Of the 160 Maine cities, 85% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Damariscotta.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Damariscotta
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ElsaJul 9 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 8 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | HannaSep 7 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1999 | FloydSep 17 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 14 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1991 | BobAug 20 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | GloriaSep 27 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 6 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1971 | HeidiSep 14 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | EstherSep 26 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 15 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 13 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 31 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | CindyJul 11 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1954 | EdnaSep 11 | 65 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1952 | Unnamed 1952 stormFeb 4 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormSep 15 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormSep 9 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 21 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 17 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormMay 31 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 17 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 24 | overhead | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 11 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 10 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 30 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 26 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 26 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 12 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormOct 23 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 30 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormOct 5 | 22 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormSep 9 | 46 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormNov 3 | 26 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 | 57 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 Damariscotta: 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 Damariscotta
By decade
- 2010s1
- 2000s1
- 1990s1
- 1960s3
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 1996 | F2 | 25 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 24, 2005 | F1 | 22 mi | 3.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 8, 1969 | F1 | 19 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 1, 1968 | F1 | 16 mi | 2.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 29, 1963 | F1 | 16 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 8, 1958 | F1 | 7 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 14, 1956 | F1 | 19 mi | 18.7 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 24, 2012 | EF0 | 14 mi | 0.16 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 8 of 8, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Damariscotta
The Storm Prediction Center has 9 hail reports within 10 miles of Damariscotta since 1974, made on 8 separate days. Of these, 5 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest, 1.5 inches (ping pong ball size), fell on June 20, 2001. The most recent report is from June 30, 2019.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Damariscotta
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Newcastle, ME, 3 miles west of Damariscotta at 213 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 78°F and low of 60°F; January is the coolest, at 30°F and 15°F. October is the wettest at 5.0 inches of precipitation on average and July and August the driest at 3.4 inches; the year adds up to 49.3 inches over 87 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 51% of the year's precipitation (24.9 of 49.3 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 37 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (20); a normal September there has highs of 69°F and 4.2 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 2 days a year. Lows fall below freezing on about 142 nights a year. Snowfall averages 78.7 inches a year, most of it in February. That 49.3 inches is more than at 32 of the 47 Maine stations used on this site (68%). Wiscasset, 11 miles southwest, has its own station (Wiscasset Airport, ME): 46.8 inches a year, 2.5 less than here, and a July average high of 79°F against 78°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30 | 15 | 3.8 | 7 | 19.6 |
| Feb | 33 | 17 | 3.6 | 7 | 20.3 |
| Mar | 41 | 25 | 4.3 | 7 | 14.1 |
| Apr | 54 | 35 | 4.2 | 8 | 4.4 |
| May | 65 | 45 | 3.8 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 73 | 54 | 4.3 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 78 | 60 | 3.4 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 77 | 59 | 3.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 69 | 52 | 4.2 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 57 | 42 | 5.0 | 8 | 0.3 |
| Nov | 46 | 32 | 4.6 | 8 | 3.5 |
| Dec | 36 | 22 | 4.7 | 9 | 16.5 |
| Year | 55 | 38 | 49.3 | 87 | 78.7 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Newcastle, ME (213 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 Damariscotta
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 42 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Damariscotta: 22 thunderstorm wind reports, 16 floods, 2 flash floods and 2 lightning strikes. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $4.6 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 69 mph, on June 17, 2022.
April 16, 2007: flood 2 miles from the centre of Damariscotta — $1.9 million damage.
NWS: “Flooding and damages were countywide.”
July 2, 2009: lightning strike 3 miles from the centre of Damariscotta — $1.5 million damage.
NWS: “Lightning struck a home in Nobleboro and ignited a fire that destroyed the home. A homeowner was home at the time and reported sparks throughout the kitchen area.”
May 1, 2023: flood 7 miles from the centre of Damariscotta — $476,000 damage.
NWS: “The Sheepscot River came out of banks and flooded portions of High Tide Road or Route 194 just south of Hollywood Boulevard. Floodwaters were up to the foundations of a few homes.”
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
Lincoln County, which includes Damariscotta, has been named in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1970, 23 of them major disasters (by incident: 9 floods, 9 severe storms, 4 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms and Flooding, on March 20, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Lincoln County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, coastal flooding and lightning; Very Low for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $10.7 million a year, the 15th highest of 16 Maine counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $3.5 million (33%), 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 Damariscotta
- Waldoboro, ME8 mi
- Wiscasset, ME11 mi
- Jefferson, ME12 mi
- Whitefield, ME13 mi
- Warren, ME14 mi
- Woolwich, ME16 mi
- Thomaston, ME16 mi
- Union, ME18 mi
- Richmond, ME18 mi
- Windsor, ME19 mi
- Rockland, ME19 mi
- Bath, ME20 mi
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