NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Durham, 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
36 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Durham, Maine since 1851, 3 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Elsa in 2021. Since 1950, 17 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 3
- Tropical storms
- 33
- Tornadoes
- 17
- 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 Durham
The strongest storm to pass near Durham was an unnamed storm in 1869, a Category 1 hurricane with 94 mph winds when its centre passed 6 miles away. The record near Durham begins with an unnamed storm in 1858; the most recent system was Elsa in 2021, a tropical storm 64 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1890s, with 5 systems. Of the 36 systems, 3 have come since 2000. Of the 160 Maine cities on this site, 38% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Durham. The strongest of the 17 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F2 on July 8, 1996; its path came within 17 miles. Of the 17, none had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 9 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 11. The most recent tornado was on July 1, 2017. Durham has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 58% of the 160 Maine cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 34 times since 1977, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Durham has more hail reports within 10 miles than 61% of the 160 Maine cities.
Compare Durham's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Durham
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ElsaJul 9 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 8 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | HannaSep 7 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1999 | FloydSep 17 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 14 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1991 | BobAug 19 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | GloriaSep 27 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 6 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1971 | HeidiSep 14 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 28 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | EstherSep 26 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 15 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 13 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 31 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1954 | CarolAug 31 | 56 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormSep 15 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormSep 9 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 19 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 21 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 17 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormMay 31 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 17 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 24 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 11 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 10 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 30 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 12 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormOct 23 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 30 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormOct 4 | 6 mi | Category 1 (94 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormSep 9 | 18 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormNov 3 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 28 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1858 | Unnamed 1858 stormSep 16 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Durham: 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 Durham
By decade
- 2010s6
- 2000s3
- 1990s2
- 1980s1
- 1970s1
- 1960s3
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 1996 | F2 | 17 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 5, 2010 | EF1 | 19 mi | 4.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 24, 2005 | F1 | 18 mi | 3.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 1, 1998 | F1 | 24 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 14, 1988 | F1 | 20 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 1, 1968 | F1 | 23 mi | 2.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 29, 1963 | F1 | 18 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 9, 1962 | F1 | 18 mi | 11.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 1, 2017 | EF0 | 23 mi | 2.54 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 1, 2017 | EF0 | 23 mi | 3.42 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 27, 2014 | EF0 | 23 mi | 0.63 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 24, 2012 | EF0 | 18 mi | 0.16 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 17, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Durham
The Storm Prediction Center has 34 hail reports within 10 miles of Durham since 1977, made on 21 separate days. Of these, 19 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 4 days, most recently March 17, 2016. The most recent report is from July 23, 2016. June has the most reports, 14.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Durham
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Durham, ME, 2 miles northeast of Durham at 140 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 79°F and low of 56°F; January is the coolest, at 29°F and 8°F. October is the wettest at 5.4 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.4 inches; the year adds up to 49.9 inches over 86 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 53% of the year's precipitation (26.2 of 49.9 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 36 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (17); a normal September there has highs of 70°F and 4.2 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 4 days a year, almost all from June to August. Lows fall below freezing on about 176 nights a year. Snowfall averages 77.5 inches a year, most of it in January. That 49.9 inches is more than at 37 of the 47 Maine stations used on this site (79%). Topsham, 8 miles east, has its own station (Brunswick NAS, ME): 50.2 inches a year, 0.3 more than here, and the same July average high, 79°F.
Water temperature at the NOAA tide station Portland, ME, 23 miles south, averaged 63°F in August and 36°F in February over 2021–2025. No month averaged 80°F. Sea level at the Portland tide gauge, 23 miles from Durham, has risen 0.78 ± 0.03 inches per decade from 1912 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 7.8 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 37 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in | Water °F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29 | 8 | 3.6 | 7 | 20.8 | 39 |
| Feb | 33 | 9 | 3.4 | 6 | 19.4 | 36 |
| Mar | 41 | 19 | 4.1 | 7 | 13.8 | 39 |
| Apr | 54 | 30 | 4.5 | 8 | 3.7 | 44 |
| May | 65 | 40 | 3.6 | 8 | 0.0 | 50 |
| Jun | 74 | 50 | 4.6 | 8 | 0.0 | 57 |
| Jul | 79 | 56 | 3.8 | 7 | 0.0 | 61 |
| Aug | 78 | 54 | 3.7 | 6 | 0.0 | 63 |
| Sep | 70 | 47 | 4.2 | 6 | 0.0 | 62 |
| Oct | 58 | 36 | 5.4 | 8 | 0.3 | 57 |
| Nov | 46 | 27 | 4.5 | 7 | 3.3 | 50 |
| Dec | 35 | 16 | 4.5 | 8 | 16.2 | 43 |
| Year | 55 | 33 | 49.9 | 86 | 77.5 | 50 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Durham, ME (140 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station Portland, ME, from NOAA Tides & Currents. 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 Durham
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 85 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Durham: 46 thunderstorm wind reports, 22 floods, 13 flash floods and 4 lightning strikes. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $3.6 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 64 mph, on August 12, 2016. August has had the most flash floods, 6 of 13. Of the 154 Maine cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 134 have had fewer than Durham.
April 16, 2007: flood 10 miles from the centre of Durham — $1.3 million damage.
August 8, 2008: flood 7 miles from the centre of Durham — $581,000 damage.
December 19, 2023: flood 5 miles from the centre of Durham — $560,000 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
Androscoggin County, which includes Durham, has been named in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1970, 22 of them major disasters (by incident: 11 severe storms, 7 snowstorms, 6 floods, 4 hurricanes). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storm and Flooding, on January 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Androscoggin County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes and lightning; Relatively Low for hail, inland flooding and strong wind; Very Low for tornadoes and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $22.7 million a year, the 7th highest of 16 Maine counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $10.4 million (46%), 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.