NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Machias, 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
41 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Machias, Maine since 1851, 6 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Lee in 2023. Since 1950, 4 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 6
- Tropical storms
- 35
- Tornadoes
- 4
- 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 Machias
The strongest storm to pass near Machias was an unnamed storm in 1888, a Category 1 hurricane with 92 mph winds when its centre passed 67 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Edna in 1954, whose centre came within 12 miles. The record near Machias begins with an unnamed storm in 1861; the most recent system was Lee in 2023, a tropical storm 66 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 8 systems, 2 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 41 systems, 5 have come since 2000. Machias has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 98% of the 160 Maine cities on this site. The strongest of the 4 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F2 on September 15, 1961; its path came within 10 miles. The most recent tornado was on June 10, 1965. Of the 160 Maine cities, 87% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Machias. Hail has been reported within 10 miles once, in 1958, with stones of 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 160 Maine cities, 99% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Machias.
Compare Machias's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Machias
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | LeeSep 16 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 10 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2014 | ArthurJul 5 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 8 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | HannaSep 7 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1999 | FloydSep 17 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 14 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1991 | BobAug 20 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1988 | AlbertoAug 7 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1979 | DavidSep 7 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1972 | CarrieSep 4 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | HeidiSep 14 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1969 | GerdaSep 10 | 13 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1967 | Unnamed 1967 stormOct 18 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | FrancesOct 9 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1959 | CindyJul 11 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1954 | EdnaSep 12 | 12 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1953 | CarolSep 7 | 67 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1952 | Unnamed 1952 stormFeb 5 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormSep 15 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormSep 2 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 20 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 17 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1917 | Unnamed 1917 stormAug 10 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 22 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 15 | 57 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 17 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 11 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 2 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 26 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormNov 28 | 67 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 26 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 12 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 22 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormOct 21 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 23 | 18 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormOct 23 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormAug 19 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormAug 4 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 30 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 28 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Machias: 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 Machias
By decade
- 1960s3
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 15, 1961 | F2 | 10 mi | 19.1 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jun 10, 1965 | F1 | 23 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Jul 2, 1958 | F1 | 10 mi | 8.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 29, 1961 | F0 | 22 mi | 4.7 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 4 of 4, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Machias
The Storm Prediction Center has one hail report within 10 miles of Machias, from July 2, 1958: 2.75 inches (baseball size).
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Machias
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Wesley, ME, 12 miles northwest of Machias at 410 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 77°F and low of 58°F; January is the coolest, at 27°F and 11°F. October is the wettest at 5.3 inches of precipitation on average and July the driest at 3.1 inches; the year adds up to 49.3 inches over 90 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 50% of the year's precipitation (24.6 of 49.3 inches). September has brought the most of the 41 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (19); a normal September there has highs of 68°F and 3.8 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 2 days a year. Lows fall below freezing on about 162 nights a year. That 49.3 inches is more than at 32 of the 47 Maine stations used on this site (68%). Baileyville, 22 miles north, has its own station (Woodland, ME): 47.5 inches a year, 1.8 less than here, and a July average high of 80°F against 77°F.
Water temperature at the NOAA tide station Cutler Farris Wharf, ME, 19 miles southeast, averaged 55°F in September and 39°F in February and March over 2021–2025. No month averaged 80°F. Sea level at the Eastport tide gauge, 29 miles from Machias, has risen 0.92 ± 0.03 inches per decade from 1929 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 9.2 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 54 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Water °F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | 11 | 3.9 | 6 | 42 |
| Feb | 30 | 12 | 3.3 | 6 | 39 |
| Mar | 38 | 21 | 4.3 | 8 | 39 |
| Apr | 51 | 32 | 4.0 | 8 | 41 |
| May | 63 | 43 | 4.1 | 9 | 45 |
| Jun | 71 | 53 | 4.1 | 7 | 48 |
| Jul | 77 | 58 | 3.1 | 8 | 52 |
| Aug | 77 | 57 | 3.7 | 6 | 54 |
| Sep | 68 | 50 | 3.8 | 7 | 55 |
| Oct | 57 | 40 | 5.3 | 9 | 54 |
| Nov | 45 | 30 | 4.6 | 7 | 50 |
| Dec | 34 | 19 | 5.1 | 8 | 45 |
| Year | 53 | 35 | 49.3 | 90 | 47 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Wesley, ME (410 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station Cutler Farris Wharf, 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.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Washington County, which includes Machias, has been named in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1970, 17 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 severe storms, 5 snowstorms, 4 floods, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms and Flooding, on March 20, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Washington County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, coastal flooding and lightning; Relatively Low for inland flooding; Very Low for tornadoes, hail, strong wind and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $10.8 million a year, the 14th highest of 16 Maine counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $3.6 million (34%), 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 Machias
- Baileyville, ME22 mi
- Calais, ME29 mi
- Franklin, ME36 mi
- Hancock, ME41 mi
- Bar Harbor, ME45 mi
- Ellsworth, ME46 mi
- Eddington, ME50 mi
- Holden, ME52 mi
- Milford, ME54 mi
- Orono, ME56 mi
- Old Town, ME56 mi
- Blue Hill, ME58 mi
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