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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Merrimack, NH

Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.

42 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Merrimack, New Hampshire since 1851, 6 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Elsa in 2021. Since 1950, 36 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
6

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
36

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
36

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
2

2 deaths in all

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Merrimack

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Merrimack, New Hampshire, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2021ElsaJul 960 miTropical storm (51 mph)Category 1
2013AndreaJun 863 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2011IreneAug 2864 miTropical storm (55 mph)Category 3
2008HannaSep 749 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 1
2007BarryJun 546 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1999FloydSep 1713 miTropical storm (54 mph)Category 4
1996BerthaJul 1425 miTropical storm (68 mph)Category 3
1991BobAug 1953 miCategory 1 (85 mph)Category 3
1985GloriaSep 2724 miCategory 1 (77 mph)Category 4
1976BelleAug 1048 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 3
1971DoriaAug 2844 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1968Unnamed 1968 stormSep 1155 miTropical storm (56 mph)Tropical storm
1961EstherSep 2674 miTropical storm (49 mph)Category 5
1961Unnamed 1961 stormSep 1511 miTropical storm (67 mph)Tropical storm
1960DonnaSep 1216 miTropical storm (70 mph)Category 4
1960BrendaJul 305 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1954CarolAug 312 miCategory 2 (96 mph)Category 3
1944Unnamed 1944 stormSep 1558 miCategory 1 (74 mph)Category 5
1934Unnamed 1934 stormSep 913 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1923Unnamed 1923 stormOct 1918 miTropical storm (49 mph)Tropical storm
1916Unnamed 1916 stormJul 2149 miTropical storm (56 mph)Category 2
1916Unnamed 1916 stormMay 1718 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1915Unnamed 1915 stormAug 561 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1908Unnamed 1908 stormMay 3125 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1902Unnamed 1902 stormJun 1741 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1899Unnamed 1899 stormNov 153 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 2
1897Unnamed 1897 stormSep 2424 miTropical storm (44 mph)Tropical storm
1896Unnamed 1896 stormSep 1049 miTropical storm (59 mph)Category 3
1894Unnamed 1894 stormOct 106 miTropical storm (60 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 2939 miTropical storm (60 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 2469 miTropical storm (68 mph)Category 3
1888Unnamed 1888 stormSep 1250 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1888Unnamed 1888 stormAug 2253 miTropical storm (48 mph)Category 3
1878Unnamed 1878 stormOct 242 miTropical storm (59 mph)Category 2
1874Unnamed 1874 stormSep 303 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 1
1872Unnamed 1872 stormOct 2772 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1869Unnamed 1869 stormOct 465 miCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 2
1869Unnamed 1869 stormSep 821 miCategory 1 (92 mph)Category 3
1861Unnamed 1861 stormNov 329 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
1861Unnamed 1861 stormSep 2812 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
1858Unnamed 1858 stormSep 1611 miTropical storm (72 mph)Category 2
1851Unnamed 1851 stormOct 1959 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm

Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Merrimack: 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 Merrimack

By decade

  • 2000s1
  • 1990s1
  • 1980s3
  • 1970s8(2 EF3+)
  • 1960s16
  • 1950s7
Strongest tornadoes near Merrimack, New Hampshire
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Oct 3, 1970F320 mi35.4 mi1 / 0
Sep 29, 1974F323 mi0.1 mi0 / 1
Jul 24, 2008EF223 mi50.46 mi1 / 2
Jul 3, 1997F218 mi2 mi0 / 0
Jul 21, 1972F213 mi7.6 mi0 / 4
Jul 17, 1968F215 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
Aug 28, 1965F214 mi2 mi0 / 0
Jun 9, 1963F25 mi10 mi0 / 0
Jul 2, 1961F212 mi5.1 mi0 / 1
Jul 2, 1961F219 mi2 mi0 / 0
Aug 21, 1951F219 mi4.9 mi0 / 0
Aug 21, 1951F222 mi9.3 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 36, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

How to read this page

A storm is listed when the centre of its track passed within 75 miles of Merrimack while it was at least a tropical storm, which is the reach of damaging wind and rain for a typical hurricane. Being on the list does not mean the city took a direct hit; the "closest" column says how near the centre came. Tornadoes are counted when any part of the path came within 25 miles.

Tornado records before the 1990s are thinner, because weak tornadoes in open country often went unreported before Doppler radar and mobile phones. A rise in the decade counts is mostly better reporting, not a change in the weather.

Tracks come from the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2 database, tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center's database. Both are the official federal records and both are revised as old storms are re-analysed.

Other cities in New Hampshire