NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Rockland, 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
39 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Rockland, Maine since 1851, 5 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Elsa in 2021. Since 1950, 4 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 5
- Tropical storms
- 34
- 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 Rockland
The strongest storm to pass near Rockland was an unnamed storm in 1869, a Category 1 hurricane with 89 mph winds when its centre passed 37 miles away. The record near Rockland begins with an unnamed storm in 1858; the most recent system was Elsa in 2021, a tropical storm 34 miles away. The 1880s and the 1960s were the busiest decades, with 5 systems each. Of the 39 systems, 3 have come since 2000. Rockland has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 88% of the 160 Maine cities on this site. The highest rating among the 4 tornadoes within 25 miles is F1, reached 4 times; the most recent, on August 8, 1969, came within 8 miles. Of the 160 Maine cities, 87% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Rockland. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 6 times since 2007, with stones up to 1 inch (quarter size). Of the 160 Maine cities, 93% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Rockland.
Compare Rockland's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Rockland
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ElsaJul 9 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 8 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | HannaSep 7 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1999 | FloydSep 17 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 14 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1991 | BobAug 20 | overhead | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 7 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1972 | CarrieSep 4 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | HeidiSep 14 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | FrancesOct 9 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1961 | EstherSep 26 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 15 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 13 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 31 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | CindyJul 11 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1954 | EdnaSep 11 | 53 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1952 | Unnamed 1952 stormFeb 5 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormSep 15 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormSep 9 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 17 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 21 | overhead | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormMay 31 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 15 | 72 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 17 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 11 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 10 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 30 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 26 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 26 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 12 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 23 | 69 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormOct 23 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 30 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormOct 5 | 37 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormSep 9 | 62 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormNov 3 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 28 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1858 | Unnamed 1858 stormSep 16 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Rockland: 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 Rockland
By decade
- 1960s2
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 8, 1969 | F1 | 8 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 1, 1968 | F1 | 17 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Aug 8, 1958 | F1 | 24 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 14, 1956 | F1 | 21 mi | 18.7 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 Rockland
The Storm Prediction Center has 6 hail reports within 10 miles of Rockland since 2007, made on 3 separate days. Of these, 3 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1 inch (quarter size), was reported on 2 days, most recently September 24, 2019. The most recent report is from September 24, 2019.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Rockland
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is W Rockport 1 NNW, ME, 6 miles north of Rockland at 361 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 77°F and low of 60°F; January is the coolest, at 30°F and 12°F. October is the wettest at 6.1 inches of precipitation on average and July the driest at 3.2 inches; the year adds up to 56.3 inches over 88 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 48% of the year's precipitation (27.0 of 56.3 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 39 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (22); a normal September there has highs of 69°F and 4.5 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 2 days a year. Lows fall below freezing on about 148 nights a year. Snowfall averages 68.7 inches a year, most of it in February. That 56.3 inches is more than at 46 of the 47 Maine stations used on this site (98%). Thomaston, 4 miles southwest, has its own station (Tenants Harbor, ME): 47.6 inches a year, 8.7 less than here, and a July average high of 74°F against 77°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30 | 12 | 4.8 | 8 | 17.2 |
| Feb | 33 | 14 | 4.2 | 7 | 19.2 |
| Mar | 40 | 22 | 5.0 | 7 | 11.3 |
| Apr | 51 | 34 | 5.2 | 8 | 3.5 |
| May | 62 | 44 | 4.2 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 71 | 54 | 4.5 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 77 | 60 | 3.2 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 76 | 59 | 3.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 69 | 52 | 4.5 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 57 | 41 | 6.1 | 8 | 0.2 |
| Nov | 47 | 31 | 5.3 | 8 | 2.3 |
| Dec | 36 | 20 | 5.9 | 9 | 15.0 |
| Year | 54 | 37 | 56.3 | 88 | 68.7 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at W Rockport 1 NNW, ME (361 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 Rockland
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 39 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Rockland: 18 thunderstorm wind reports, 17 floods, 3 flash floods and 1 lightning strike. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $3.9 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 60 mph, on June 17, 2022.
October 31, 2021: flood 3 miles from the centre of Rockland — $1.5 million damage.
NWS: “5 inches fell in a short period of time lead to excessive run-off with numerous roads closed and damaged due to flooding in Knox County. The towns that were hardest hit included Appleton, Camden, Hope, Rockland, Rockport and Thomaston.”
April 16, 2007: flood in Rockland — $800,000 damage.
NWS: “Flooding and damages were countywide.”
May 1, 2023: flood 8 miles from the centre of Rockland — $690,000 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
Knox County, which includes Rockland, has been named in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1970, 24 of them major disasters (by incident: 12 severe storms, 8 floods, 3 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms and Flooding, on March 20, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Knox County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes and coastal flooding; Relatively Low for strong wind and lightning; Very Low for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $11.7 million a year, the 13th highest of 16 Maine counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $3.8 million (32%), is from hurricanes.
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.