NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Rowley, MA
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
44 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Rowley, Massachusetts since 1851, 8 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Elsa in 2021. Since 1950, 33 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 8
- Tropical storms
- 36
- Tornadoes
- 33
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Rowley
The strongest storm to pass near Rowley was an unnamed storm in 1869, a Category 2 hurricane with 104 mph winds when its centre passed 33 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1869, whose centre came within 11 miles. The record near Rowley begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Elsa in 2021, a tropical storm 32 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1960s, with 5 systems. Of the 44 systems, 4 have come since 2000. Of the 346 Massachusetts cities on this site, 76% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Rowley. The highest rating among the 33 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on September 29, 1974, came within 16 miles. Of the 33, 2 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 2 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 14. The most recent tornado was on July 28, 2014. Of the 346 Massachusetts cities, 72% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Rowley. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 34 times since 1961, with stones up to 3.5 inches. Of the 346 Massachusetts cities, 80% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Rowley.
Compare Rowley's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Rowley
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ElsaJul 9 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 8 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | HannaSep 7 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2007 | BarryJun 5 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1999 | FloydSep 17 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 14 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1991 | BobAug 19 | 22 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | GloriaSep 27 | 55 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 14 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1961 | EstherSep 26 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 15 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 13 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 31 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | CindyJul 11 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1954 | EdnaSep 11 | 67 mi | Category 2 (101 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1954 | CarolAug 31 | 31 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormSep 15 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormSep 9 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 19 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 21 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 17 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 5 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormMay 31 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 30 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 15 | 58 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 17 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 24 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 10 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 10 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 25 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 12 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 22 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormOct 23 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormAug 19 | 71 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 24 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 30 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 27 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormOct 4 | 33 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormSep 8 | 11 mi | Category 1 (93 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormNov 3 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 28 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1858 | Unnamed 1858 stormSep 16 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormOct 19 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Rowley: 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 Rowley
By decade
- 2010s1
- 2000s1
- 1990s1
- 1980s3
- 1970s6(1 EF3+)
- 1960s10
- 1950s11(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 29, 1974 | F3 | 16 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jun 9, 1953 | F3 | 18 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Jul 28, 2014 | EF2 | 21 mi | 1.93 mi | 0 / 2 |
| May 21, 2006 | F2 | 14 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jul 21, 1972 | F2 | 23 mi | 7.6 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Aug 28, 1965 | F2 | 21 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 2, 1961 | F2 | 15 mi | 5.1 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Aug 25, 1958 | F2 | 14 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 11, 1958 | F2 | 25 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 21, 1956 | F2 | 7 mi | 0.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 21, 1951 | F2 | 14 mi | 4.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 21, 1951 | F2 | 5 mi | 9.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 33, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Rowley
The Storm Prediction Center has 34 hail reports within 10 miles of Rowley since 1961, made on 25 separate days. Of these, 17 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest, 3.5 inches, fell on August 28, 1965. The most recent report is from July 23, 2021. June has the most reports, 14.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Rowley
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Groveland, MA, 7 miles west of Rowley at 30 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 83°F and low of 62°F; January is the coolest, at 35°F and 17°F. March is the wettest at 5.0 inches of precipitation on average and August the driest at 3.4 inches; the year adds up to 49.1 inches over 82 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 49% of the year's precipitation (24.1 of 49.1 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 44 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (18); a normal September there has highs of 73°F and 4.1 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 13 days a year, almost all from June to August. Lows fall below freezing on about 147 nights a year. Snowfall averages 67.1 inches a year, most of it in January. That 49.1 inches is more than at 39 of the 65 Massachusetts stations used on this site (60%). Ipswich, 4 miles southeast, has its own station (Beverly, MA): 48.0 inches a year, 1.1 less than here, and a July average high of 80°F against 83°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35 | 17 | 3.7 | 7 | 17.9 |
| Feb | 38 | 19 | 3.6 | 7 | 17.2 |
| Mar | 46 | 26 | 5.0 | 8 | 14.4 |
| Apr | 58 | 36 | 4.2 | 7 | 2.4 |
| May | 69 | 46 | 3.8 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 78 | 56 | 4.2 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 83 | 62 | 3.6 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 81 | 60 | 3.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 73 | 52 | 4.1 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 62 | 41 | 4.9 | 7 | 0.4 |
| Nov | 51 | 32 | 3.9 | 7 | 1.8 |
| Dec | 41 | 23 | 4.7 | 7 | 13.0 |
| Year | 60 | 39 | 49.1 | 82 | 67.1 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Groveland, MA (30 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 Rowley
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 130 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Rowley: 99 thunderstorm wind reports, 18 floods, 8 lightning strikes and 5 flash floods. They killed 3 people and injured 16, and the NWS estimated $4.5 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 98 mph, on September 6, 2014. September has had the most flash floods, 3 of 5. Of the 339 Massachusetts cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 40 have had fewer than Rowley.
September 6, 2014: lightning strike 8 miles from the centre of Rowley — 2 killed.
June 20, 2008: lightning strike 9 miles from the centre of Rowley — 1 killed, 1 injured.
March 30, 2010: flood 7 miles from the centre of Rowley — 15 injured, $3.3 million 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
Essex County, which includes Rowley, has been named in 40 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 25 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 severe storms, 8 snowstorms, 7 floods, 7 hurricanes). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on March 27, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Essex County a Relatively High rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for coastal flooding; Relatively High for hurricanes, tornadoes, inland flooding, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Moderate for heat waves; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $198.8 million a year, the 2nd highest of 14 Massachusetts counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $124.6 million (63%), 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.