NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit South China, 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
33 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of South China, Maine since 1851, 2 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Elsa in 2021. Since 1950, 12 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 2
- Tropical storms
- 31
- Tornadoes
- 12
- 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 South China
The strongest storm to pass near South China was an unnamed storm in 1869, a Category 1 hurricane with 87 mph winds when its centre passed 10 miles away. The record near South China begins with an unnamed storm in 1858; the most recent system was Elsa in 2021, a tropical storm 64 miles away. Of the 33 systems, one has come since 2000. Of the 160 Maine cities on this site, 81% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than South China. The highest rating among the 12 tornadoes within 25 miles is F2, reached 2 times; the most recent, on July 8, 1996, came within 24 miles. Of the 12, none had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and none has come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 7. The most recent tornado was on June 21, 1997. Of the 160 Maine cities, 64% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than South China. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 21 times since 1975, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 160 Maine cities, 66% have more hail reports within 10 miles than South China.
Compare South China's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near South China
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ElsaJul 9 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1999 | FloydSep 17 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 14 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1991 | BobAug 20 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | GloriaSep 27 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 7 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1971 | HeidiSep 14 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 28 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | EstherSep 26 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 15 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 13 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 31 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1952 | Unnamed 1952 stormFeb 5 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormSep 15 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormSep 9 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 21 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 17 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormMay 31 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 17 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 11 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 10 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 30 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 26 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 12 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormOct 23 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 30 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormOct 5 | 10 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormSep 9 | 35 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormNov 3 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 28 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1858 | Unnamed 1858 stormSep 16 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in South China: 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 South China
By decade
- 1990s2
- 1970s1
- 1960s5
- 1950s4
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 1996 | F2 | 24 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 31, 1971 | F2 | 22 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 21, 1997 | F1 | 19 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 1, 1968 | F1 | 18 mi | 2.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 17, 1967 | F1 | 23 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 13, 1966 | F1 | 25 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 1, 1963 | F1 | 12 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 16, 1959 | F1 | 11 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 8, 1958 | F1 | 23 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 19, 1958 | F1 | 14 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 14, 1956 | F1 | 8 mi | 18.7 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 15, 1963 | F0 | 23 mi | 17.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 12, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in South China
The Storm Prediction Center has 21 hail reports within 10 miles of South China since 1975, made on 16 separate days. Of these, 9 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), fell on June 30, 2003. The most recent report is from June 29, 2012. June has the most reports, 13.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in South China
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Waterville Trtmt Plt, ME, 9 miles northwest of South China at 73 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 80°F and low of 59°F; January is the coolest, at 29°F and 9°F. October is the wettest at 4.9 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.6 inches; the year adds up to 43.3 inches over 84 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 54% of the year's precipitation (23.4 of 43.3 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 33 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (16); a normal September there has highs of 72°F and 3.8 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 6 days a year, almost all from June to August. Lows fall below freezing on about 164 nights a year. That 43.3 inches is more than at 10 of the 47 Maine stations used on this site (21%). Windsor, 9 miles south, has its own station (Augusta State Airport, ME): 41.8 inches a year, 1.5 less than here, and the same July average high, 80°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29 | 9 | 3.1 | 6 |
| Feb | 32 | 10 | 2.6 | 6 |
| Mar | 40 | 21 | 3.3 | 6 |
| Apr | 54 | 32 | 3.7 | 7 |
| May | 66 | 43 | 3.3 | 8 |
| Jun | 75 | 53 | 4.0 | 8 |
| Jul | 80 | 59 | 3.4 | 8 |
| Aug | 80 | 57 | 3.4 | 7 |
| Sep | 72 | 50 | 3.8 | 6 |
| Oct | 59 | 38 | 4.9 | 8 |
| Nov | 46 | 29 | 3.9 | 7 |
| Dec | 35 | 17 | 3.9 | 8 |
| Year | 55 | 35 | 43.3 | 84 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Waterville Trtmt Plt, ME (73 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 South China
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 60 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of South China: 36 thunderstorm wind reports, 19 floods, 4 lightning strikes and 1 flash flood. They killed 0 people and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $372,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 71 mph, on June 21, 1997.
June 20, 2010: lightning strike 10 miles from the centre of South China — 1 injured.
December 18, 2023: flood 7 miles from the centre of South China — $200,000 damage.
August 5, 2009: lightning strike 8 miles from the centre of South China — $100,000 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
Kennebec County, which includes South China, has been named in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1970, 19 of them major disasters (by incident: 9 severe storms, 6 floods, 4 hurricanes, 3 snowstorms). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storm and Flooding, on January 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Kennebec County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for lightning; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, inland flooding and strong wind; Relatively Low for hail and coastal flooding; Very Low for tornadoes and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $37.5 million a year, the 4th highest of 16 Maine counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $21.5 million (57%), 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.