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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Taunton, 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

55 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Taunton, Massachusetts since 1851, 11 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ida in 2021. Since 1950, 43 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
11

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
44

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
43

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
1

1 deaths in all

What the records show for Taunton

The strongest storm to pass near Taunton was Edna in 1954, a Category 2 hurricane with 109 mph winds when its centre passed 43 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1944, whose centre crossed the city. The record near Taunton begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Ida in 2021, a tropical storm 57 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 6 systems, one of them at hurricane strength. Of the 55 systems, 8 have come since 2000. Taunton has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 49% of the 346 Massachusetts cities on this site. The strongest of the 43 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F3 on June 9, 1953; its path came within 11 miles. The deadliest, an F0 on September 7, 1958, killed 1 person. Of the 43, one had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 19 have come since 2000. August has had the most tornadoes, 14. The most recent tornado was on June 26, 2024. Of the 346 Massachusetts cities, 56% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Taunton. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 41 times since 1969, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 346 Massachusetts cities, 71% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Taunton.

Compare Taunton's storm record with another city →

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Taunton

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Taunton, Massachusetts, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2021IdaSep 257 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 4
2021HenriAug 2254 miTropical storm (51 mph)Category 1
2021ElsaJul 9overheadTropical storm (53 mph)Category 1
2013AndreaJun 83 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2008HannaSep 717 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 1
2007BarryJun 43 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
2006BerylJul 2166 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
2004HermineAug 3130 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1999FloydSep 1747 miTropical storm (56 mph)Category 4
1996JosephineOct 955 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1996BerthaJul 1438 miTropical storm (68 mph)Category 3
1991BobAug 194 miCategory 1 (92 mph)Category 3
1966AlmaJun 1425 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3
1961EstherSep 2648 miTropical storm (56 mph)Category 5
1961Unnamed 1961 stormSep 1544 miTropical storm (66 mph)Tropical storm
1960DonnaSep 1236 miCategory 1 (78 mph)Category 4
1960BrendaJul 3060 miTropical storm (48 mph)Tropical storm
1959CindyJul 1125 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
1955DianeAug 1967 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1954EdnaSep 1143 miCategory 2 (109 mph)Category 3
1954CarolAug 3135 miCategory 2 (106 mph)Category 3
1952AbleSep 272 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 2
1944Unnamed 1944 stormOct 2175 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 4
1944Unnamed 1944 stormSep 15overheadCategory 1 (78 mph)Category 5
1934Unnamed 1934 stormSep 958 miTropical storm (49 mph)Category 2
1934Unnamed 1934 stormJun 2034 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1923Unnamed 1923 stormOct 1915 miTropical storm (54 mph)Tropical storm
1916Unnamed 1916 stormJul 218 miTropical storm (64 mph)Category 2
1916Unnamed 1916 stormMay 1732 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1915Unnamed 1915 stormAug 536 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1913Unnamed 1913 stormOct 263 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
1908Unnamed 1908 stormMay 3124 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1907Unnamed 1907 stormJun 3021 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1904Unnamed 1904 stormSep 1521 miCategory 1 (85 mph)Category 1
1902Unnamed 1902 stormJun 1716 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1897Unnamed 1897 stormSep 2427 miTropical storm (47 mph)Tropical storm
1896Unnamed 1896 stormSep 1021 miTropical storm (64 mph)Category 3
1894Unnamed 1894 stormOct 1040 miTropical storm (62 mph)Category 3
1889Unnamed 1889 stormSep 2544 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 2
1888Unnamed 1888 stormOct 1272 miTropical storm (45 mph)Category 2
1888Unnamed 1888 stormSep 2664 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 1
1888Unnamed 1888 stormSep 1212 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1888Unnamed 1888 stormAug 2215 miTropical storm (48 mph)Category 3
1880Unnamed 1880 stormOct 2367 miTropical storm (69 mph)Tropical storm
1879Unnamed 1879 stormAug 1936 miCategory 1 (79 mph)Category 3
1878Unnamed 1878 stormOct 2464 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 2
1877Unnamed 1877 stormOct 534 miTropical storm (62 mph)Category 3
1874Unnamed 1874 stormSep 3055 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 1
1872Unnamed 1872 stormOct 273 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1869Unnamed 1869 stormOct 437 miCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 2
1869Unnamed 1869 stormSep 819 miCategory 2 (106 mph)Category 3
1861Unnamed 1861 stormNov 321 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
1861Unnamed 1861 stormSep 2853 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
1858Unnamed 1858 stormSep 1631 miCategory 1 (77 mph)Category 2
1851Unnamed 1851 stormOct 1926 miTropical storm (47 mph)Tropical storm

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

By decade

  • 2020s11
  • 2010s5
  • 2000s3
  • 1990s5
  • 1980s6
  • 1970s4
  • 1960s5
  • 1950s4(1 EF3+)
Strongest tornadoes near Taunton, Massachusetts
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Jun 9, 1953F311 mi28 mi0 / 17
Aug 18, 2023EF217 mi9.1 mi0 / 1
Aug 7, 1986F218 mi4 mi0 / 20
Aug 28, 1970F224 mi1 mi0 / 0
Nov 18, 1967F211 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
Nov 21, 1956F219 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
Jun 26, 2024EF112 mi0.55 mi0 / 0
Jun 26, 2024EF114 mi8.6 mi0 / 0
Sep 13, 2023EF119 mi0.21 mi0 / 0
Aug 18, 2023EF120 mi0.35 mi0 / 0
Aug 18, 2023EF110 mi7.6 mi0 / 0
Aug 8, 2023EF120 mi0.9 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 43, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

Hail in Taunton

The Storm Prediction Center has 41 hail reports within 10 miles of Taunton since 1969, made on 23 separate days. Of these, 18 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on July 18, 2012. The most recent report is from August 15, 2024. July has the most reports, 21.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.

Radar-estimated hail days in Taunton since 2019 →

Weather by month in Taunton

The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Taunton, MA, 2 miles east of Taunton at 20 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 84°F and low of 63°F; January is the coolest, at 38°F and 20°F. March is the wettest at 5.1 inches of precipitation on average and February and May the driest at 3.4 inches; the year adds up to 48.9 inches over 80 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 48% of the year's precipitation (23.6 of 48.9 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 55 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (20); a normal September there has highs of 75°F and 3.9 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 11 days a year, almost all from June to August. Lows fall below freezing on about 128 nights a year. Snowfall averages 25.7 inches a year, most of it in January. That 48.9 inches is more than at 37 of the 65 Massachusetts stations used on this site (57%). East Taunton, 5 miles southeast, has its own station (Taunton Municipal Airport, MA): 47.7 inches a year, 1.2 less than here, and the same July average high, 84°F.

Water temperature at the NOAA tide station Fall River, MA, 14 miles south, averaged 75°F in July and 38°F in February over 2021–2025. No month averaged 80°F. Sea level at the Providence tide gauge, 17 miles from Taunton, has risen 1.04 ± 0.05 inches per decade from 1938 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 10.4 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 58 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.

Monthly climate normals 1991–2020 at Taunton, MA
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. inDays ≥ 0.1"Snow inWater °F
Jan38203.778.341
Feb40213.467.038
Mar48295.174.942
Apr59384.871.649
May70483.480.058
Jun78574.160.068
Jul84633.560.075
Aug82623.670.075
Sep75543.970.071
Oct63434.360.063
Nov53344.270.253
Dec43264.973.744
Year614148.98025.756

Averages for 1991–2020 at Taunton, MA (20 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station Fall River, MA, 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.

Massachusetts weather by month, station by station →

Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Taunton

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 162 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Taunton: 115 thunderstorm wind reports, 29 floods, 8 flash floods, 8 lightning strikes and 2 heavy rain events. They killed 0 people and injured 3, and the NWS estimated $21.2 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on August 10, 2012. July has had the most flash floods, 3 of 8. Of the 339 Massachusetts cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 81 have had fewer than Taunton.

  • May 21, 2006: thunderstorm wind in Taunton — 1 injured, $25,000 damage.

  • July 23, 2008: lightning strike 8 miles from the centre of Taunton — 1 injured.

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

Flood insurance policyholders in Taunton's ZIP code 02780 have filed 100 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $1.5 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from March 2010 Nor'easter in 2010: 38 claims (38% of all) and $854,000, then Flooding in 1998 with 12. 59% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 229 Massachusetts cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 164 have fewer than Taunton.

Flood insurance claims in Taunton by named event
EventClaimsPaid
March 2010 Nor'easter201038$854,000
Flooding199812$247,000

Bristol County, which includes Taunton, has been named in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 17 of them major disasters (by incident: 9 hurricanes, 8 severe storms, 6 snowstorms, 3 floods). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms and Flooding, on May 15, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Bristol County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for inland flooding and strong wind; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, coastal flooding, lightning and heat waves; Relatively Low for tornadoes; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $87.3 million a year, the 8th highest of 14 Massachusetts counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $61.9 million (71%), 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 Taunton