Kennebec County, Maine Hurricane History
Since 1858, 16 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Kennebec County, Maine — about one every 10.5 years. Of those, 4 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Bertha (1996), which passed 44 miles away on 14 July 1996.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentBertha (1996) — 44 mi away, 14 July 1996
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1869) — 80 kt (92 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1869) — 0.8 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles3 of 16
- Peak monthSeptember — 9 storms (56% of all)
- Most active year1861 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1860s — 4 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1858–1996
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bertha (1996) | 14 Jul 1996 | 43.8 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Bob (1991) | 20 Aug 1991 | 38.3 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Gloria (1985) | 27 Sep 1985 | 48.0 mi | TS / TD | 54 kt |
| Heidi (1971) | 14 Sep 1971 | 46.9 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Esther (1961) | 26 Sep 1961 | 6.6 mi | TS / TD | 34 kt |
| Donna (1960) | 13 Sep 1960 | 27.3 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Brenda (1960) | 31 Jul 1960 | 31.8 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Able (1952) | 2 Sep 1952 | 17.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 21 Jul 1916 | 39.8 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1897) | 24 Sep 1897 | 28.8 mi | TS / TD | 33 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 30 Aug 1893 | 28.2 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1869) | 5 Oct 1869 | 0.8 mi | Cat 1 | 77 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1869) | 9 Sep 1869 | 34.8 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1861) | 3 Nov 1861 | 31.1 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1861) | 28 Sep 1861 | 40.2 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1858) | 16 Sep 1858 | 39.3 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 17 systems passed within 50 miles after losing tropical characteristics. These are excluded from the counts above because they were no longer tropical cyclones at their closest approach — but several were highly damaging, so they are listed here. Showing the 8 most recent.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nate (2017) | Post-tropical | 10 Oct 2017 | 33.4 mi | 25 kt |
| Barry (2007) | Post-tropical | 5 Jun 2007 | 12.9 mi | 31 kt |
| Cindy (2005) | Post-tropical | 9 Jul 2005 | 2.0 mi | 30 kt |
| Floyd (1999) | Post-tropical | 17 Sep 1999 | 38.4 mi | 45 kt |
| David (1979) | Post-tropical | 7 Sep 1979 | 41.9 mi | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1961) | Post-tropical | 15 Sep 1961 | 27.4 mi | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 1945 | 43.8 mi | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | Post-tropical | 9 Sep 1934 | 10.1 mi | 34 kt |
How Kennebec County, Maine compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Kennebec County, Maine ranks #945 — more exposed than 57.2% of them. Within Maine it ranks #4 of 16, against a state average of 12.1 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed (October 1869) passed 1 miles away on 5 October 1869 as a hurricane, reaching 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed (September 1869) passed 35 miles away on 9 September 1869 as a hurricane, reaching 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Bob (1991) passed 38 miles away on 20 August 1991 as a tropical storm, reaching 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Donna (1960) passed 27 miles away on 13 September 1960 as a tropical storm, reaching 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles.
15 of the 16 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 10.5 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 16 storms spread over the 168 years from 1858 to 2025. 3 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 36 years, between 1916 and 1952. It has been 29 years since the last one; 1 of the 12 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Kennebec County, Maine?
4 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Kennebec County, Maine at hurricane strength since 1858. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 16.
When was the last hurricane in Kennebec County, Maine?
Gloria (1985), on 27 September 1985, passing 48 miles away — 41 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Bertha (1996) in 1996.
What was the strongest storm to affect Kennebec County, Maine?
Unnamed Storm (1869), which reached 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 1 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Kennebec County, Maine?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 10.5 years — 16 storms over the 168 years from 1858 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Kennebec County, Maine borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Sagadahoc County, Maine has 16 on record.