Oxford County, Maine Hurricane History
Since 1858, 11 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Oxford County, Maine — about one every 15.3 years. Of those, 4 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Gloria (1985), which passed 17 miles away on 27 September 1985.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentGloria (1985) — 17 mi away, 27 September 1985
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1869) — 80 kt (92 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1893) — 13.6 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles5 of 11
- Peak monthSeptember — 4 storms (36% of all)
- Most active year1869 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1860s and 1890s — 3 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1858–1985
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gloria (1985) | 27 Sep 1985 | 16.6 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Doria (1971) | 28 Aug 1971 | 23.1 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Donna (1960) | 13 Sep 1960 | 31.9 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Brenda (1960) | 31 Jul 1960 | 16.5 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 10 Oct 1894 | 16.7 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 30 Aug 1893 | 13.6 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 24 Aug 1893 | 45.6 mi | TS / TD | 56 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1869) | 5 Oct 1869 | 48.9 mi | Cat 1 | 77 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1869) | 9 Sep 1869 | 26.2 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1861) | 3 Nov 1861 | 49.9 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1858) | 16 Sep 1858 | 25.2 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 15 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 | 15.5 mi | 25 kt |
| Irene (2011) | Post-tropical | 29 Aug 2011 | 40.8 mi | 43 kt |
| Cindy (2005) | Post-tropical | 9 Jul 2005 | 49.1 mi | 30 kt |
| David (1979) | Post-tropical | 6 Sep 1979 | 16.4 mi | 44 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1961) | Post-tropical | 15 Sep 1961 | 41.6 mi | 60 kt |
| Carol (1954) | Post-tropical | 31 Aug 1954 | 23.1 mi | 65 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1949) | Post-tropical | 29 Aug 1949 | 26.7 mi | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | Post-tropical | 9 Sep 1934 | 25.3 mi | 35 kt |
How Oxford County, Maine compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Oxford County, Maine ranks #1,201 — more exposed than 45.6% of them. Within Maine it ranks #8 of 16, against a state average of 12.1 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed (October 1869) passed 49 miles away on 5 October 1869 as a hurricane, reaching 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed (September 1869) passed 26 miles away on 9 September 1869 as a hurricane, reaching 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Donna (1960) passed 32 miles away on 13 September 1960 as a tropical storm, reaching 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Gloria (1985) passed 17 miles away on 27 September 1985 as a hurricane, reaching 58 kt (67 mph) while within 50 miles.
10 of the 11 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 15.3 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 11 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 66 years, between 1894 and 1960. It has been 40 years since the last one; 1 of the 7 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Oxford County, Maine?
4 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Oxford County, Maine at hurricane strength since 1858. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 11.
When was the last hurricane in Oxford County, Maine?
Gloria (1985), on 27 September 1985, passing 17 miles away — 41 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Gloria (1985) in 1985.
What was the strongest storm to affect Oxford County, Maine?
Unnamed Storm (1869), which reached 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 49 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Oxford County, Maine?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 15.3 years — 11 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
Oxford County, Maine borders or sits close to 4 other counties with a published storm record. York County, Maine has 20 on record.