Penobscot County, Maine Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1869, 10 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Penobscot County, Maine — about one every 15.7 years. Of those, 1 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Bob (1991), which passed 36 miles away on 20 August 1991.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentBob (1991) — 36 mi away, 20 August 1991
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1869) — 70 kt (81 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordAble (1952) — 14.6 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles3 of 10
- Peak monthSeptember — 5 storms (50% of all)
- Most active year1960 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1960s — 3 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1869–1991
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bob (1991) | 20 Aug 1991 | 35.9 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Heidi (1971) | 15 Sep 1971 | 17.3 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Esther (1961) | 26 Sep 1961 | 40.9 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Donna (1960) | 13 Sep 1960 | 39.0 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Brenda (1960) | 31 Jul 1960 | 48.9 mi | TS / TD | 36 kt |
| Able (1952) | 2 Sep 1952 | 14.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 22 Jul 1916 | 43.5 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1897) | 24 Sep 1897 | 41.6 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 30 Aug 1893 | 26.0 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1869) | 5 Oct 1869 | 24.0 mi | Cat 1 | 67 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 13 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 9 most recent.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nate (2017) | Post-tropical | 10 Oct 2017 | 16.4 mi | 25 kt |
| Barry (2007) | Post-tropical | 5 Jun 2007 | 26.6 mi | 30 kt |
| Cindy (2005) | Post-tropical | 10 Jul 2005 | 39.0 mi | 28 kt |
| David (1979) | Post-tropical | 7 Sep 1979 | 6.3 mi | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1952) | Post-tropical | 5 Feb 1952 | 41.4 mi | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | Post-tropical | 9 Sep 1934 | 12.3 mi | 31 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1908) | Post-tropical | 31 May 1908 | 17.3 mi | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | Post-tropical | 17 Jun 1902 | 36.3 mi | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | Post-tropical | 30 Sep 1874 | 1.7 mi | 60 kt |
How Penobscot County, Maine compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Penobscot County, Maine ranks #1,256 — more exposed than 43.1% of them. Within Maine it ranks #10 of 16, against a state average of 12.1 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1869) passed 24 miles away on 5 October 1869 as a hurricane, reaching 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Donna (1960) passed 39 miles away on 13 September 1960 as a tropical storm, reaching 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Bob (1991) passed 36 miles away on 20 August 1991 as a tropical storm, reaching 55 kt (63 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 26 miles away on 30 August 1893 as a tropical storm, reaching 50 kt (58 mph) while within 50 miles.
9 of the 10 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 15.7 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 10 storms spread over the 157 years from 1869 to 2025. 1 separate year 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 34 years since the last one; 1 of the 8 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Penobscot County, Maine?
1 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Penobscot County, Maine at hurricane strength since 1869. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 10.
When was the last hurricane in Penobscot County, Maine?
Unnamed Storm (1869), on 5 October 1869, passing 24 miles away — 157 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Bob (1991) in 1991.
What was the strongest storm to affect Penobscot County, Maine?
Unnamed Storm (1869), which reached 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 24 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Penobscot County, Maine?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 15.7 years — 10 storms over the 157 years from 1869 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Penobscot County, Maine borders or sits close to 4 other counties with a published storm record. Kennebec County, Maine has 16 on record.