Queen Anne's County, Maryland Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1863, 17 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Queen Anne's County, Maryland — about one every 9.6 years. Of those, 0 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Isaias (2020), which passed 19 miles away on 4 August 2020.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
Key facts
- Most recentIsaias (2020) — 19 mi away, 4 August 2020
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1904) — 63 kt (72 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1939) — 10.1 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles5 of 17
- Peak monthAugust and September — 5 storms (29% of all)
- Most active year1863 — 1 storms
- Most active decade1870s, 1940s, 1960s and 1990s — 2 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1863–2020
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isaias (2020) | 4 Aug 2020 | 19.3 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Hanna (2008) | 6 Sep 2008 | 27.7 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Bertha (1996) | 13 Jul 1996 | 28.7 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Danielle (1992) | 26 Sep 1992 | 17.5 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1963) | 3 Jun 1963 | 19.7 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Brenda (1960) | 30 Jul 1960 | 48.2 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Connie (1955) | 13 Aug 1955 | 27.1 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1944) | 3 Aug 1944 | 30.6 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1943) | 1 Oct 1943 | 33.3 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1939) | 19 Aug 1939 | 10.1 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 4 Aug 1915 | 43.5 mi | TS / TD | 42 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1904) | 15 Sep 1904 | 43.5 mi | TS / TD | 63 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 23 Oct 1893 | 27.4 mi | TS / TD | 39 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 23 Jun 1886 | 13.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 29 Sep 1874 | 32.8 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1872) | 26 Oct 1872 | 30.0 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1863) | 19 Sep 1863 | 44.8 mi | TS / TD | 48 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ophelia (2023) | Post-tropical | 24 Sep 2023 | 45.0 mi | 20 kt |
| Ida (2021) | Post-tropical | 1 Sep 2021 | 42.8 mi | 33 kt |
| Zeta (2020) | Post-tropical | 29 Oct 2020 | 46.6 mi | 45 kt |
| Ernesto (2006) | Post-tropical | 2 Sep 2006 | 33.2 mi | 39 kt |
| Cindy (2005) | Post-tropical | 8 Jul 2005 | 26.9 mi | 25 kt |
| Jeanne (2004) | Post-tropical | 29 Sep 2004 | 41.9 mi | 28 kt |
| Gordon (2000) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 2000 | 30.1 mi | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | Post-tropical | 18 Sep 1945 | 14.4 mi | 33 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1877) | Post-tropical | 4 Oct 1877 | 41.8 mi | 57 kt |
How Queen Anne's County, Maryland compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Queen Anne's County, Maryland ranks #906 — more exposed than 59.0% of them. Within Maryland it ranks #19 of 24, against a state average of 20.3 storms per county.
Notable storms
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1904) passed 43 miles away on 15 September 1904 as a tropical storm, reaching 63 kt (72 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Bertha (1996) passed 29 miles away on 13 July 1996 as a tropical storm, reaching 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Isaias (2020) passed 19 miles away on 4 August 2020 as a tropical storm, reaching 58 kt (67 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Connie (1955) passed 27 miles away on 13 August 1955 as a tropical storm, reaching 55 kt (63 mph) while within 50 miles.
17 of the 17 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 9.6 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 17 storms spread over the 163 years from 1863 to 2025. 0 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 29 years, between 1963 and 1992. It has been 5 years since the last one; 10 of the 16 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
Has a hurricane ever hit Queen Anne's County, Maryland?
No. No tropical cyclone on record has passed within 50 miles of Queen Anne's County, Maryland while at hurricane strength. 17 tropical cyclones have passed within that distance since 1863, all of them as tropical storms or depressions. The strongest was Unnamed Storm (1904).
When was the last tropical cyclone in Queen Anne's County, Maryland?
Isaias (2020), on 4 August 2020, passing 19 miles away — 6 years ago. No storm on record has passed within 50 miles of Queen Anne's County, Maryland at hurricane strength.
What was the strongest storm to affect Queen Anne's County, Maryland?
Unnamed Storm (1904), which reached 63 kt (72 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 43 miles.
How often does a tropical storm reach Queen Anne's County, Maryland?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 9.6 years — 17 storms over the 163 years from 1863 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Queen Anne's County, Maryland borders or sits close to 4 other counties with a published storm record. Caroline County, Maryland has 22 on record.