Brockton

Population 106,134 (2025)

26 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of Brockton since 1851; the strongest at closest approach was Edna in 1954 (Category 2).

Hazard fingerprint for Brockton Tornado: 24th percentile. Tropical: 74th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 90th percentile. Hail & wind: 95th percentile. Heat: 19th percentile. Cold: 9th percentile. Winter: 93th percentile. TORTROPFIREFLOODSEVEREHEATCOLDWINTER

Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed

2026
  • Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 195034
  • Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger42
  • Major flood years since 1978, Plymouth County7

At a glance

Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Plymouth County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Plymouth County.

Flood insurance claims

10,959

Plymouth County

$153 million paid since 1978

Details

Tropical cyclones within 50 mi

26

9 at hurricane strength since 1851

Details

Tornadoes since 1950, within 25 mi

34

1 rated F3/EF3 or stronger

Details

Strongest tornado

F3

June 9, 1953, 28.0 mile path

Strongest tropical cyclone

Cat. 2

Hurricane Edna, 1954, 45.7 miles away

Federal disaster declarations

32

Most recent: Hurricane Lee, 2023

Details

Record high

101°F

August 2, 1975

Details

Record low

−14°F

Reached 2 times, most recently February 4, 2023

Details

Tornadoes

About one every 2.2 years since 1950, one of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

June 9, 1953

F3, 28.0 mile path

667 yards wide.

Deadliest

August 9, 1972

1 killed, F1

6 injured along the whole path.

Most recent

Wednesday, June 26, 2024

EF1, 0.6 mile path

2 years ago.

Tornadoes by decade, within 25 miles Doppler radar era² 1950s: 4 4 1960s: 3 3 1970s: 4 4 1980s: 6 6 1990s: 3 3 2000s: 2 2 2010s: 4 4 2020s: 8 8 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 0 F: 0 M: 0 A: 0 M: 3 J: 5 J: 6 A: 9 9 S: 6 O: 2 N: 3 D: 0 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes within 25 miles since 1950
Jun 26, 2024EF10.65000
Jun 26, 2024EF18.610000
Sep 13, 2023EF00.17000
Aug 18, 2023EF10.310000
Aug 18, 2023EF00.13500
Aug 18, 2023EF17.68000
Jul 29, 2023EF10.22500
Oct 7, 2020EF00.55000
Oct 23, 2018EF10.817000
Jun 23, 2015EF00.520000
Jul 28, 2014EF21.966020
May 9, 2013EF00.45000
Aug 21, 2004F16.04000
Jun 30, 2001F00.18000
Aug 20, 1997F00.11000
May 18, 1990F00.21000
May 18, 1990F00.21000
Jul 10, 1989F00.12300
Jul 10, 1989F10.12310
Jul 10, 1989F00.12300
Sep 16, 1986F10.15000
Aug 7, 1986F10.510000
Sep 27, 1985F10.14000
Sep 6, 1973F11.11000
Aug 9, 1972F14.93061
Nov 7, 1971F10.11000
Aug 2, 1970F12.010000
Aug 9, 1968F10.11040
Nov 18, 1967F20.11700
Jul 4, 1964F12.31000
Sep 7, 1958F00.11011
Sep 7, 1958F02.36700
Nov 21, 1956F20.11700
Jun 9, 1953F328.0667170
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
  2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

26 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 9 at hurricane strength.

Strongest within 50 miles

September 11, 1954

Edna, Category 2

45.7 miles at closest approach, winds near 109 mph.

Most recent

October 27, 2021

Wanda, Post-tropical

96.1 miles at closest approach.

Tropical cyclones within 50 miles by decade 50s: 2 60s: 4 4 70s: 2 80s: 2 90s: 3 00s: 1 10s: 1 20s: 1 30s: 0 40s: 1 50s: 3 60s: 3 70s: 0 80s: 0 90s: 3 00s: 0 10s: 0 20s: 0 50s60s70s80s90s00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s00s10s20s
Storms within 50 miles, by decade. Records before about 1900 miss storms that never reached land or ships.

Every storm within 100 miles

Tropical cyclones within 100 miles
Wanda202196.1Post-tropical69Tropical storm
Ida202167.3Post-tropical46Category 4
Elsa20215.8Post-tropical52Category 1
Andrea20138.3Post-tropical46Tropical storm
Hanna20089.7Post-tropical52Category 1
Barry20072.4Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Beryl200672.4Tropical storm52Tropical storm
Floyd199941.2Tropical storm55Category 4
Josephine199663.6Post-tropical52Tropical storm
Bertha199631.5Tropical storm68Category 3
Bob199114.1Category 189Category 3
Gloria198572.8Category 182Category 4
Belle197678.8Tropical storm40Category 3
Carrie197293.5Post-tropical63Tropical storm
Doria197192.8Tropical storm54Tropical storm
Unnamed196890.8Tropical storm60Tropical storm
Alma196627.5Post-tropical46Category 3
Esther196145.4Tropical storm54Category 5
Unnamed196140.0Tropical storm66Tropical storm
Donna196033.9Category 175Category 4
Brenda196055.9Tropical storm48Tropical storm
Cindy195931.3Tropical storm58Category 1
Diane195579.5Tropical storm46Category 2
Edna195445.7Category 2109Category 3
Carol195441.2Category 2100Category 3
Unnamed195281.6Post-tropical62Tropical storm
Unnamed194483.2Post-tropical52Category 4
Unnamed19445.8Category 175Category 5
Unnamed193899.8Category 2100Category 5
Unnamed193456.8Post-tropical48Category 2
Unnamed193443.6Post-tropical46Category 2
Unnamed193297.5Post-tropical75Category 1
Unnamed192482.3Category 191Category 3
Unnamed19238.2Tropical storm54Tropical storm
Unnamed191795.6Tropical storm66Tropical storm
Unnamed19168.0Tropical storm62Category 2
Unnamed191629.9Post-tropical58Tropical storm
Unnamed191374.8Post-tropical58Category 1
Unnamed190822.9Tropical storm40Category 1
Unnamed190727.5Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Unnamed190437.6Post-tropical86Category 1
Unnamed190223.4Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Unnamed189727.5Tropical storm47Tropical storm
Unnamed189617.6Tropical storm63Category 3
Unnamed189440.3Tropical storm61Category 3
Unnamed189394.9Tropical storm60Category 3
Unnamed188948.9Tropical storm40Category 2
Unnamed188882.4Tropical storm44Category 2
Unnamed188866.8Category 181Category 1
Unnamed18888.1Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Unnamed18888.5Tropical storm48Category 3
Unnamed188782.5Post-tropical52Category 1
Unnamed188595.4Category 192Category 1
Unnamed188199.7Tropical storm58Category 2
Unnamed188067.4Post-tropical69Tropical storm
Unnamed187943.6Category 178Category 3
Unnamed187852.0Post-tropical58Category 2
Unnamed187744.0Post-tropical61Category 3
Unnamed187451.4Tropical storm69Category 1
Unnamed187213.2Tropical storm46Category 1
Unnamed186941.6Category 2104Category 2
Unnamed186919.3Category 2104Category 3
Unnamed186120.8Tropical storm58Category 1
Unnamed186147.0Tropical storm58Category 1
Unnamed185832.9Category 177Category 2
Unnamed185130.1Tropical storm46Tropical storm
  1. Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.

National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.

Wildfire and smoke

No large wildfire has been mapped within 25 miles since satellite mapping began in 1984.

Smoke overhead

Smokiest year

2023: 54 days

Heavy smoke on 9 days in 2023, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

14.3 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

18 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 17 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 3 2012: 7 2013: 0 2014: 6 2015: 10 2016: 2 2017: 2 2018: 8 2019: 7 2020: 8 2021: 19 2022: 9 2023: 54 54 2024: 16 2025: 18 201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Days each year on which a satellite-traced plume of medium or heavy smoke covered the city centre, 2011 to 2025.
  1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Floods and flood insurance

10,959 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $153 million paid.

Flood insurance figures are for Plymouth County, the county that contains Brockton.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1978: 976 1979: 419 1980: 18 1981: 36 1982: 152 1983: 115 1984: 138 1985: 19 1986: 25 1987: 683 1988: 7 1989: 15 1990: 14 1991: 3,227 3,227 1992: 1,115 1993: 53 1994: 30 1995: 8 1996: 115 1997: 98 1998: 59 1999: 10 2000: 22 2001: 335 2002: 18 2003: 255 2004: 13 2005: 298 2006: 133 2007: 146 2008: 11 2009: 10 2010: 595 2011: 20 2012: 47 2013: 532 2014: 47 2015: 270 2016: 17 2017: 14 2018: 731 2019: 7 2021: 39 2022: 14 2023: 8 2024: 31 2025: 7 1978198319881993199820032008201320182024
Claims per year since 1978. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

1991: 3,227 claims

$67.8 million paid.

2nd most

1992: 1,115 claims

$9.4 million paid.

3rd most

1978: 976 claims

$8.8 million paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
020663,184$60.6 million
020452,366$17.5 million
020501,393$20.3 million
02571637$8.6 million
02047468$6.9 million
02739456$6.7 million
02332429$6.4 million
02360289$7.9 million
02301256$1.4 million
02738181$2.9 million
02020180$2.6 million
02043140$1.3 million
02558135$1.9 million
131$1.1 million
0204191$1.0 million
0230283$676,000
0234740$667,000
0253232$387,000
0238131$438,000
0232431$95,000
0257630$366,000
0233927$103,000
0234526$459,000
0236426$316,000
0206025$809,000
0234618$152,000
0235116$59,000
0206116$215,000
0206516$91,000
0237016$102,000
0205515$227,000
0236114$85,000
0205112$100,000
0240112$16,000
0233312$90,000
0238212$6,861
0235911$22,000
0237910$34,000
023318$95,000
025387$46,000
023416$9,801
020265$28,000
023625$23,000

Flood events since 1996

  • Coastal Flood64
  • Flood63
  • Heavy Rain44
  • Flash Flood22

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).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

River crests

River gauges in Plymouth County, the county that contains Brockton.

Most severe crest

April 1, 2010

Taunton River near Bridgewater, 14.97 ft

6.97 feet above the 8.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.

Most recent moderate or major crest

March 3, 2018

Massachusetts Bay at Scituate (IN MLLW), 14.59 ft

Moderate flooding.

Highest river crests above flood stage
Apr 1, 2010Taunton River near Bridgewater14.97+6.97Major
Mar 17, 2010Taunton River near Bridgewater14.51+6.51Major
Mar 20, 1968Taunton River near Bridgewater14.48+6.48Major
Aug 21, 1955Taunton River near Bridgewater13.02+5.02Moderate
Apr 8, 1987Taunton River near Bridgewater12.54+4.54Moderate
Mar 27, 1969Taunton River near Bridgewater12.49+4.49Moderate
Oct 17, 2005Taunton River near Bridgewater12.40+4.40Moderate
Jun 9, 2006Taunton River near Bridgewater12.21+4.21Moderate
Oct 23, 1996Taunton River near Bridgewater12.02+4.02Moderate
Jan 4, 2018Massachusetts Bay at Scituate (IN MLLW)14.78+3.28Moderate
Mar 3, 2018Massachusetts Bay at Scituate (IN MLLW)14.59+3.09Moderate
Jan 30, 2018Massachusetts Bay at Scituate (IN MLLW)13.84+2.34Moderate
Dec 28, 1969Taunton River near Bridgewater11.90+3.90Minor
Dec 8, 1945Taunton River near Bridgewater11.57+3.57Minor
Mar 24, 2001Taunton River near Bridgewater11.30+3.30Minor
Mar 4, 2018Taunton River near Bridgewater11.20+3.20Minor
Feb 26, 1998Taunton River near Bridgewater10.99+2.99Minor
Dec 19, 1973Taunton River near Bridgewater10.80+2.80Minor
Mar 30, 2005Taunton River near Bridgewater10.76+2.76Minor
Apr 14, 1935Taunton River near Bridgewater10.72+2.72Minor
Apr 19, 2007Taunton River near Bridgewater10.72+2.72Minor
Mar 14, 1936Taunton River near Bridgewater10.64+2.64Minor
Jan 29, 1976Taunton River near Bridgewater10.57+2.57Minor
Jun 14, 1998Taunton River near Bridgewater10.50+2.50Minor
Apr 15, 1933Taunton River near Bridgewater10.50+2.50Minor

River gauges

River gauges and their highest listed crests
Green Harbor, Marshfield (In MLLW)11.5——0
Indian Head River at Hanover6.07.32 ftMar 16, 20100
Massachusetts Bay at Scituate (IN MLLW)11.514.78 ftJan 4, 20180
Taunton River near Bridgewater8.014.97 ftApr 1, 20103
  1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Drought

In severe drought or worse for 53 of 1,581 months since 1895 (3%); the longest spell lasted 18 months.

The drought index is for Plymouth County, the county that contains Brockton.

53

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

13

Months in extreme drought

3%

Share of all months, severe or worse

23

Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996

Lowest reading

December 1965

−5.00, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

18 months

May 1965 to October 1966.

Latest month

September 2026

+1.86, slightly wet

Last severe month: September 2016.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 0 1896: 0 1897: 0 1898: 0 1899: 0 1900: 0 1901: 0 1902: 0 1903: 0 1904: 0 1905: 0 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 0 1909: 0 1910: 0 1911: 0 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 0 1915: 0 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 0 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 0 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 0 1925: 0 1926: 0 1927: 0 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 1 1931: 0 1932: 0 1933: 0 1934: 0 1935: 0 1936: 0 1937: 0 1938: 0 1939: 0 1940: 0 1941: 0 1942: 0 1943: 0 1944: 8 1945: 1 1946: 0 1947: 1 1948: 0 1949: 5 1950: 11 11 1951: 0 1952: 0 1953: 0 1954: 0 1955: 0 1956: 0 1957: 3 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 0 1963: 0 1964: 0 1965: 8 1966: 10 1967: 1 1968: 0 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 1 1981: 1 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 1 1986: 0 1987: 0 1988: 0 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 0 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 1 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 18951905191519251935194519551965197519851995200520152025
Months each year with a Palmer index of −3 or lower, 1895 to 2025. Twelve means the whole year.
  1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Earthquakes

23 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1903; none reached magnitude 4.

7

Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973

0

Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900

0

Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900

Largest within 50 miles

November 8, 2020

Magnitude 3.6

10 km S of Bliss Corner, Massachusetts; 39.0 miles away, 6.2 miles deep.

Most recent, magnitude 3 or more

November 8, 2020

Magnitude 3.6

10 km S of Bliss Corner, Massachusetts; 39.0 miles away.

Earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles, by year 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 1 1 1977: 1 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 1 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 1 1986: 0 1987: 0 1988: 0 1989: 1 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 1 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 0 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 1 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 19731978198319881993199820032008201320182023
Per year, 1973 to 2025.
  1. Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
  2. Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Severe weather and other events

1,402 events in the National Weather Service record for Plymouth County, 1,370 of them since 1996.

44

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

5

Hail, 2 inches or larger

167

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

259

Winter weather events since 1996

3

Heat events since 1996

2

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

July 6, 1999

2.75 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

May 21, 1996

104 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Storm surge and tide800Aug 28, 2011
Lightning45122May 8, 2024

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Mar 14, 2010Flood$16.1 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Several small streams went into flood, including the Taunton River at Bridgewater, the Jones River at Kingston, and the Indian Head River at Hanover. Several streets were closed throughout East Bridgewater, Bridgewater, and Whitman. In addition, collections at the Holmes Public Library in Halifax were damaged by floodwaters. Residents of John Dunn Drive in Rockland were evacuated from their homes. Forty homes in Brockton were evacuated after power and gas were shut off to the houses. Several roads were closed in Brockton due to flooding.

  2. Feb 9, 2013Coastal Flood, Eastern Plymouth$9.2 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    In Plymouth, Warren Avenue was flooded near the entrance to the beach. A road near the north end of White Horse Beach was washed over with two feet of sand. A house on Taylor Avenue was completely destroyed with wreckage strewn for half a mile. Foundations and stairs of six to eight buildings were damaged. Significant beach erosion occurred with damage to dunes, sand fencing, and stairs. The Pilgrim Sands Motel was flooded with two feet of water in their basement. The Breakwater parking lot was undermined and eroded. In Scituate, numerous streets were flooded and impassable, with up to four feet of water. Moderate to major coastal flooding occurred with depths of water reaching up…

  3. Mar 29, 2010Flood$8.1 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Three to eight inches of rain fell across Plymouth County resulting in several small streams rising above flood stage, including the Taunton River at Bridgewater which set a record, the Indian Head River at Hanover, and the Jones River at Kingston.||Several ponds in Lakeville rose out of their banks. At least 35 families were evacuated because of the pond flooding. Schools in Lakeville closed early Tuesday, March 30 and closed for the day Wednesday, March 31 because of the flooding. Two buildings in the Ashley Place condominium complex in Middleborough were evacuated due to flooding. A day care center on Route 28 was also evacuated. A handful of people were evacuated from a…

  4. May 21, 1996Thunderstorm Wind$4.0 million
  5. Apr 1, 1997Heavy Snow, Western Plymouth$2.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A low pressure system which formed off the New Jersey coast during the early morning hours of March 31st intensified rapidly as it moved to a position 60 miles south of Newport, Rhode Island. This system retreated to the south during the early morning hours of April 1st, pulling in cold air from the north. The center then moved slowly eastward. Heavy snow and strong winds produced blizzard or near-blizzard conditions across most of Massachusetts, with the exception of the Islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. Northeast winds gusting to 30 to 50 mph were reported. Snowfall totals of 20 to 30 inches were common from a Plymouth to Taunton line northwestward to the Berkshires.…

  6. Dec 27, 2010Coastal Flood, Eastern Plymouth$2.2 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Moderate to major coastal flooding impacted eastern Plymouth County during the early morning high tide. The most severe flooding affected Scituate, where over one hundred people were evacuated. Most coastal roads were closed due to flooding and overwash debris including Otis and Scituate Avenues, Inner Harbor Road, and the Town Way Extension in the Peggotty Beach section. Significant damage occurred to coastal structures such as homes and stairways. The coastal flooding inundated one house to the point that seawater was flooding the electrical box. This resulted in a house fire. Because of the coastal flooding, firefighters had trouble reaching the house to put the fire out and…

  7. Oct 26, 2021High Wind, Eastern Plymouth$1.7 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Winds gusted to between 70 and nearly 90 mph in eastern Plymouth County! The peak wind report was 88 mph in Duxbury (Weatherflow) at 840 AM EDT (740 AM EST) on the 27th. Other peak wind gusts included 83 mph in Scituate at 827 AM EDT (Weatherflow); 78 mph at the Hull Yacht Club (Weatherflow) at 528 AM EDT; 70 mph in Plymouth (trained spotter) at 535 AM EDT; 60 mph in Marshfield (AWOS) at 635 AM EDT. There was widespread damage to trees and power lines. Schools were closed for several days. According to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, storm damage totals amounted to $2,658,115 in Plymouth County, the vast majority of which was from debris removal and emergency…

  8. Aug 28, 2011Tropical Storm, Western Plymouth$1.6 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Trees, branches, and wires were downed on South, Union, Conant, and Hale Streets in Bridgewater. One of these trees was downed onto a house. A tree and wires were downed on Forest Park Drive in Lakeville. Numerous trees were downed in Middleboro. A large tree was downed at the intersection of Routes 58 and 123 in Abington.

  9. Jan 7, 1996Heavy Snow, Eastern Plymouth$1.6 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    An intense East Coast low pressure system moved northeast from eastern Georgia passing along the coast of the Carolinas and then close to 40 degrees North and 70 degrees West. This storm was one of the most significant winter storms to hit southern New England in the past 20 years and was named "The Blizzard of '96" as it dumped record snowfalls from the mid-Atlantic states to southern New England. Technically, this storm only reached a true blizzard by National Weather Service criteria for a few hours in a small section of eastern Massachusetts around South Weymouth during the early morning hours on January 8th. Very heavy snowfall, which was measured in feet, was the main effect…

  10. Jan 7, 1996Heavy Snow, Western Plymouth$1.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    An intense East Coast low pressure system moved northeast from eastern Georgia passing along the coast of the Carolinas and then close to 40 degrees North and 70 degrees West. This storm was one of the most significant winter storms to hit southern New England in the past 20 years and was named "The Blizzard of '96" as it dumped record snowfalls from the mid-Atlantic states to southern New England. Technically, this storm only reached a true blizzard by National Weather Service criteria for a few hours in a small section of eastern Massachusetts around South Weymouth during the early morning hours on January 8th. Very heavy snowfall, which was measured in feet, was the main effect…

  1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

Weather records

From Blue Hill Lcd, 10.1 miles from the city centre, with records from 1959.

All-time high
101°FAug 2, 1975
All-time low
−14°F2 times, most recently Feb 4, 2023
Warmest night
79°FAug 2, 1975
Coldest day
2°FJan 8, 1968
Wettest day
7.10 inOct 20, 1996
Snowiest day
27.4 inFeb 24, 1969
Hottest year
2012mean 52.4°F
Coldest year
1972mean 47.1°F
Wettest year
199871.00 in
Driest year
196526.96 in
Snowiest season
150.8 in2014-15
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Blue Hill Lcd 32°F 35° 20° 4.5 Jan 38° 22° 4.1 Feb 46° 29° 5.5 Mar 57° 38° 4.6 Apr 67° 48° 4.2 May 76° 57° 4.7 Jun 82° 64° 4.1 Jul 80° 63° 3.7 Aug 73° 56° 4.5 Sep 61° 45° 5.4 Oct 50° 35° 4.0 Nov 41° 26° 5.2 Dec Precipitation, inches
Average daily high and low by month, and average monthly precipitation, over the last 30 years.
Nights at or below freezing per year 1976: 140 1977: 114 1978: 138 1979: 113 1980: 141 141 1981: 131 1982: 128 1983: 117 1984: 122 1985: 127 1986: 126 1987: 125 1988: 125 1989: 130 1990: 118 1991: 119 1992: 129 1993: 125 1994: 113 1995: 128 1996: 118 1997: 139 1998: 92 1999: 111 2000: 110 2001: 122 2002: 126 2003: 122 2004: 119 2005: 120 2006: 94 2007: 131 2008: 123 2009: 110 2010: 111 2011: 115 2012: 111 2013: 125 2014: 115 2015: 113 2016: 109 2017: 112 2018: 131 2019: 132 2020: 112 2021: 115 2022: 109 2023: 101 2024: 98 2025: 122 19761986199620062016
Nights at or below freezing each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 115.6.
Snowfall by winter 1976: 81.2 in 1977: 93.5 in 1978: 36.9 in 1979: 25.3 in 1980: 42.3 in 1981: 75.6 in 1982: 56.5 in 1983: 60.4 in 1984: 47.1 in 1985: 26.4 in 1986: 85.7 in 1987: 68.6 in 1988: 34.0 in 1989: 59.2 in 1990: 29.0 in 1991: 27.2 in 1992: 84.3 in 1993: 101.1 in 1994: 17.9 in 1995: 144.4 in 1996: 69.6 in 1997: 41.6 in 1998: 58.5 in 1999: 33.7 in 2000: 91.4 in 2001: 40.3 in 2002: 113.1 in 2003: 58.0 in 2004: 119.4 in 2005: 52.2 in 2006: 27.6 in 2007: 66.5 in 2008: 78.9 in 2009: 64.4 in 2010: 96.8 in 2011: 24.2 in 2012: 99.0 in 2013: 85.6 in 2014: 150.8 in 150.8 2015: 57.5 in 2016: 66.4 in 2017: 89.4 in 2018: 47.6 in 2019: 31.9 in 2020: 76.2 in 2021: 70.6 in 2022: 34.9 in 2023: 26.8 in 2024: 34.8 in 2025: 81.6 in 19761986199620062016
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

Median first snow

November 17

Earliest: October 10, 1979

Median last snow

April 5

Latest: May 10, 1977

0 of 67 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Blue Hill Lcd (USW00014753), 625 ft elevation, 10.1 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1959 to September 29, 2026; 99.6% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

Federal disaster declarations

32 since 1953. The most recent: Hurricane Lee, September 15, 2023.

Declarations for Plymouth County.

Federal disaster declarations
Sep 15, 2023HurricaneHurricane LeeEmergencyEM-3599-MA
Apr 18, 2022SnowstormSevere Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disasterDR-4651-MA
Mar 27, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4496-MA
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3438-MA
Jun 25, 2018Severe StormSevere Winter Storm and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4372-MA
Apr 13, 2015Severe StormSevere Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4214-MA
Apr 19, 2013Severe StormSevere Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4110-MA
Dec 19, 2012HurricaneHurricane SandyMajor disasterDR-4097-MA
Oct 28, 2012HurricaneHurricane SandyEmergencyEM-3350-MA
Sep 3, 2011HurricaneTropical Storm IreneMajor disasterDR-4028-MA
Aug 26, 2011HurricaneHurricane IreneEmergencyEM-3330-MA
Sep 2, 2010HurricaneHurricane EarlEmergencyEM-3315-MA
Mar 29, 2010Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1895-MA
May 16, 2007Severe StormSevere Storms and Inland and Coastal FloodingMajor disasterDR-1701-MA
Nov 10, 2005Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1614-MA
Sep 13, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3252-MA
Feb 17, 2005SnowstormRecord and/Or Near Record SnowEmergencyEM-3201-MA
Jan 15, 2004SnowstormSnowEmergencyEM-3191-MA
Mar 11, 2003SnowstormSnowEmergencyEM-3175-MA
Apr 10, 2001Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1364-MA
Jun 23, 1998FloodHeavy Rains and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1224-MA
Oct 25, 1996FloodExtreme Weather Conditons and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1142-MA
Oct 23, 1996FloodExtreme Weather Conditions and FloodingEmergencyEM-3119-MA
Jan 24, 1996SnowstormBlizzard of 96Major disasterDR-1090-MA
Mar 16, 1993SnowstormBlizzards, High Winds & Record SnowfallEmergencyEM-3103-MA
Dec 21, 1992Coastal StormWinter Coastal StormMajor disasterDR-975-MA
Nov 4, 1991Coastal StormCoastal StormMajor disasterDR-920-MA
Aug 26, 1991HurricaneHurricane BobMajor disasterDR-914-MA
Oct 28, 1985HurricaneHurricane GloriaMajor disasterDR-751-MA
Feb 10, 1978FloodCoastal Storms, Flood, Ice & SnowMajor disasterDR-546-MA
Sep 28, 1972Fishing LossesToxic Algae in Coastal WatersMajor disasterDR-357-MA
Mar 6, 1972FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-325-MA

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).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

Sources and vintage

Every number on this page comes from these public records.

  • Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
  • Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
  • Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
  • Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
  • Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
  • Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00014753.
  • River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
  • Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.