Easton

Population 17,293 (2025)

18 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of Easton since 1851; the strongest at closest approach was an unnamed storm in 1904 (Tropical storm).

Hazard fingerprint for Easton Tornado: 22th percentile. Tropical: 74th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 93th percentile. Hail & wind: 94th percentile. Heat: 92th percentile. Cold: 76th percentile. Winter: 80th 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 195039
  • Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger42
  • Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 19849
  • Major flood years since 1978, Talbot County3

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 Talbot 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 Talbot County.

Flood insurance claims

677

Talbot County

$14.2 million paid since 1978

Details

Tropical cyclones within 50 mi

18

None at hurricane strength since 1851

Details

Tornadoes since 1950, within 25 mi

39

1 rated F3/EF3 or stronger

Details

Large wildfires within 25 mi

9

Largest: Bestpitch, 2017

Details

Strongest tornado

EF3

April 1, 2023, 14.3 mile path

Strongest tropical cyclone

TS

Tropical storm (unnamed), 1904, 35.2 miles away

Federal disaster declarations

20

Most recent: Severe Winter Storm, 2026

Details

Record high

102°F

Reached 2 times, most recently July 7, 2012

Details

Tornadoes

About one every 1.9 years since 1950, one of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

April 1, 2023

EF3, 14.3 mile path

700 yards wide; 1 killed along the whole path.

Deadliest

May 8, 1984

1 killed, F1

14 injured along the whole path.

Most recent

Friday, May 16, 2025

EF1, 11.3 mile path

Within the past year.

Tornadoes by decade, within 25 miles Doppler radar era² 1950s: 0 1960s: 3 3 1970s: 5 5 1980s: 2 2 1990s: 13 13 2000s: 6 6 2010s: 3 3 2020s: 7 7 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 0 F: 0 M: 1 A: 5 M: 5 J: 5 J: 11 11 A: 5 S: 3 O: 2 N: 2 D: 0 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes within 25 miles since 1950
May 16, 2025EF111.360000
Apr 1, 2023EF314.370001
Sep 1, 2021EF03.85000
Nov 30, 2020EF05.37500
Sep 3, 2020EF06.010000
Aug 4, 2020EF00.73500
Apr 13, 2020EF04.83000
Apr 15, 2019EF00.510000
Jul 23, 2017EF22.415010
Jun 1, 2012EF05.05000
Jun 4, 2008EF02.25000
Oct 16, 2004F00.52500
Oct 14, 2003F14.015000
Sep 2, 2003F00.25000
Jul 4, 2001F10.55000
Jul 15, 2000F00.32000
Nov 26, 1996F10.35000
Jul 13, 1996F00.55000
Jun 26, 1995F00.11000
May 18, 1995F210.020000
Jul 27, 1994F01.510000
Jul 27, 1994F00.35040
Apr 1, 1993F010.01000
Aug 28, 1992F00.11000
Aug 28, 1992F00.11000
Aug 28, 1992F00.11000
Jul 31, 1992F11.01000
Jul 31, 1992F11.018300
Jul 14, 1990F00.32000
May 8, 1984F118.0150141
May 8, 1984F118.0150100
Jun 27, 1978F10.32700
Apr 18, 1978F10.11000
Mar 14, 1978F10.21700
May 6, 1975F10.11000
Jul 30, 1971F28.330000
Jul 28, 1967F13.32000
Aug 1, 1965F11.320000
Jun 24, 1962F00.11700
  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

18 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.

Strongest within 50 miles

September 15, 1904

Unnamed storm, Tropical storm

35.2 miles at closest approach, winds near 72 mph.

Most recent

July 9, 2021

Elsa, Tropical storm

40.3 miles at closest approach.

Tropical cyclones within 50 miles by decade 50s: 0 60s: 2 2 70s: 2 80s: 1 90s: 1 00s: 1 10s: 0 20s: 0 30s: 0 40s: 2 50s: 1 60s: 2 70s: 1 80s: 0 90s: 2 00s: 1 10s: 0 20s: 2 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
Elsa202140.3Tropical storm58Category 1
Zeta202028.4Post-tropical52Category 3
Isaias20208.8Tropical storm67Category 1
Fay202086.9Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Andrea201354.7Post-tropical46Tropical storm
Sandy201272.3Post-tropical69Category 3
Irene201170.2Tropical storm74Category 3
Hanna200817.7Tropical storm52Category 1
Ernesto200633.9Post-tropical46Category 1
Gaston200476.6Tropical storm40Category 1
Charley200480.9Post-tropical44Category 4
Floyd199962.5Tropical storm67Category 4
Bertha199616.9Tropical storm69Category 3
Danielle199220.2Tropical storm44Tropical storm
Gloria198588.7Category 298Category 4
Doria197147.2Tropical storm69Tropical storm
Unnamed196316.0Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Unnamed196153.1Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Brenda196039.6Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Cindy195991.8Tropical storm51Category 1
Diane195572.2Tropical storm40Category 2
Connie195523.5Tropical storm61Category 4
Hazel195480.6Post-tropical84Category 4
Able195274.5Tropical storm58Category 2
Unnamed194993.9Tropical storm58Category 4
Unnamed194462.0Post-tropical46Category 4
Unnamed194413.8Tropical storm40Category 1
Unnamed194331.3Tropical storm49Tropical storm
Unnamed193450.8Post-tropical46Category 2
Unnamed193360.0Tropical storm66Category 4
Unnamed192937.7Post-tropical58Category 4
Unnamed192887.3Post-tropical54Category 5
Unnamed192848.3Post-tropical55Category 2
Unnamed192453.2Post-tropical72Category 1
Unnamed191658.0Post-tropical49Tropical storm
Unnamed191556.4Tropical storm48Category 1
Unnamed190435.2Tropical storm72Category 1
Unnamed190375.2Category 182Category 2
Unnamed190253.9Post-tropical40Category 2
Unnamed190249.1Post-tropical46Tropical storm
Unnamed190095.6Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Unnamed189930.3Post-tropical58Category 2
Unnamed189475.9Category 178Category 3
Unnamed189312.3Tropical storm45Tropical storm
Unnamed189366.0Tropical storm63Category 3
Unnamed188981.7Tropical storm45Category 2
Unnamed188821.2Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Unnamed188657.6Tropical storm40Category 2
Unnamed188247.5Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Unnamed188256.1Tropical storm55Category 3
Unnamed188193.5Tropical storm58Category 2
Unnamed187988.7Category 2100Category 3
Unnamed187862.7Category 192Category 2
Unnamed187726.4Post-tropical66Category 3
Unnamed187674.1Tropical storm67Category 3
Unnamed187423.3Tropical storm58Category 1
Unnamed187219.0Tropical storm46Category 1
Unnamed186692.2Post-tropical69Tropical storm
Unnamed186331.8Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Unnamed186144.6Tropical storm69Category 1
Unnamed185961.9Tropical storm66Category 1
Unnamed185665.9Tropical storm58Tropical 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

9 large fires burned within 25 miles since 1984.

Largest

February 5, 2017

Bestpitch Fire, 7,738 acres

24.4 miles from the city centre.

Most recent

February 5, 2017

Bestpitch Fire

7,738 acres in total.

Acres burned by large fires within 25 miles, cumulative 1987: 1,6941999: 6252001: 5932004: 4,2662005: 5642006: 1,1422007: 7822011: 1,8482017: 7,738 19,252 acres 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Running total of acres burned (line) and each year’s acres (bars).

Every large fire

Large wildfires since 1984
Bestpitch201724.47,738
Thorofare201124.31,848
Unnamed200724.5782
L 2 Fb H 2 G 2200624.91,142
A 1200524.3564
Retaining Ecological Health200424.64,266
A 1 M 2200124.5593
Fb Q 1199924.7625
Unnamed198724.81,694
  1. Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.

Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.

Smoke overhead

Smokiest year

2023: 55 days

Heavy smoke on 11 days in 2023, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

13.2 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

13 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 28 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 2 2012: 3 2013: 0 2014: 4 2015: 8 2016: 0 2017: 1 2018: 7 2019: 4 2020: 7 2021: 25 2022: 10 2023: 55 55 2024: 10 2025: 13 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

677 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $14.2 million paid.

Flood insurance figures are for Talbot County, the county that contains Easton.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1979: 21 1980: 5 1985: 5 1996: 45 1998: 5 1999: 9 2003: 437 437 2010: 14 2011: 16 2012: 25 2018: 6 2020: 6 2021: 33 2024: 22 197919992018
Claims per year since 1978. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

2003: 437 claims

$10.3 million paid.

2nd most

1996: 45 claims

$386,000 paid.

3rd most

2021: 33 claims

$1.4 million paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
21654232$5.0 million
2167192$2.1 million
2166387$1.6 million
2160155$1.2 million
2166249$635,000
2161241$716,000
2167338$443,000
2165233$588,000
2166519$1.3 million
2167613$283,000
216478$50,000
216245$164,000

Flood events since 1996

  • Heavy Rain60
  • Flash Flood26
  • Coastal Flood9
  • Flood3

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 Talbot County, the county that contains Easton.

Most severe crest

January 10, 2024

Eastern Bay at Claiborne (IN MLLW), 5.32 ft

1.92 feet above the 3.4 ft flood stage; moderate flooding by today’s categories.

Most recent moderate or major crest

October 30, 2025

Eastern Bay at Claiborne (IN MLLW), 4.47 ft

Moderate flooding.

Highest river crests above flood stage
Jan 10, 2024Eastern Bay at Claiborne (IN MLLW)5.32+1.92Moderate
Oct 29, 2021Eastern Bay at Claiborne (IN MLLW)5.11+1.71Moderate
Oct 30, 2025Eastern Bay at Claiborne (IN MLLW)4.47+1.07Moderate
Oct 12, 2019Eastern Bay at Claiborne (IN MLLW)4.42+1.02Moderate
Oct 30, 2025Cooperative Oxford Laboratory (IN MLLW)4.48+0.98Moderate
Apr 30, 2026Cooperative Oxford Laboratory (IN MLLW)3.66+0.16Minor
Oct 20, 2025Cooperative Oxford Laboratory (IN MLLW)3.61+0.11Minor
Aug 22, 2025Cooperative Oxford Laboratory (IN MLLW)3.57+0.07Minor
Jun 15, 2026Cooperative Oxford Laboratory (IN MLLW)3.55+0.05Minor

River gauges

River gauges and their highest listed crests
Cooperative Oxford Laboratory (IN MLLW)3.54.48 ftOct 30, 20250
Eastern Bay at Claiborne (IN MLLW)3.45.32 ftJan 10, 20240
  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 124 of 1,581 months since 1895 (8%); the longest spell lasted 11 months.

The drought index is for Talbot County, the county that contains Easton.

124

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

25

Months in extreme drought

8%

Share of all months, severe or worse

59

Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996

Lowest reading

February 1931

−6.37, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

11 months

November 2025 to September 2026.

Latest month

September 2026

−3.72, severe drought

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 0 1896: 1 1897: 1 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: 4 1915: 1 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 0 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 3 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 0 1925: 1 1926: 0 1927: 0 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 5 1931: 2 1932: 0 1933: 0 1934: 0 1935: 0 1936: 0 1937: 0 1938: 0 1939: 0 1940: 0 1941: 0 1942: 0 1943: 1 1944: 0 1945: 0 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 1 1950: 5 1951: 0 1952: 0 1953: 0 1954: 4 1955: 5 1956: 0 1957: 1 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 0 1963: 0 1964: 0 1965: 2 1966: 7 1967: 0 1968: 0 1969: 1 1970: 0 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 4 1977: 7 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 2 1986: 6 1987: 5 1988: 6 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 2 1992: 2 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 2 1999: 4 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 8 8 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 2 2008: 4 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 2 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 2 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 1 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 3 2025: 8 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

1 earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.1 in 2017.

1

Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973

1

Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900

0

Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900

Largest within 50 miles

November 30, 2017

Magnitude 4.1

3 km NNE of Little Creek, Delaware; 45.0 miles away, 6.1 miles deep.

Most recent, magnitude 3 or more

November 30, 2017

Magnitude 4.1

3 km NNE of Little Creek, Delaware; 45.0 miles away.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

Earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
Nov 30, 20174.145.06.13 km NNE of Little Creek, Delaware
  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

827 events in the National Weather Service record for Talbot County, 792 of them since 1996.

14

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

2

Hail, 2 inches or larger

185

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

133

Winter weather events since 1996

83

Heat events since 1996

26

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

August 12, 1957

2.00 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

July 3, 2023

104 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Storm surge and tide200Sep 6, 2008
Lightning2006Jul 8, 2025
Dense fog and smoke35138Apr 10, 2026

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Sep 16, 1999Flash Flood$3.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Hurricane Floyd battered the Maryland Eastern Shore on September 16th and brought with it torrential rains and damaging winds. The hurricane caused widespread flash flooding as storm totals averaged around ten inches, most of which fell in a twelve hour period from the early morning through the afternoon on the 16th. The highest verifiable storm total was 14.00 inches in Chestertown (Kent County). Based on Doppler Radar storm totals estimate similar amounts also fell across northern Queen Anne's County. Flooding along tidal sections of inland creeks and rivers were exacerbated during times of high tide. The torrential downpours associated with Hurricane Floyd exceeded the…

  2. Jun 26, 1997Lightning$1.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A thunderstorm with frequent lightning started a fire that destroyed eight condominiums and damaged eight others in Easton. Five persons were injured, including two firefighters, and as many as 30 persons were left homeless. Damage was estimated at one million dollars. The lightning struck the roof of the wood-frame complex about 530 p.m. EDT and quickly spread. A fire wall and the efforts of the 50 firefighters on the scene prevented the fire from spreading to the adjoining eight units. The fire was brought under control at about 730 p.m. EDT.

  3. Aug 28, 2011Flood$1.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Flooding rains forced the closure of sections of Maryland State Routes 565A, 329, 328 and 33. The combination of flooding and tropical storm winds damaged 100 properties and 50 roadways and bridges Roadway damage alone was estimated at $750,000. Event rainfall totals included 11.50 inches in Beechwood, 10.68 inches in North Easton, 9.75 inches in Easton, 9.48 inches in Papermill Pond, 9.40 in Bellevue and 9.12 inches in Trappe.

  4. Sep 19, 2003Storm Surge/Tide, Talbot$1.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Tropical Storm Isabel caused a record breaking tide and storm surge up the Chesapeake Bay, heavy rain and strong power outage producing winds. Isabel made landfall as a hurricane near Drum Inlet, North Carolina around 100 p.m. EDT on the 18th and weakened as it tracked farther inland. At one time in its life cycle, it was a powerful Category 5 hurricane when it was north of the Leewood Islands. Isabel's track took it west of the bay and was able to funnel water into the bay. This caused flooding along coastal areas into Cecil County. A record breaking high tide of 7.91 feet above mean lower low water was observed at Tolchester Beach (Kent County). The surge was 6.88 feet. Tidal…

  5. Oct 29, 2012Flood$1.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    The heavy rain that fell across Talbot County not only caused poor drainage flooding, but exacerbated the tidal flooding along the Chesapeake Bay. Nearly two dozen roadways were flooded and closed. Event precipitation totals included 12.49 inches in Easton, 9.60 inches in Trappe and 5.00 inches in Cordova.

  6. Aug 26, 2012Flash Flood$500,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Thunderstorms with torrential downpours caused flash flooding in and around Easton. About 16 roadways in and out of Easton were flooded and closed including U.S. Route 50. Water rescues were performed on Washington Street and Elliot Road. Most roadways were able to reopen by 10 p.m. EDT that evening. The Talbot Town Shopping Center suffered flood damage as some businesses had two feet of water within them. The Talbot County Visual Arts Center in Easton was closed because of flood damage. In Cordova, vehicles were abandoned and rescues were performed. Maryland State Route 333 was flooded in Oxford. There were 70 flood related calls in Talbot County. Two roadways were washed out and…

  7. Feb 16, 2003Winter Storm, Talbot$400,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    The most powerful storm to affect the Eastern Shore since the Blizzard of 1996 struck during the President's Day Weekend. Snow began falling before dawn on Sunday the 16th and fell heavy at times through that evening. Precipitation began mixing with sleet from the evening of the 16th into the morning of the 17th. Sleet was the predominant precipitation type overnight in southern sections of the Eastern Shore. Precipitation changed to all snow again during the morning of the 17th before ending during the afternoon. Governor Robert Ehrlich declared a state of emergency on the 16th and also issued an executive order banning travel. The state of emergency made state resources…

  8. Aug 27, 2011Tropical Storm, Talbot$250,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Hurricane Irene produced heavy flooding rain, tropical storm force wind gusts and caused one wind related death across the Eastern Shore. Preliminary damage estimates were around three million dollars and approximately 85,000 homes and businesses lost power. Power was not fully restored until September 1st. The combination of heavy rain and wind closed numerous roadways across the Eastern Shore and downed thousands of trees. Some schools were unable to open on Monday August 29th. There was a temporary ban on harvesting shellfish along Chesapeake Bay because of the excessive runoff. Some tomato, corn, watermelon and cantaloupe crops were destroyed. It was estimated that 30,000…

  9. Jul 1, 2001Lightning$150,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Lightning struck and the ensuing fire badly damaged a home in Royal Oak. Damage was estimated at $150,000. The owners were away when this occurred.

  10. Jul 28, 2026Tornado$150,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Tree damage was noted behind an industrial park on Backtown Road. The highest estimated wind speeds were from roof damage to one of the large metal buildings in the industrial park. The metal roof covering was blown off and some of the roof trusses were damaged. Next to the industrial park large branches were broken on trees in the yard of a residence. The last damage noted was a distinct convergent damage path through part of a corn field on the north side of Backtown Road. Beginning and end points of this path are estimated due to lack of access.

  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 Royal Oak 2 Ssw, 7.7 miles from the city centre, with records from 1948.

All-time high
102°F2 times, most recently Jul 7, 2012
All-time low
−6°FJan 18, 1982
Warmest night
83°FAug 14, 2016
Coldest day
14°F3 times, most recently Jan 19, 1994
Wettest day
8.90 inNov 2, 1956
Snowiest day
20.0 inFeb 19, 1979
Hottest year
2024mean 60.4°F
Coldest year
1958mean 55.4°F
Wettest year
200365.86 in
Driest year
196531.71 in
Snowiest season
54.0 in2009-10
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Royal Oak 2 Ssw 32°F 45° 29° 3.4 Jan 48° 31° 3.0 Feb 57° 38° 4.0 Mar 68° 47° 3.7 Apr 76° 56° 4.2 May 84° 66° 4.0 Jun 89° 70° 5.0 Jul 87° 68° 4.5 Aug 81° 62° 3.9 Sep 70° 51° 4.2 Oct 59° 41° 3.3 Nov 49° 33° 4.0 Dec Precipitation, inches
Average daily high and low by month, and average monthly precipitation, over the last 30 years.
Days reaching 95°F per year 1976: 0 1977: 4 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 7 1981: 1 1982: 0 1983: 5 1984: 0 1985: 2 1986: 5 1987: 12 1988: 9 1989: 3 1990: 1 1991: 11 1992: 2 1993: 10 1994: 1 1995: 5 1996: 1 1997: 7 1998: 5 1999: 11 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 16 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 10 2006: 4 2007: 14 2008: 5 2009: 0 2010: 22 22 2012: 13 2013: 4 2014: 1 2015: 0 2016: 9 2017: 6 2018: 3 2019: 12 2020: 8 2021: 4 2022: 1 2023: 4 2024: 12 2025: 5 19761986199620062017
Days reaching 95°F each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 6.1.
Snowfall by winter 1976: 15.3 in 1977: 26.9 in 1978: 39.1 in 1979: 17.4 in 1980: 4.2 in 1981: 21.0 in 1982: 20.0 in 1983: 6.5 in 1984: 15.9 in 1985: 16.5 in 1986: 28.0 in 1987: 10.7 in 1988: 11.8 in 1989: 20.3 in 1990: 5.0 in 1991: 3.3 in 1992: 9.0 in 1993: 14.4 in 1994: 5.0 in 1995: 43.6 in 1996: 9.4 in 1997: 0.7 in 1998: 8.5 in 1999: 19.8 in 2000: 10.4 in 2001: 5.0 in 2002: 45.0 in 2003: 7.5 in 2004: 20.0 in 2005: 12.0 in 2006: 3.6 in 2007: 5.6 in 2008: 15.0 in 2009: 54.0 in 54.0 2012: 6.1 in 2013: 31.5 in 2014: 19.8 in 2015: 25.5 in 2016: 9.1 in 2017: 15.0 in 2018: 9.2 in 2019: 0.5 in 2020: 7.1 in 2021: 17.0 in 2022: 0.4 in 2023: 5.5 in 2024: 13.8 in 2025: 17.6 in 19761986199620062018
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

Median first snow

December 24

Earliest: October 10, 1979

Median last snow

March 7

Latest: April 13, 1957

0 of 76 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Royal Oak 2 Ssw (USC00187806), 10 ft elevation, 7.7 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 4, 2026; 98.3% 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

20 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Winter Storm, January 24, 2026.

Declarations for Talbot County.

Federal disaster declarations
Jan 24, 2026Winter StormSevere Winter StormEmergencyEM-3634-MD
Mar 26, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4491-MD
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3430-MD
Nov 20, 2012HurricaneHurricane SandyMajor disasterDR-4091-MD
Oct 28, 2012HurricaneHurricane SandyEmergencyEM-3349-MD
Sep 16, 2011HurricaneHurricane IreneMajor disasterDR-4034-MD
Aug 27, 2011HurricaneHurricane IreneEmergencyEM-3335-MD
May 6, 2010SnowstormSevere Winter Storms and SnowstormsMajor disasterDR-1910-MD
Feb 19, 2010SnowstormSevere Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disasterDR-1875-MD
Sep 13, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3251-MD
Sep 19, 2003HurricaneHurricane IsabelMajor disasterDR-1492-MD
Mar 14, 2003Severe StormSnowEmergencyEM-3179-MD
Apr 10, 2000Severe StormSevere Winter StormMajor disasterDR-1324-MD
Sep 24, 1999HurricaneHurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsMajor disasterDR-1303-MD
Jan 11, 1996SnowstormBlizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm)Major disasterDR-1081-MD
Mar 16, 1994SnowstormSevere Winter Weather and Ice StormsMajor disasterDR-1016-MD
Mar 16, 1993SnowstormSevere Snowfall & Winter StormEmergencyEM-3100-MD
Jan 26, 1977SnowstormIce ConditionsMajor disasterDR-524-MD
Oct 4, 1975FloodHeavy Rains & FloodingMajor disasterDR-489-MD
Jun 23, 1972FloodTropical Storm AgnesMajor disasterDR-341-MD

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 USC00187806.
  • 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.