Westbrook

Population 21,565 (2025)

16 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of Westbrook since 1851; the strongest at closest approach was an unnamed storm in 1869 (Category 2).

Hazard fingerprint for Westbrook Tornado: 23th percentile. Tropical: 65th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 80th percentile. Hail & wind: 76th percentile. Heat: 39th percentile. Cold: 90th percentile. Winter: 97th 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 195017
  • Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger26
  • Major flood years since 1978, Cumberland County5

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 Cumberland 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 Cumberland County.

Flood insurance claims

504

Cumberland County

$5.5 million paid since 1978

Details

Tropical cyclones within 50 mi

16

3 at hurricane strength since 1851

Details

Tornadoes since 1950, within 25 mi

17

0 rated F3/EF3 or stronger

Details

Strongest tornado

F1

July 9, 1962, 11.3 mile path

Strongest tropical cyclone

Cat. 2

Hurricane (unnamed), 1869, 12.6 miles away

Largest earthquake within 50 mi

5.6magnitude

December 24, 1940, 48.4 miles away

Details

Federal disaster declarations

39

Most recent: Severe Winter Storm, 2024

Details

Record high

103°F

August 2, 1975

Details

Tornadoes

About one every 4.5 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

July 9, 1962

F1, 11.3 mile path

23 yards wide.

Most recent

Saturday, July 11, 2020

EF0, 4.9 mile path

6 years ago.

Tornadoes by decade, within 25 miles Doppler radar era² 1950s: 2 2 1960s: 1 1 1970s: 4 4 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 1 2000s: 2 2 2010s: 6 6 2020s: 1 1 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 0 F: 0 M: 0 A: 0 M: 0 J: 1 J: 11 11 A: 3 S: 0 O: 1 N: 1 D: 0 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes within 25 miles since 1950
Jul 11, 2020EF04.910000
Jul 1, 2017EF03.45000
Jul 28, 2014EF11.78000
Jul 27, 2014EF00.61000
Jul 21, 2010EF15.420000
Jul 21, 2010EF06.035000
Jul 21, 2010EF12.020000
Nov 24, 2005F02.02000
Aug 8, 2004F00.21000
Aug 2, 1993F00.615000
Jun 22, 1974F10.11010
Aug 28, 1973F00.11000
Jul 24, 1972F10.12000
Oct 3, 1970F11.210000
Jul 9, 1962F111.32300
Jul 11, 1958F11.01700
Jul 7, 1953F01.01010
  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

16 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 3 at hurricane strength.

Strongest within 50 miles

October 4, 1869

Unnamed storm, Category 2

12.6 miles at closest approach, winds near 104 mph.

Most recent

July 9, 2021

Elsa, Post-tropical

60.3 miles at closest approach.

Tropical cyclones within 50 miles by decade 50s: 1 60s: 4 4 70s: 1 80s: 0 90s: 3 00s: 0 10s: 1 20s: 0 30s: 0 40s: 0 50s: 0 60s: 4 70s: 0 80s: 0 90s: 2 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
Elsa202160.3Post-tropical48Category 1
Andrea201368.8Post-tropical46Tropical storm
Irene201188.9Post-tropical51Category 3
Hanna200864.4Post-tropical52Category 1
Floyd199917.6Post-tropical52Category 4
Bertha199627.1Tropical storm66Category 3
Bob199131.1Category 174Category 3
Gloria198550.1Tropical storm67Category 4
David197966.5Post-tropical49Category 5
Heidi197182.5Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Doria197165.1Tropical storm52Tropical storm
Unnamed196899.1Post-tropical52Tropical storm
Esther196123.5Tropical storm40Category 5
Unnamed196117.7Tropical storm68Tropical storm
Donna196026.6Tropical storm69Category 4
Brenda196028.9Tropical storm44Tropical storm
Cindy195975.8Tropical storm55Category 1
Edna195486.0Category 191Category 3
Carol195448.6Post-tropical86Category 3
Unnamed195289.5Post-tropical59Tropical storm
Unnamed194982.0Post-tropical52Category 4
Unnamed194451.8Tropical storm69Category 5
Unnamed193423.4Post-tropical43Category 2
Unnamed192354.3Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Unnamed191632.5Tropical storm49Category 2
Unnamed191624.2Post-tropical54Tropical storm
Unnamed19086.9Post-tropical40Category 1
Unnamed190491.8Post-tropical83Category 1
Unnamed190230.8Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Unnamed189945.8Post-tropical49Category 2
Unnamed189720.2Tropical storm39Tropical storm
Unnamed18969.5Post-tropical54Category 3
Unnamed189423.4Tropical storm55Category 3
Unnamed189344.4Tropical storm58Category 3
Unnamed189388.7Tropical storm67Category 3
Unnamed188988.9Post-tropical40Category 2
Unnamed188887.9Tropical storm69Category 1
Unnamed188853.9Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Unnamed188882.5Tropical storm52Category 3
Unnamed188069.2Post-tropical69Tropical storm
Unnamed187865.7Post-tropical58Category 2
Unnamed18749.9Tropical storm69Category 1
Unnamed186912.6Category 2104Category 2
Unnamed186924.5Category 186Category 3
Unnamed18615.9Tropical storm58Category 1
Unnamed186120.9Tropical storm58Category 1
Unnamed185833.3Tropical storm66Category 2
  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: 49 days

Heavy smoke on 7 days in 2023, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

14.6 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

20 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 13 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 4 2012: 6 2013: 0 2014: 7 2015: 11 2016: 4 2017: 7 2018: 6 2019: 9 2020: 7 2021: 17 2022: 6 2023: 49 49 2024: 21 2025: 20 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

504 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $5.5 million paid.

Flood insurance figures are for Cumberland County, the county that contains Westbrook.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1978: 50 1979: 8 1984: 8 1987: 21 1989: 11 1990: 13 1991: 45 1993: 8 1996: 48 1997: 9 1998: 15 2005: 10 2007: 68 2009: 5 2010: 12 2012: 15 2018: 8 2022: 9 2024: 85 85 1978199019982012
Claims per year since 1978. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

2024: 85 claims

$2.2 million paid.

2nd most

2007: 68 claims

$1.2 million paid.

3rd most

1978: 50 claims

$178,000 paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
04074151$1.4 million
0410749$478,000
0405525$65,000
0410123$470,000
0410323$504,000
0401522$121,000
0409221$993,000
0407920$129,000
0410817$199,000
0406216$89,000
0410215$142,000
0410614$383,000
0409614$22,000
0400313$67,000
0410511$21,000
0401110$7,960
040399$21,000
040409$47,000
6$126,000
040845$18,000

Flood events since 1996

  • Flood65
  • Coastal Flood62
  • Flash Flood33
  • Heavy Rain4

1 death recorded in flood events since 1996.

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 Cumberland County, the county that contains Westbrook.

Most severe crest

January 13, 2024

Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW), 14.57 ft

2.57 feet above the 12.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.

Most recent moderate or major crest

March 10, 2024

Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW), 13.32 ft

Moderate flooding.

Highest river crests above flood stage
Jan 13, 2024Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)14.57+2.57Major
Mar 14, 1977Presumpscot River above West Falmouth21.11+5.11Moderate
Jan 9, 1978Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)13.98+1.98Moderate
Jan 4, 2018Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)13.79+1.79Moderate
Dec 23, 2022Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)13.72+1.72Moderate
Dec 4, 1990Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)13.40+1.40Moderate
Mar 10, 2024Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)13.32+1.32Moderate
Mar 16, 1976Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)13.31+1.31Moderate
Nov 30, 1945Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)13.29+1.29Moderate
Nov 20, 1945Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)13.29+1.29Moderate
Apr 16, 2007Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)13.28+1.28Moderate
Jan 2, 1987Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)13.18+1.18Moderate
Oct 30, 1991Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)13.18+1.18Moderate
Feb 19, 1972Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)13.09+1.09Moderate
Dec 29, 1959Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)13.09+1.09Moderate
Apr 7, 1978Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)13.09+1.09Moderate
Jan 28, 1979Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)13.07+1.07Moderate
Jun 3, 2012Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)13.03+1.03Moderate
Jan 11, 2024Presumpscot River above West Falmouth17.58+1.58Minor
May 25, 2017Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)12.96+0.96Minor
Jan 2, 2010Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)12.92+0.92Minor
Mar 3, 2018Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)12.90+0.90Minor
Dec 3, 1986Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)12.80+0.80Minor
Nov 16, 2024Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)12.42+0.42Minor
Feb 25, 1981Presumpscot River above West Falmouth16.28+0.28Minor

River gauges

River gauges and their highest listed crests
Atlantic Coast at Portland (IN MLLW)12.014.57 ftJan 13, 20241
Presumpscot River above West Falmouth16.021.11 ftMar 14, 19770
  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.

High tide flooding

Tide gauges in Cumberland County.

Most in one year, Portland

21 days

May 2009 to April 2010.

Last ten years

8.6 days a year

At Portland, 2016–26.

Moderate or major

21 days

Since 1920, 1 of them major.

High tide flooding days per year at Portland 1920: 0 1921: 1 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 0 1925: 0 1926: 0 1927: 1 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 3 1931: 0 1932: 2 1933: 0 1934: 0 1935: 0 1936: 0 1937: 1 1938: 0 1939: 2 1940: 0 1941: 1 1942: 0 1943: 0 1944: 1 1946: 5 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 3 1951: 2 1952: 1 1953: 2 1954: 4 1955: 3 1957: 6 1958: 0 1959: 4 1960: 4 1961: 1 1962: 2 1963: 2 1964: 0 1965: 1 1966: 2 1967: 1 1968: 3 1969: 5 1971: 7 1972: 4 1973: 1 1974: 1 1975: 2 1976: 6 1977: 11 1978: 9 1979: 2 1980: 3 1981: 4 1982: 0 1983: 3 1984: 0 1985: 1 1986: 3 1987: 0 1988: 0 1989: 0 1990: 3 1991: 2 1992: 1 1993: 0 1994: 4 1995: 10 1996: 4 1997: 3 1998: 0 1999: 3 2000: 2 2001: 1 2002: 2 2003: 2 2004: 7 2005: 8 2006: 5 2007: 1 2008: 4 2009: 21 21 2010: 10 2011: 6 2012: 7 2013: 8 2014: 7 2015: 5 2016: 10 2017: 16 2018: 12 2019: 5 2020: 7 2021: 6 2022: 9 2023: 13 2024: 7 2025: 1 19201930194019511962197319831993200320132023
Days at or above NOAA’s minor high tide flooding threshold, each meteorological year (May to April) from 1920. Years with less than 80 percent of data are left out.
  1. High tide flooding days are days on which a NOAA tide gauge recorded water at or above NOAA's minor flood threshold, set from the gauge's tide range, counted by meteorological year (May to April). These are the counts in NOAA's annual high tide flooding reports; they are not National Weather Service flood stages. Years with less than 80 percent of data are left out.

NOAA CO-OPS high tide flooding counts, through April 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Drought

In severe drought or worse for 65 of 1,581 months since 1895 (4%); the longest spell lasted 15 months.

The drought index is for Cumberland County, the county that contains Westbrook.

65

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

15

Months in extreme drought

4%

Share of all months, severe or worse

54

Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996

Lowest reading

November 1941

−4.62, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

15 months

May 1965 to July 1966.

Latest month

September 2026

−2.86, moderate drought

Last severe month: August 2026.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 0 1896: 0 1897: 0 1898: 0 1899: 1 1900: 0 1901: 0 1902: 0 1903: 0 1904: 0 1905: 0 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 0 1909: 0 1910: 0 1911: 2 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: 0 1931: 0 1932: 0 1933: 0 1934: 0 1935: 0 1936: 0 1937: 0 1938: 0 1939: 0 1940: 0 1941: 7 1942: 3 1943: 0 1944: 0 1945: 0 1946: 0 1947: 3 1948: 7 1949: 5 1950: 2 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 8 1966: 7 1967: 0 1968: 0 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 2 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 1 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 2 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: 2 2002: 3 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: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 2 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, tsunamis and landslides

7 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 5.6 in 1940.

8

Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973

7

Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900

1

Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900

Largest within 50 miles

December 24, 1940

Magnitude 5.6

5 km NNW of Tamworth, New Hampshire; 48.4 miles away, 5.0 miles deep.

Most recent, magnitude 3 or more

January 27, 2025

Magnitude 3.8

9 km SE of York Harbor, Maine; 45.7 miles away.

Earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles, by year 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 1 1979: 2 2 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 0 1988: 1 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 1 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 1 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 1 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 1 19731978198319881993199820032008201320182023
Per year, 1973 to 2025.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

Earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
Oct 16, 20124.717.010.05 km W of Hollis Center, Maine
Apr 26, 19574.412.93.17 km SE of Scarborough, Maine
Dec 24, 19405.648.45.05 km NNW of Tamworth, New Hampshire
Oct 9, 19254.037.3—2 km NE of Ossipee, New Hampshire
Aug 21, 19184.234.8—2 km SSE of South Paris, Maine
Jan 22, 19104.16.8—Near Windham, Maine
Jul 15, 19054.538.3—Near Sabattus, Maine
  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.

Tsunamis

Tsunami records for Cumberland County.

Highest water recorded

Jan 15, 2022

0.3 ft, Portland, ME

From Tonga Islands.

On record

3 tsunamis

Since 1929.

Tsunamis recorded here
Jan 15, 2022Tonga Islands0.310
Oct 28, 2008Maine0.310
Nov 18, 1929Grand Banks, Newfoundland, M7.2—10
  1. Places where NOAA's Global Historical Tsunami Database records a tsunami's water arriving, with the greatest height it reached above sea level at the time. Only tsunamis NOAA rates probable or definite are counted. Heights from eyewitness accounts and tide gauges are mixed, and older events are less completely recorded.

NOAA NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Mapped landslides

Landslides mapped in Cumberland County.

178

Landslides mapped, probable or better

15

With a recorded date

1

Source inventory

Mapped by ME GS (178).

  1. Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.

USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.

Severe weather and other events

1,365 events in the National Weather Service record for Cumberland County, 1,269 of them since 1996.

78

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

4

Hail, 2 inches or larger

277

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

402

Winter weather events since 1996

6

Heat events since 1996

47

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

June 1, 1986

4.00 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

July 24, 2012

86 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
High surf and sneaker waves401Aug 23, 2025
Storm surge and tide1600Oct 28, 2008
Lightning42213Jul 31, 2014

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Jan 5, 1998Ice Storm, Interior Cumberland$25.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A severe ICE STORM hit sections of central and southern Maine from January 5 through January 9. One of the hardest hit areas stretched from Bridgton to Lewiston to Augusta to Waterville where ice accreted several inches thick on trees, power lines, and other exposed surfaces causing almost everyone in those areas to lose electrical service. Statewide, the storm knocked out power to about 365,000 customers, an estimated 840,000 people or about 70 percent of the state's population of 1.2 million people. About one third of those that lost power were without electricity for more than a week. For some, the electricity was off for up to 3 weeks. During this time, residents and those…

  2. Jan 5, 1998Ice Storm, Coastal Cumberland$22.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A severe ICE STORM hit sections of central and southern Maine from January 5 through January 9. One of the hardest hit areas stretched from Bridgton to Lewiston to Augusta to Waterville where ice accreted several inches thick on trees, power lines, and other exposed surfaces causing almost everyone in those areas to lose electrical service. Statewide, the storm knocked out power to about 365,000 customers, an estimated 840,000 people or about 70 percent of the state's population of 1.2 million people. About one third of those that lost power were without electricity for more than a week. For some, the electricity was off for up to 3 weeks. During this time, residents and those…

  3. Jan 13, 2024Coastal Flood, Coastal Cumberland$20.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    The astronomical tide in Portland was 11.2 feet at 1205 pm. Flood stage is 12 feet (MLLW). The gale to storm force onshore winds produced a storm surge of 3.37 feet in Portland Harbor. The resulting storm tide topped out at 14.57 feet (MLLW) in the Forest City with the tide remaining above flood stage for two hours and 38 minutes, however, similar to the storm earlier in the week, localized flooding occurred throughout the day in low lying communities. The temporary new tide gauge at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) in Portland reached 14.6 feet (MLLW). ||The storm created significant damage to waterfront areas of Cumberland County due to both inundation flooding and…

  4. Oct 21, 1996Flash Flood$15.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A coastal storm which was fed tropical moisture by the circulation around Hurricane Lily produced between 4 and 19 inches of rain throughout the County during a 30-hour period. Many homes and businesses were flooded. Many roads and bridges were washed out. The city of Portland was without potable water for 24 hours as 4 major water mains were broken. One man drowned when the man and his wife attempted to drive across a flooded roadway that had been washed out. An area dam failed.

  5. Dec 23, 2022Coastal Flood, Coastal Cumberland$10.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    The morning of December 23rd had perfect alignment of a very high astronomical tide, peak storm surge of 2+ feet and large battering nearshore waves of 15 to 20 feet all coinciding at high tide. The astronomical tide in Portland was 11.3 feet MLLW at 10:16 am, already close to the established 12 foot MLLW minor flood level. The intense onshore winds produced a storm surge of 2.41 feet in Portland Harbor. The resulting storm tide topped out at 13.72 feet MLLW, it���s fourth highest water level in modern history for the Forest City (records 1912-present). The tide remained above flood stage for 195 minutes (945 am - 100 pm). A temporary new tide gauge installed by the Gulf of…

  6. Apr 16, 2007Flood$8.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    An area of low pressure over the southeastern United States on the morning of Sunday, April 15th, rapidly intensified as it slowly moved north to near New York City by the morning of Monday, April 16th. This intense low in combination with high pressure over eastern Canada produced Overview: An area of low pressure intensified rapidly as it moved slowly from the southeastern United States on the morning of Sunday, April 15th to near New York City by the morning of Monday, April 16th. The intense low over New York City in combination with high pressure over eastern Canada produced a very intense pressure gradient across the area which caused strong east to northeast winds to…

  7. Apr 16, 2007Coastal Flood, Coastal Cumberland$7.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    High astronomical tides combined with strong northeast winds and large battering waves to produce severe coastal flooding across most of the Maine coast. It was the seventh highest tide ever recorded in Portland Harbor in modern day history (13.28 feet). The Fort Point tide gage reached 12.15 feet. Many roads were closed and residents evacuated. Damage to marinas, buoys, docks and coastal property was significant. Channel markers went adrift from their 20,000 pound blocks, causing navigation problems for mariners. The Portland Large Navigational buoy was heavily damaged while measuring 32 foot waves and was later found drifting near the Isles of Shoals. Water and waves were over…

  8. Jan 24, 1998Ice Storm, Coastal Cumberland$3.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Low pressure that developed off the southern New England Coast combined with an area of low pressure moving eastward from the Ohio River Valley to bring a mixture of precipitation to the state. Heavy snow was followed by sleet and freezing rain in most sections of the state, and rain in coastal and downeast sections. The freezing rain which began Friday night persisted in some areas into Saturday night. More than 75,000 customers (an estimated 170,000 people) lost electrical service during the storm as ice-laden trees and branches fell onto power lines, mostly in York and Cumberland Counties. Some of the power outages lasted several days. This storm came as power restoration…

  9. Dec 11, 2008Ice Storm, Coastal Cumberland$2.9 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A major winter storm brought a mixture of snow, sleet, and freezing rain to Maine from the morning of December 11th to the morning of December 12th. The greatest impact in the state was in coastal counties of the state where a significant ice storm occurred. Following the ice storm, recovery and restoration efforts were negatively impacted by additional winter weather events that passed through the state. ||The ice storm was caused by an area of low pressure that moved northeastward along a stalled frontal boundary off the East Coast. Near ground level, cold air from eastern Canada funneled southward into the region on northerly winds. Southerly winds at higher levels of the…

  10. Oct 28, 2000Strong Wind, Interior Cumberland$1.2 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A strong cold front moved through the region followed by a prolonged period of gusty northwest winds. The winds knocked over a battery charger at a bark mulch manufacturing operation in Windham, sparking a fire that caused an estimated $1.2 to $1.5 million in damages to a storage building and equipment. Winds gusted to 45 mph (measured) in Portland, and 44 mph (measured) in Lewiston.

  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 Portland Jetport, 5.1 miles from the city centre, with records from 1940.

All-time high
103°FAug 2, 1975
All-time low
−39°FFeb 16, 1943
Warmest night
78°FJul 27, 2020
Coldest day
−3°FJan 15, 1957
Wettest day
11.74 inOct 21, 1996
Snowiest day
22.3 inDec 17, 1970
Hottest year
2020mean 49.5°F
Coldest year
1962mean 43.4°F
Wettest year
200566.40 in
Driest year
194125.28 in
Snowiest season
141.5 in1970-71
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Portland Jetport 32°F 32° 15° 3.5 Jan 35° 17° 3.4 Feb 43° 26° 4.0 Mar 54° 35° 4.4 Apr 64° 45° 3.8 May 73° 55° 4.3 Jun 79° 61° 3.6 Jul 79° 59° 3.4 Aug 71° 52° 3.7 Sep 60° 41° 5.4 Oct 48° 31° 4.0 Nov 38° 22° 4.5 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: 167 167 1977: 164 1978: 167 1979: 141 1980: 165 1981: 146 1982: 154 1983: 138 1984: 141 1985: 148 1986: 152 1987: 150 1988: 144 1989: 157 1990: 132 1991: 140 1992: 154 1993: 162 1994: 143 1995: 155 1996: 145 1997: 159 1998: 130 1999: 137 2000: 130 2001: 152 2002: 158 2003: 149 2004: 148 2005: 148 2006: 133 2007: 149 2008: 152 2009: 139 2010: 129 2011: 134 2012: 139 2013: 151 2014: 139 2015: 143 2016: 140 2017: 142 2018: 149 2019: 146 2020: 134 2021: 130 2022: 130 2023: 136 2024: 131 2025: 143 19761986199620062016
Nights at or below freezing each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 141.5.
Snowfall by winter 1976: 88.6 in 1977: 77.2 in 1978: 92.3 in 1979: 27.5 in 1980: 38.8 in 1981: 85.3 in 1982: 45.3 in 1983: 70.6 in 1984: 51.8 in 1985: 51.3 in 1986: 78.4 in 1987: 62.3 in 1988: 30.9 in 1989: 69.8 in 1990: 32.4 in 1991: 58.6 in 1992: 115.6 in 1993: 76.2 in 1994: 38.6 in 1995: 123.0 in 123.0 1996: 43.3 in 1997: 54.5 in 1998: 53.5 in 1999: 41.1 in 2000: 99.3 in 2001: 32.6 in 2002: 63.9 in 2003: 46.7 in 2004: 102.1 in 2005: 47.3 in 2006: 54.9 in 2007: 103.0 in 2008: 81.1 in 2009: 37.1 in 2010: 78.7 in 2011: 43.9 in 2012: 98.0 in 2013: 83.4 in 2014: 94.5 in 2015: 51.8 in 2016: 95.2 in 2017: 91.9 in 2018: 66.0 in 2019: 59.6 in 2020: 41.3 in 2021: 44.1 in 2022: 56.5 in 2023: 38.0 in 2024: 54.1 in 2025: 63.7 in 19761986199620062016
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

Median first snow

November 21

Earliest: October 10, 1979

Median last snow

April 7

Latest: May 11, 1945

0 of 85 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Portland Jetport (USW00014764), 44 ft elevation, 5.1 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1940 to October 27, 2026; 100.0% 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

39 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Winter Storm, May 24, 2024.

Declarations for Cumberland County.

Federal disaster declarations
May 24, 2024Winter StormSevere Winter StormMajor disasterDR-4785-ME
Mar 20, 2024Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4764-ME
Sep 14, 2023HurricaneHurricane LeeEmergencyEM-3598-ME
Apr 4, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4522-ME
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3444-ME
Jan 2, 2018Severe StormSevere Storm and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4354-ME
Mar 12, 2015SnowstormSevere Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4208-ME
Mar 25, 2013Severe StormSevere Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4108-ME
Mar 25, 2010Severe StormSevere Winter StormMajor disasterDR-1891-ME
Jan 9, 2009Severe StormSevere Winter Storm and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1815-ME
Dec 15, 2008Severe StormSevere Winter StormEmergencyEM-3298-ME
Sep 9, 2008Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disasterDR-1788-ME
Apr 25, 2007Severe StormSevere Storms and Inland and Coastal FloodingMajor disasterDR-1693-ME
Sep 19, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3256-ME
Apr 21, 2005SnowstormRecord SnowEmergencyEM-3210-ME
Apr 1, 2005SnowstormSnowEmergencyEM-3209-ME
Mar 14, 2005SnowstormRecord and/Or Near Record SnowEmergencyEM-3206-ME
Mar 14, 2005SnowstormRecord and/Or Near Record SnowEmergencyEM-3205-ME
Jan 15, 2004SnowstormSnowEmergencyEM-3190-ME
May 14, 2003FreezingSevere Winter Cold and FrostMajor disasterDR-1468-ME
Mar 20, 2001SnowstormSnowEmergencyEM-3164-ME
Nov 18, 1999HurricaneHurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsMajor disasterDR-1308-ME
Jan 21, 1999Severe StormMe - Flooding 10/16/98Major disasterDR-1263-ME
Jan 13, 1998Severe StormSevere Ice Storms, Rains and High WindsMajor disasterDR-1198-ME
Oct 28, 1996FloodSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1143-ME
Oct 24, 1996Severe StormSevere Storm,Heavy Rains, Flooding, High WindsEmergencyEM-3121-ME
May 20, 1996Severe StormSevere Storms, Mudslides, FloodingMajor disasterDR-1114-ME
May 11, 1993FloodHeavy Rain, Snowmelt, Ice Jams & FloodingMajor disasterDR-988-ME
Mar 15, 1993SnowstormBlizzards, Severe Winds & Snowfall, Coastal StormEmergencyEM-3099-ME
Mar 27, 1992FloodHeavy Rains, Ice Jams & FloodingMajor disasterDR-940-ME
Nov 7, 1991Coastal StormCoastal StormMajor disasterDR-921-ME
Aug 28, 1991HurricaneHurricane Bob & FloodingMajor disasterDR-915-ME
Jun 7, 1989FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-830-ME
Apr 9, 1987FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-788-ME
Sep 20, 1980Fishing LossesRed Tide-Toxic AlgaeEmergencyEM-3082-ME
Feb 17, 1978FloodHigh Winds, Tidal Surge & Coastal FloodingMajor disasterDR-550-ME
Sep 28, 1972Fishing LossesToxic Algae in Coastal WatersMajor disasterDR-356-ME
Mar 7, 1972FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-326-ME
Feb 27, 1970FloodSevere Storms, Ice Jams & FloodingMajor disasterDR-284-ME

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 USW00014764.
  • River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Tide gauges NOAA CO-OPS high tide flooding counts, 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.
  • Tsunamis NOAA NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database.
  • Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
  • 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.