Queen Anne's County
Population 54,448 (2025) 372 sq mi
Property owners in Queen Anne's County have filed 1,073 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, 7th most of 24 counties in Maryland.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths since 195013
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger45
- Major flood years since 19782
At a glance
The record for Queen Anne's County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Tornadoes since 1950
13
16th of 24 in Maryland
Fewer than the typical Maryland county, which has had 17
DetailsStrongest tornado
F2
July 30, 1971, 8.3 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
Cat. 1
Hurricane (unnamed), 1878, 41.1 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 5.8 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
July 30, 1971
F2, 8.3 mile path
300 yards wide.
Most recent
Tuesday, August 4, 2020
EF0, 0.7 mile path
6 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Aug 4, 2020 | EF0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 23, 2017 | EF2 | 2.4 | 1 | 0 |
| Jun 1, 2012 | EF0 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 19, 2011 | EF0 | 3.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 26, 1996 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 27, 1994 | F0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 16, 1993 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 28, 1992 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 28, 1992 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 14, 1978 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 21, 1976 | F2 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 30, 1971 | F2 | 8.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 1, 1965 | F1 | 1.3 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Queen Anne's County: 0.
- 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
22 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 1 at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
October 23, 1878
Unnamed storm, Category 1
41.1 miles at closest approach, winds near 90 mph.
Most recent
September 1, 2021
Ida, Post-tropical
29.7 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Ida | 2021 | 29.7 | Post-tropical |
| Elsa | 2021 | 43.2 | Tropical storm |
| Zeta | 2020 | 34.5 | Post-tropical |
| Isaias | 2020 | 4.3 | Tropical storm |
| Fay | 2020 | 72.2 | Tropical storm |
| Andrea | 2013 | 56.9 | Post-tropical |
| Sandy | 2012 | 36.6 | Post-tropical |
| Irene | 2011 | 62.1 | Tropical storm |
| Hanna | 2008 | 17.6 | Tropical storm |
| Ernesto | 2006 | 18.2 | Post-tropical |
| Gaston | 2004 | 81.2 | Tropical storm |
| Charley | 2004 | 80.5 | Post-tropical |
| Floyd | 1999 | 59.4 | Tropical storm |
| Bertha | 1996 | 17.5 | Tropical storm |
| Danielle | 1992 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Gloria | 1985 | 84.1 | Category 1 |
| Doria | 1971 | 42.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1961 | 52.7 | Tropical storm |
| Donna | 1960 | 96.3 | Category 2 |
| Brenda | 1960 | 38.1 | Tropical storm |
| Cindy | 1959 | 95.0 | Tropical storm |
| Diane | 1955 | 46.7 | Tropical storm |
| Connie | 1955 | 9.1 | Tropical storm |
| Hazel | 1954 | 64.6 | Post-tropical |
| Able | 1952 | 50.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 74.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1944 | 66.1 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1944 | 20.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1943 | 16.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1934 | 23.1 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1933 | 43.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1929 | 18.7 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1928 | 72.4 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1928 | 54.7 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1924 | 44.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1916 | 58.2 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 34.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1904 | 32.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1903 | 55.9 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 57.8 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 52.5 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1900 | 84.7 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1899 | 8.7 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1894 | 72.8 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 12.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 93.5 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 45.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 99.3 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1889 | 86.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1888 | 22.0 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1888 | 97.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 60.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 86.1 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 46.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 61.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1881 | 96.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1879 | 88.9 | Category 2 |
| Unnamed | 1878 | 41.1 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1877 | 28.6 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1876 | 59.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1874 | 21.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1872 | 19.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1866 | 76.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1863 | 27.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1861 | 36.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1859 | 67.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1856 | 66.7 | Tropical storm |
- 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 here since satellite mapping began in 1984.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 55 days
Heavy smoke on 11 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
13.1 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
12 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 27 so far in 2026.
- 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
1,073 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $15.4 million paid.
Most claims in one year
2003: 699 claims
$12.4 million paid.
2nd most
1996: 52 claims
$368,000 paid.
3rd most
1999: 39 claims
$305,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 21666 | 451 | $4.4 million |
| 21638 | 314 | $5.7 million |
| 21619 | 187 | $2.7 million |
| 21620 | 42 | $998,000 |
| 21658 | 26 | $393,000 |
| 21617 | 22 | $259,000 |
| 21651 | 16 | $383,000 |
| 5 | $4,353 |
Flood events since 1996
- Heavy Rain80
- Flash Flood32
- Coastal Flood10
- Flood10
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.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 112 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 15 months.
112
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
34
Months in extreme drought
7%
Share of all months, severe or worse
62
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
February 1931
−6.16, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
15 months
June 1965 to August 1966.
Latest month
September 2026
−4.16, extreme drought
- 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.
0
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
5
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; 17.3 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; 17.3 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Nov 30, 2017 | 4.1 | 17.3 |
- 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 county boundary (or inside the county).
- 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
896 events in the National Weather Service record, 869 of them since 1996.
8
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
0
Hail, 2 inches or larger
229
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
148
Winter weather events since 1996
85
Heat events since 1996
27
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
June 9, 2011
1.80 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
June 2, 2000
102 mph
More event types since 1996
| High surf and sneaker waves | 1 | 0 |
| Storm surge and tide | 1 | 0 |
| Lightning | 11 | 0 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 27 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Sep 19, 2003Storm Surge/Tide, Queen Annes$37.0 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…
- Sep 16, 1999Flash Flood$4.0 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…
- Oct 29, 2012Flood$700,000
National Weather Service narrative
The heavy rain that fell across Queen Anne's County not only caused poor drainage flooding, but exacerbated the tidal flooding along the Chesapeake Bay. Event precipitation totals included 9.89 inches in Queenstown, 6.77 inches in Stevensville and 4.50 inches in Centreville.
- Apr 2, 2016Thunderstorm Wind$600,000
National Weather Service narrative
Two of four chicken houses located on a farm at 710 Brick School House Road in Centreville were damaged when thunderstorm winds swept through the region during the late evening hours on April 2nd. One of these two buildings showed significant damage with more than half of the 500 foot structure torn from its foundation and flipped over completely. Shredded pieces of the structure were scattered across the farm property. The second chicken house also suffered significant damage; the roofing and siding were pulled away from the structure in several locations, with some cracks along the base of the foundation, and the entire structure was tilted. Each building costs approximately…
- Aug 28, 2011Flood$550,000
National Weather Service narrative
Flooding rains forced the closure of Maryland State Route 300 at Dudley Corner Road. Event rainfall totals included 4.70 inches in Stevensville.
- Aug 27, 2011Tropical Storm, Queen Annes$550,000
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…
- Aug 12, 2014Flash Flood$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Thunderstorms with very heavy rain caused flash flooding in western Queen Anne's County from Centreville westward through Queenstown and Grasonville. The hardest hit locations were Grasonville and Queenstown where nearly 10 inches of rain fell. This caused flooded roads and multiple water rescues. In Grasonville, the hardest hit area was Prospect Bay. Six families were evacuated from an apartment surrounded by water on Main Street at Gravel Run Road. About 15 motorists were rescued from trapped vehicles. In Queenstown, a water rescue occurred on Del Rhodes Avenue near Friel Road. The vehicle was swept off the roadway. A section of Hibernia Road near Centreville was washed out and…
- Sep 16, 1999High Wind, Queen Annes$500,000
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…
- Feb 16, 2003Winter Storm, Queen Annes$320,000
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…
- Oct 29, 2012Coastal Flood, Queen Annes$150,000
National Weather Service narrative
Post Tropical Storm Sandy caused an initial estimate of $5 million dollars in damage in the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Most of the damages were due to flooding caused by excessive rainfall, as up to 13 inches of rain were reported, and due to the high winds, which caused trees and wires to come down across the state. Delmarva Power, which serves portions of the eastern shore counties, reported over 30,000 households without power during the peak of the storm. The majority of residents had power returned by the morning of the 30th. Hundreds of roads were closed due to numerous downed trees and flooding. | |No direct deaths were reported on the Eastern Shore of Maryland due to the…
- 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 Baltimore-washington International Airport, 30.5 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1939.
- All-time high
- 106°FJul 22, 2011
- All-time low
- −7°F3 times, most recently Jan 22, 1984
- Warmest night
- 82°F2 times, most recently Jul 8, 2012
- Coldest day
- 5°FJan 19, 1994
- Wettest day
- 6.30 inAug 12, 2014
- Snowiest day
- 25.5 inJan 23, 2016
- Hottest year
- 2023mean 59.4°F
- Coldest year
- 1958mean 53.4°F
- Wettest year
- 201871.82 in
- Driest year
- 195427.89 in
- Snowiest season
- 77.0 in2009-10
Median first snow
December 11
Earliest: October 10, 1979
Median last snow
March 10
Latest: April 13, 1957
1 of 87 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Baltimore-washington International Airport (USW00093721), 138 ft elevation, 30.5 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1939 to October 26, 2026; 99.9% 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
18 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Winter Storm, January 24, 2026.
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3634-MD |
| Mar 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4491-MD |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3430-MD |
| Mar 4, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4261-MD |
| Nov 20, 2012 | Hurricane | DR-4091-MD |
| Oct 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3349-MD |
| Sep 16, 2011 | Hurricane | DR-4034-MD |
| Aug 27, 2011 | Hurricane | EM-3335-MD |
| May 6, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1910-MD |
| Feb 19, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1875-MD |
| Sep 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3251-MD |
| Sep 19, 2003 | Hurricane | DR-1492-MD |
| Mar 14, 2003 | Severe Storm | EM-3179-MD |
| Apr 10, 2000 | Severe Storm | DR-1324-MD |
| Sep 24, 1999 | Hurricane | DR-1303-MD |
| Jan 11, 1996 | Snowstorm | DR-1081-MD |
| Mar 16, 1993 | Snowstorm | EM-3100-MD |
| Jan 26, 1977 | Snowstorm | DR-524-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.
How this compares
Where Queen Anne's County stands among 24 counties in Maryland and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 13 | 16 / 24 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 0 | — |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 22 | 9 / 24 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 1 | 11 / 24 |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 0 | — |
| Flood insurance claims | 1,073 | 7 / 24 |
| Flood insurance paid | $15.4 million | 7 / 24 |
| Disaster declarations | 18 | 17 / 24 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 132 | 12 / 24 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 370 | 14 / 24 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 148 | 14 / 24 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $85.1 million | 6 / 24 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 0 | — |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 112 | 14 / 24 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 13.1 | 3 / 24 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 1 | 7 / 24 |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Caroline County | 8 | 26 |
| Kent County DE | 24 | 27 |
| Kent County | 5 | 20 |
| Talbot County | 4 | 25 |
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 USW00093721.
- 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.