Talbot County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Talbot County: 0.
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.

Every storm within 100 miles

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.

Smoke overhead

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.

Claims by ZIP code

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

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.

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.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

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 county boundary (or inside the county).
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.

More event types since 1996

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.

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

Station Royal Oak 2 Ssw (USC00187806), 10 ft elevation, 6.2 miles from the population 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.

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.

Neighbouring counties

• 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.