Waldo County

Every recorded tornado

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

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.

Tsunamis

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

Mapped by ME GS (4).

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.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Jan 5, 1998Ice Storm, Coastal Waldo$20.0 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, Interior Waldo$6.0 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. Apr 16, 2007Coastal Flood, Coastal Waldo$1.1 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…

4. Apr 16, 2007Flood$1.1 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…

5. Jan 13, 2024Coastal Flood, Coastal Waldo$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The astronomical tide in Portland was 11.2 feet (MLLW) 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.||The storm created significant damage to waterfront areas of Coastal Waldo County due to both inundation flooding and over wash from large coastal swells that overtopped dunes and seawalls. Flooding up to a foot deep also reached Belfast Harbor roads during high tide with at least one structure damaged. In Searsport, sand, mud and rocks covered…

6. Apr 6, 2009Flood$619,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Heavy rain caused serious flooding in several midcoast Maine towns on the 6th through the 8th of April. Small rivers and streams overflowed washing out roads and culverts. Damage estimates for Waldo county were $618,968. Some of the hardest hit towns included Belfast ($100,000), Northport ($150,000), Frankfort ($76,000), and Searsport ($60,000).

7. Dec 21, 2013Ice Storm, Interior Waldo$290,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A major winter storm affected the State of Maine from December 21st, 2013, through January 6th,, 2014. A mixture of precipitation fell across the state from December 21st through the 23rd with snow across northern areas, a mixture of snow and sleet across north central areas, a mixture of sleet and freezing rain across south central areas, and a mixture of freezing rain and rain in southern areas. Due to the weight of the ice on tree branches and limbs from freezing rain, widespread power outages occurred in portions southern and central Maine. Because subfreezing temperatures followed the storm and persisted for about two weeks, the ice remained on the trees for a prolonged…

8. Apr 29, 2008Flood$243,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Heavy rain caused extensive damage county-wide across all of Waldo County as small rivers and streams flooded. Some of the hardest hit towns were Belmont, Brooks, Liberty, Licolnville, Monroe, Montville, Morrill, Searsport, Stockton Springs, and Thorndike. The most extensive damage occurred in Liberty where repair and clean-up costs were $144,400.00.

9. Dec 11, 2008Ice Storm, Coastal Waldo$221,000
   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 31, 2021Flood$200,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Heavy rain with up to 6.5 inches impacted most of Waldo County with widespread flooded reported through the county due to flooded roads causing road damage and culvert blow outs. Some of the hardest hit towns include Prospect, Swanville, Montville, Lincolnville, Northport and Monroe.

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°FAug 2, 1975

All-time low

−30°FFeb 2, 1962

Warmest night

75°FJul 22, 2011

Coldest day

−6°F3 times, most recently Jan 14, 2004

Wettest day

5.98 inSep 11, 1954

Snowiest day

25.5 inDec 30, 1962

Hottest year

2010mean 48.2°F

Coldest year

1962mean 42.1°F

Wettest year

198365.24 in

Driest year

200124.58 in

Snowiest season

181.9 in1962-63

Station Bangor International Airport (USW00014606), 147 ft elevation, 25.0 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1953 to October 26, 2026; 99.8% 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 USW00014606.
• 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.
• 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.