Cecil County, Maryland
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 24015 · population 103,701 · 346 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,043 records for Cecil County, Maryland from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 792 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (329 records). The deadliest single record is the September 18, 2004 thunderstorm wind: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1972, 19 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on January 24, 2026.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 1,043on 792 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 431 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $31Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 18strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 2026
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Cecil County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 329 since 1969. 49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among Maryland's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 329 | 204 | 1969-2026 | 2 | 5 | $3.1M | 6 of 23 |
| Winter storms | 182 | 180 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 3 | $1.9M | 4 of 23 |
| High wind and dust storms | 114 | 114 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 4 of 23 |
| Floods | 102 | 81 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 4 | $12M | 7 of 23 |
| Heat | 81 | 81 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 14 | – | 5 of 23 |
| Drought | 52 | 52 | 1997-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 23 |
| Heavy rain | 46 | 41 | 1996-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 23 |
| Hail | 35 | 25 | 1969-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 23 |
| Extreme cold | 32 | 32 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 23 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 21 | 20 | 1999-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 23 |
| Lightning | 20 | 18 | 1996-2013 | 0 | 3 | $954K | 5 of 23 |
| Tornadoes | 18 | 16 | 1967-2023 | 0 | 2 | $11M | 7 of 23 |
| Wildfires | 5 | 5 | 2002-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 23 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 4 | 2003-2020 | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | 14 of 23 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 2 | 2 | 2008-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 23 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Cecil County had?
NOAA records 18 tornadoes in Cecil County from 1967 to 2023, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries recorded in the county. That is 7th of 23 Maryland counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 19 tornadoes whose track touched Cecil County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 18: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Maryland.
Every tornado record filed for Cecil County (18)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-01 | Calvert, Cecil County | EF1 5.49 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $969K |
| 2020-11-30 | Woodlawn, Cecil County | EF1 3.36 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-02-07 | Lovett Airport, Cecil County | EF1 1.06 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-06-13 | Red Pt, Cecil County | EF1 4.56 mi x 580 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-07-12 | Elk Neck, Cecil County | F1 0.8 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-07-12 | Elk Neck, Cecil County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-05-13 | Town Pt, Cecil County | F1 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $115K |
| 2002-05-13 | Earleville, Cecil County | F1 4 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $164K |
| 2002-05-02 | Rising Sun, Cecil County | F2 4.5 mi x 160 yd | 0 | 0 | $541K |
| 1997-05-25 | Fair Hill, Cecil County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $460K |
| 1993-09-27 | Chesapeake City, Cecil County | F1 6 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 1992-08-28 | Cecil County | F0 0.1 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1981-05-15 | Cecil County | F2 1.5 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 2 | $2.5M step |
| 1977-08-17 | Cecil County | 0 | 0 | $250 step | |
| 1976-03-21 | Cecil County | F1 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-07-24 | Cecil County | F1 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1975-07-13 | Cecil County | F1 0.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1967-08-03 | Cecil County | F1 0.3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Cecil County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 20, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindKilby Corner, Cecil County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindBacon Hill, Cecil County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindBacon Hill, Cecil County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-03-03 | Winter WeatherCecil County · forecast zone Cecil | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | Winter StormCecil County · forecast zone Cecil | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillCecil County · forecast zone Cecil | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillCecil County · forecast zone Cecil | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormCecil County · forecast zone Cecil | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillCecil County · forecast zone Cecil | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | Winter WeatherCecil County · forecast zone Cecil | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-26 | Winter WeatherCecil County · forecast zone Cecil | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-13 | Winter WeatherCecil County · forecast zone Cecil | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-09-18 | Thunderstorm WindCharlestown, Cecil County Severe thunderstorms caused wind damage in Charlestown and Colora. Two people were killed in Colora after a large tree fell onto the house they were sleeping in. About six large trees were uprooted in Colora. Two other homes were damaged by fallen trees. Several large tree limbs were also torn away. One shed was ... | 61 kt wind | 2 | 0 | – |
| 2010-06-23 | Excessive HeatCecil County · forecast zone Cecil Unseasonably hot and humid weather enveloped the Maryland Eastern Shore on the 23rd and 24th. It culminated on the 24th with maximum temperatures of 95 to 100 degrees and afternoon heat indices of around 105F. For many places this was already hotter than the hottest day in all of 2009. The excessive heat claimed the ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2001-08-06 | HeatCecil County · forecast zone Cecil A ridge of high pressure both surface and aloft that was broiling the central part of the country moved east and covered the Delmarva Peninsula during the work week of August 6th. This brought the most oppressive hot spell since July of 1999 to the region and peaked on the 9th. A 65-year-old man in Elkton succumbed to ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1999-07-04 | HeatCecil County · forecast zone Cecil A very strong and oppressive high pressure system that extended from the surface to aloft gave the Maryland Eastern Shore a brutal heat wave that included the entire Independence Day weekend. High temperatures reached the 90s for the first time of the 3rd, but sweltering humidity and record breaking maximum ... | 0 | 10 | – | |
| 1999-07-23 | HeatCecil County · forecast zone Cecil A protracted run of days with consecutive high temperatures of 90 degrees or higher started along the Eastern Shore on July 23rd. It lasted as long as 16 days in some areas through August 7th. Dispersed within this run were two periods of both excessive heat and humidity: from July 23rd through July 25th and again ... | 0 | 4 | – | |
| 2010-12-16 | Winter WeatherCecil County · forecast zone Cecil The first widespread measurable but overall light snow event of the winter season came at an unfortunate time during the afternoon of the 16th across the Eastern Shore. Accumulations averaged one to two inches. The recent cold weather made it easy for the snow to stick. Coupled with it coinciding with the school ... | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindPort Deposit, Cecil County A gust front outrunning a cluster of severe thunderstorms entered near Port Deposit in western Cecil County at approximately 11:27 pm EDT on the 29th. This gust front produced damaging wind gusts estimated from 65 to 70 mph as it traversed eastward across the county. Within approximately 20 minutes of the gust front ... | 61 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $643K |
| 2009-07-31 | Thunderstorm WindAikin, Cecil County A severe thunderstorm knocked down numerous trees in Perryville as well as over turning five storage trailers and overturning two vehicles. One vehicle was pushed into a ditch on Ikea Way off of U.S. Route 7 and resulted in two injuries. The damaging winds ripped a rooftop air conditioning unit from its support from ... | 56 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $344K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Cecil County | 0 | 2 | $5.3M | |
| 2004-07-12 | Flash FloodCountywide, Cecil County | 0 | 0 | $3.1M | |
| 2004-09-18 | FloodCecil County · forecast zone Cecil | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 2010-02-09 | Winter StormCecil County · forecast zone Cecil | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2023-04-01 | TornadoCalvert, Cecil County | EF1 5.49 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $969K |
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindPort Deposit, Cecil County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $643K |
| 2012-10-29 | FloodCalvert, Cecil County | 0 | 0 | $643K | |
| 2015-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindCharlestown, Cecil County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $623K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 15, 1981 (tornado, Cecil County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Cecil County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 29 | 57 | 94 | 133 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 62 | 75 | 28 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 14 | 64 | 34 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 34 | 28 | 33 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 25 | 31 | 21 | 4 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 20 | 30 | 2 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 116 · Feb 122 · Mar 77 · Apr 58 · May 66 · Jun 122 · Jul 162 · Aug 121 · Sep 56 · Oct 29 · Nov 35 · Dec 79 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Cecil County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Cecil County: 14 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (7) and snowstorm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3634 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020-03-26 | DR-4491 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3430 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-03-04 | DR-4261 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2012-11-20 | DR-4091 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3349 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-10-05 | DR-4038 | Flood | Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011-09-16 | DR-4034 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-27 | EM-3335 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-05-06 | DR-1910 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 2010-02-19 | DR-1875 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3251 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-09-19 | DR-1492 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 2003-03-14 | EM-3179 | Severe Storm | Snow |
| 1999-09-24 | DR-1303 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1996-01-23 | DR-1094 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-01-11 | DR-1081 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3100 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1977-01-26 | DR-524 | Snowstorm | Ice Conditions |
| 1975-10-04 | DR-489 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1972-06-23 | DR-341 | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Cecil County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 102 flood or flash flood records for Cecil County from 1996 to 2025, on 81 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Cecil County ranks 415th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-29 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-09-07 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-19 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $14.3 million on 703 claims filed in Cecil County; the most in one year was 192 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 32 · 1979: 36 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 8 · 1983: 2 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 4 · 1988: 6 · 1989: 9 · 1992: 1 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 9 · 1996: 55 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 46 · 2000: 4 · 2001: 8 · 2003: 192 · 2004: 64 · 2005: 4 · 2006: 2 · 2008: 2 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 9 · 2011: 82 · 2012: 17 · 2013: 4 · 2014: 17 · 2015: 1 · 2018: 5 · 2020: 22 · 2021: 22 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 28 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Cecil County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Cecil County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $23.2 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively High | $2.4M | 7.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $375K | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.9M | 7.3 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $209K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $396K | 35 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $1.8M | once in about 14 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $1.6M | 5.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $953K | once in about 641 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Cecil County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in MarylandEvery Maryland tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in MarylandThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Maryland recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Cecil CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Cecil County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis