Penobscot County, Maine
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 23019 · population 152,080 · 3,397 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,580 records for Penobscot County, Maine from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 688 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (629 records). 1,001 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The most damaging was the January 5, 1998 ice storm ($63.4 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1970, 20 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storm and Flooding” on January 30, 2024.
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
- 1,580on 688 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 074 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $88Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 14strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 2024
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 Penobscot County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 629 since 1996. 48% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The rank column places the county among Maine'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 629 | 311 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 40 | $78M | 13 of 16 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 380 | 123 | 1965-2026 | 0 | 5 | – | 11 of 16 |
| High wind and dust storms | 162 | 86 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | – | 12 of 16 |
| Hail | 113 | 66 | 1958-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 16 |
| Floods | 97 | 66 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $7.8M | 13 of 16 |
| Extreme cold | 83 | 39 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 16 |
| Heat | 59 | 27 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 16 |
| Drought | 27 | 18 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 16 |
| Tornadoes | 14 | 12 | 1953-2017 | 0 | 2 | $2.3M | 10 of 16 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 6 | 2 | 2011-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 16 |
| Lightning | 5 | 5 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 2 | $38K | 13 of 16 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 1999-2001 | 0 | 24 | – | 6 of 16 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 16 |
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 Penobscot County had?
NOAA records 14 tornadoes in Penobscot County from 1953 to 2017, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries recorded in the county. 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 13 tornadoes whose track touched Penobscot County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 14: 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 Maine.
Every tornado record filed for Penobscot County (14)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-08-05 | Millinocket Arp, Penobscot County | EF1 2.53 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-06-02 | Augustine Pond Airport, Penobscot County | EF0 2.48 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-08-01 | Millinocket, Penobscot County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-07-24 | Patten, Penobscot County | F1 6 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-08-27 | Charleston, Penobscot County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-06-28 | Penobscot County | F1 0.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-11-07 | Penobscot County | F2 0.1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1971-11-07 | Penobscot County | F2 5.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1971-06-30 | Penobscot County | F2 13.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1959-08-17 | Penobscot County | F1 0.8 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 1 | $3K step |
| 1959-08-17 | Penobscot County | F1 2 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1959-08-16 | Penobscot County | F2 2 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1958-07-02 | Penobscot County | F1 2.7 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1953-06-06 | Penobscot County | F1 0.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | $250 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 Penobscot County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the August 13, 2023 lightning (2 injuries).
A lightning strike injured 2 people. The individuals experienced electric shock through their refrigerator. Extent of injuries unknown.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1135645)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindDufour Lndg, Penobscot County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindEddington, Penobscot County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindStetson, Penobscot County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Newburgh, Penobscot County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindNewport, Penobscot County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtPenobscot County · forecast zone Southern Penobscot | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-05 | Winter WeatherPenobscot County · forecast zone Northern Penobscot | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-03 | Winter WeatherPenobscot County · forecast zone Central Penobscot | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-03 | Winter WeatherPenobscot County · forecast zone Northern Penobscot | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtPenobscot County · forecast zone Southern Penobscot | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Winter WeatherPenobscot County · forecast zone Northern Penobscot | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-31 | Winter WeatherPenobscot County · forecast zone Northern Penobscot | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-02-25 | Winter WeatherPenobscot County · forecast zone Southern Penobscot Heavy snow...reduced visibilities and slippery roads contributed to a major multi-car accident involving around 100 vehicles. Around 40 injuries occurred...all non-life threatening. The accident occurred around 730 AM...during the morning rush hour...on I-95 just west of Bangor. This was the largest multi-vehicle ... | 0 | 40 | – | |
| 2001-01-25 | Dense FogPenobscot County · forecast zone Southern Penobscot A patch of locally dense fog and stretch of icy road contributed to a multi-car accident southwest ofBangor on I-95. Approximately 50 vehicles were involved in the accident...along with 20 to 25 injuries.Only one of the injuries was considered serious. | 0 | 24 | – | |
| 2010-06-02 | Thunderstorm WindStacyville, Penobscot County A tree was partially toppled on to powerlines by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph. The tree hung on the powerlines and caught fire. Two sisters and their stepfather went outside to look at the buring tree. While they were standing there...the tree completely fell bringing down the powerlines. The powerlines fell across ... | 52 kt wind | 0 | 3 | – |
| 2023-08-13 | LightningArnold Corner, Penobscot County A lightning strike injured 2 people. The individuals experienced electric shock through their refrigerator. Extent of injuries unknown. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2005-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindSpringfield, Penobscot County Numerous trees and power lines were blown down around Webster Plantation. Two homes also had their windows blown out and 2 barns received structural damage. A boy suffered a broken leg when a tree fell on him while he and his family were attempting to seek shelter indoors. Pea size hail accumulated to a depth of 2 1/2 ... | 70 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1999-03-16 | Strong WindPenobscot County · forecast zone Southern Penobscot Strong winds downed trees and limbs causing scattered power outages throughout the state. Wind gusts in the 45 to 55 mph range were reported throughout the area. More than 5600 customers lost electrical service. In Old Town, the wind blew out a window at the Post Office, reportedly striking and injuring one employee. ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1989-07-26 | Thunderstorm WindPenobscot County | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1959-08-17 | TornadoPenobscot County | F1 0.8 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-01-05 | Ice StormPenobscot County · forecast zone Southern Penobscot | 0 | 0 | $63M | |
| 1998-01-05 | Heavy SnowPenobscot County · forecast zone Northern Penobscot | 0 | 0 | $5.4M | |
| 2008-04-19 | FloodMattawamkeag, Penobscot County | 0 | 0 | $659K | |
| 2008-04-30 | FloodAugustine Pond Airport, Penobscot County | 0 | 0 | $659K | |
| 2008-04-29 | FloodShin Pond, Penobscot County | 0 | 0 | $659K | |
| 2008-05-01 | FloodVeazie, Penobscot County | 0 | 0 | $659K | |
| 2012-06-23 | Flash FloodPatten, Penobscot County | 0 | 0 | $341K | |
| 2010-12-13 | FloodDexter, Penobscot County | 0 | 0 | $296K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 30, 1971 (tornado, Penobscot 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 Penobscot 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 90 | 180 | 162 | 197 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 35 | 86 | 158 | 79 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 34 | 69 | 29 | 30 |
| Hail | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 16 | 34 | 33 | 16 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 12 | 50 | 19 | 16 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 25 | 36 | 15 | 7 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
48% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 239 · Feb 174 · Mar 157 · Apr 70 · May 48 · Jun 168 · Jul 213 · Aug 144 · Sep 42 · Oct 64 · Nov 72 · Dec 189 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Penobscot County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Penobscot County: 13 major disasters, 9 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (6) and snowstorm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-01-30 | DR-4754 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2023-09-14 | EM-3598 | Hurricane | Hurricane Lee |
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4522 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3444 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-01-02 | DR-4354 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2008-05-09 | DR-1755 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-19 | EM-3256 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-04-01 | EM-3209 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005-03-14 | EM-3206 | Snowstorm | Record and/Or Near Record Snow |
| 2004-01-26 | EM-3194 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2004-01-15 | EM-3190 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2003-05-14 | DR-1468 | Freezing | Severe Winter Cold and Frost |
| 2001-05-16 | DR-1371 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding |
| 2001-03-20 | EM-3164 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1998-01-13 | DR-1198 | Severe Storm | Severe Ice Storms, Rains and High Winds |
| 1996-03-13 | DR-1106 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Ice Jams, Flooding |
| 1993-05-11 | DR-988 | Flood | Heavy Rain, Snowmelt, Ice Jams & Flooding |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3099 | Snowstorm | Blizzards, Severe Winds & Snowfall, Coastal Storm |
| 1987-04-09 | DR-788 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-01-18 | DR-410 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-05-23 | DR-384 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1970-02-27 | DR-284 | Flood | Severe Storms, Ice Jams & Flooding |
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 Penobscot County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 97 flood or flash flood records for Penobscot County from 1996 to 2024, on 66 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Penobscot County ranks 857th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.7 million on 238 claims filed in Penobscot County; the most in one year was 64 in 1987. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 8 · 1979: 20 · 1980: 1 · 1981: 6 · 1982: 1 · 1983: 21 · 1984: 7 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 64 · 1989: 3 · 1991: 4 · 1992: 1 · 1993: 8 · 1994: 7 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 4 · 1998: 4 · 1999: 2 · 2003: 1 · 2005: 17 · 2007: 6 · 2008: 28 · 2010: 4 · 2011: 4 · 2014: 6 · 2015: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 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 Penobscot County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Penobscot County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $41.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Very High | $2.8M | 26 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very High | $2.4M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.4M | 16 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $5.0M | once in about 13 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $24M | 2 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $711K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.6M | once in about 612 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $6K | about once a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Penobscot 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 MaineEvery Maine tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in MaineThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Maine recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Penobscot CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Penobscot County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis