Piscataquis County, Maine
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 23021 · population 16,735 · 3,961 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,232 records for Piscataquis County, Maine from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 593 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (598 records). 898 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 deadliest single record is the October 8, 2020 cold/wind chill, filed for the forecast zone Northern Piscataquis, which covers the county: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1970, 23 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
- 1,232on 593 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 412 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $6.2Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 5strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 25latest 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 Piscataquis County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 598 since 1996. 45% 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 | 598 | 285 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.6M | 15 of 16 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 181 | 89 | 1964-2026 | 0 | 1 | – | 14 of 16 |
| Extreme cold | 123 | 58 | 1998-2026 | 2 | 2 | – | 11 of 16 |
| Floods | 104 | 73 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $2.4M | 14 of 16 |
| High wind and dust storms | 96 | 54 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 16 |
| Hail | 70 | 40 | 1966-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 16 |
| Drought | 25 | 13 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 16 |
| Heat | 19 | 16 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 16 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 5 | 2 | 2011-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 16 |
| Lightning | 5 | 5 | 1997-2023 | 1 | 9 | – | 14 of 16 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 5 | 1959-2013 | 0 | 0 | $137K | 15 of 16 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2025-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 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 Piscataquis County had?
NOAA records 5 tornadoes in Piscataquis County from 1959 to 2013, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 0 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 6 tornadoes whose track touched Piscataquis County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 5: 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 Piscataquis County (5)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-09-11 | Churchill Dam, Piscataquis County | EF0 0.25 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-07-19 | Chamberlain Lake, Piscataquis County | EF1 2.14 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-08-31 | Piscataquis County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1975-07-25 | Piscataquis County | F1 1.8 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1959-08-28 | Piscataquis County | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Piscataquis County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the August 5, 2023 lightning (1 injury).
A person doing yard work at their home was struck by lightning and injured. The person was transported to the hospital in stable condition. The person was conscious and talking while being transported.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1135538)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindBrownville Jct, Piscataquis County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtPiscataquis County · forecast zone Southern Piscataquis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-28 | DroughtPiscataquis County · forecast zone Central Piscataquis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-28 | DroughtPiscataquis County · forecast zone Southern Piscataquis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-05 | Winter WeatherPiscataquis County · forecast zone Central Piscataquis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-05 | Winter WeatherPiscataquis County · forecast zone Northern Piscataquis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-03 | Winter WeatherPiscataquis County · forecast zone Southern Piscataquis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-03 | Winter WeatherPiscataquis County · forecast zone Central Piscataquis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-03 | Winter WeatherPiscataquis County · forecast zone Northern Piscataquis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Winter WeatherPiscataquis County · forecast zone Central Piscataquis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Winter WeatherPiscataquis County · forecast zone Northern Piscataquis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-31 | Winter WeatherPiscataquis County · forecast zone Central Piscataquis | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-10-08 | Cold/Wind ChillPiscataquis County · forecast zone Northern Piscataquis A 27 year old man was found deceased at the summit of Mt Katahdin in Baxter State Park. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2020-10-07 | Cold/Wind ChillPiscataquis County · forecast zone Northern Piscataquis A 75 year old hiker and his nephew lost their way on Mt Katahdin. While they were waiting for rescuers, the older man fell 50 feet and became injured. During the night he became hypothermic due to the cold, wet conditions. He passed away the next day from his injuries. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2007-08-25 | LightningChesuncook, Piscataquis County One camper was killed and his brother injured when lightning struck a tree near their campsite and arced to strike them both where they were sheltering. The incident occurred at the Katahdin Stream Campground in Baxter State Park at some point between 8:00 and 8:15 PM. The surviving brother was hospitalized with first ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2012-06-23 | Flash FloodBarnard Corner, Piscataquis County A nearly stationary thunderstorm produced 6.00 to 8.00 inches of rain in less than 4 hours in Brownville. These very heavy rains produced severe flash flooding from Brownville to Milo. Numerous roads in the Brownville and Milo areas were heavily damaged or completely washed away along with several bridges resulting in ... | 1 | 0 | $559K | |
| 1997-02-22 | LightningGreenville, Piscataquis County Very rare wintertime thunderstorms with powerful lightning struck the Moosehead Lake area, as well as much of northern and western Maine. Numerous positive strokes of lightning occurred. One stroke hit an tall pine tree on an island in the Lake, following the tree to the ground, and blasted a 4 ft by 4 ft hole in the ... | 0 | 7 | – | |
| 2023-08-05 | LightningMolunkus, Piscataquis County A person doing yard work at their home was struck by lightning and injured. The person was transported to the hospital in stable condition. The person was conscious and talking while being transported. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2013-07-19 | Thunderstorm WindGreenville, Piscataquis County A large tree was toppled by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph. The falling tree injured one person when it struck them. | 52 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-01-05 | Ice StormPiscataquis County · forecast zone Southern Piscataquis | 0 | 0 | $3.6M | |
| 2012-06-23 | Flash FloodBarnard Corner, Piscataquis County | 1 | 0 | $559K | |
| 2008-04-30 | FloodMedford, Piscataquis County | 0 | 0 | $263K | |
| 2008-04-29 | FloodWellington, Piscataquis County | 0 | 0 | $263K | |
| 2008-05-01 | FloodWellington, Piscataquis County | 0 | 0 | $263K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: July 25, 1975 (tornado, Piscataquis 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 Piscataquis 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 | – | – | – | – | 58 | 175 | 161 | 204 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 12 | 57 | 72 | 23 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 18 | 57 | 34 | 14 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 10 | 55 | 21 | 18 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 22 | 45 | 13 | 16 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 26 | 21 | 6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
45% 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 223 · Feb 168 · Mar 139 · Apr 65 · May 27 · Jun 99 · Jul 104 · Aug 86 · Sep 25 · Oct 60 · Nov 64 · Dec 172 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Piscataquis County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Piscataquis County: 17 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (9) and flood (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 |
| 2011-02-01 | DR-1953 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2009-07-30 | DR-1852 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2008-05-09 | DR-1755 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-06-29 | DR-1591 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt, and Ice Jams |
| 2005-04-01 | EM-3209 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005-03-14 | EM-3206 | Snowstorm | Record and/Or Near Record Snow |
| 2004-02-05 | DR-1508 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow Melt and Ice Jams |
| 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 |
| 2001-03-20 | EM-3164 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2000-04-28 | DR-1326 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ice Jams |
| 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 |
| 1992-03-27 | DR-940 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Ice Jams & Flooding |
| 1987-04-09 | DR-788 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-01-18 | DR-410 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 Piscataquis County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 104 flood or flash flood records for Piscataquis County from 1996 to 2026, on 73 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Piscataquis County ranks 1384th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.0 million on 87 claims filed in Piscataquis County; the most in one year was 34 in 1987. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 17 · 1981: 1 · 1983: 18 · 1984: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 34 · 1992: 1 · 1996: 1 · 2000: 3 · 2003: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2010: 2 · 2023: 5; 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 Piscataquis County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Piscataquis County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $16.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $8.5M | 8.8 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $1.1M | once in about 8 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $369K | 28 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $937K | 17 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $1.1M | once in about 13 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | $7K | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $3K | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $78K | 4.5 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Piscataquis 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 Piscataquis CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Piscataquis County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis