Tornadoes in Maine
The Storm Prediction Center records 137 tornadoes that touched Maine between 1953 and 2020, and 134 of them began there. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in every state it touched. They killed 2 people and injured 22. The busiest month is July, with 52 tornadoes.
- 137tornadoes
- 2deaths
- 22injuries
- 44per 10,000 sq mi of land
- 16counties touched
Tornadoes per 10,000 square miles lets you compare states of different sizes. It counts every tornado that touched the state.
How strong were Maine's tornadoes?
| Rating | Tornadoes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | 35 | 26% |
| F1 / EF1 | 82 | 60% |
| F2 / EF2 | 20 | 15% |
| F3 / EF3 | 0 | 0% |
| F4 / EF4 | 0 | 0% |
| F5 / EF5 | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown rating | 0 | 0% |
Maine tornadoes over time
The 2020s only run to 2020, so that bar is for a shorter period. The record starts in 1953.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 20 |
| 1960s | 25 |
| 1970s | 25 |
| 1980s | 6 |
| 1990s | 12 |
| 2000s | 20 |
| 2010s | 28 |
| 2020s | 1 |
The record has changed over the decades as detection and reporting improved, so more weak tornadoes show up in recent years than in the 1950s. The year with the most in Maine was 1971, with 11.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 0 |
| Feb | 0 |
| Mar | 0 |
| Apr | 0 |
| May | 11 |
| Jun | 27 |
| Jul | 52 |
| Aug | 29 |
| Sep | 7 |
| Oct | 6 |
| Nov | 5 |
| Dec | 0 |
Deadliest tornadoes that touched Maine
- New Hampshire tornado24 July 2008, EF2, 1 death, 2 injuries, 50.5 miles long
- Maine tornado11 August 1954, F2, 1 death, 1 injury, 1 mile long
Strongest tornadoes that touched Maine
- New Hampshire tornado24 July 2008, EF2, 1 death, 2 injuries, 50.5 miles long
- Maine tornado11 August 1954, F2, 1 death, 1 injury, 1 mile long
- Maine tornado15 September 1961, F2, 1 injury, 19.1 miles long
- Maine tornado15 August 1958, F2, 17 miles long
- Maine tornado30 June 1971, F2, 13.3 miles long
- New Hampshire tornado14 May 1963, F2, 8.7 miles long
Most recent tornadoes in Maine
- Maine tornado11 July 2020, EF0, 4.9 miles long
- Maine tornado12 August 2019, EF1, 0.2 miles long
- Maine tornado5 August 2017, EF1, 0.5 miles long
- Maine tornado5 August 2017, EF1, 2.5 miles long
- Maine tornado1 July 2017, EF0, 2.5 miles long
Many of these tornadoes killed or injured people. The numbers are the official record's, and they may be revised.
Maine counties
Every county that a tornado has touched is listed, most tornadoes first. 14 of them have at least 3 tornadoes and their own page.
| County | Tornadoes | Strongest |
|---|---|---|
| Aroostook County | 32 | F/EF2 |
| Oxford County | 20 | F/EF2 |
| Cumberland County | 14 | F/EF1 |
| Penobscot County | 14 | F/EF2 |
| Somerset County | 14 | F/EF2 |
| York County | 14 | F/EF2 |
| Kennebec County | 11 | F/EF2 |
| Washington County | 8 | F/EF2 |
| Piscataquis County | 7 | F/EF2 |
| Franklin County | 5 | F/EF2 |
| Androscoggin County | 4 | F/EF2 |
| Lincoln County | 3 | F/EF1 |
| Sagadahoc County | 3 | F/EF1 |
| Waldo County | 3 | F/EF2 |
| Hancock County | 2 | F/EF1 |
| Knox County | 2 | F/EF1 |