NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information
Maine Summary
From 1980-2024, there were 19 confirmed weather/climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each to affect Maine. These events included 1 drought event, 2 flooding events, 3 severe storm events, 2 tropical cyclone events, and 11 winter storm events. The 1980–2024 annual average is 0.4 events (CPI-adjusted); the annual average for the most recent 5 years (2020–2024) is 0.8 events (CPI-adjusted).
| Disaster Type | Events | Events/Year | Percent Frequency | Total Costs | Percent of Total Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 1 | 0.0 | 5.3% | $5M-$100M | 0.5% |
| Flooding | 2 | 0.0 | 10.5% | $500M-$1.0B | 22.9% |
| Freeze | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Severe Storm | 3 | 0.1 | 15.8% | $100M-$250M | 9.3% |
| Tropical Cyclone | 2 | 0.0 | 10.5% | $100M-$250M | 5.5% |
| Wildfire | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Winter Storm | 11 | 0.2 | 57.9% | $1.0B-$2.0B | 61.9% |
| All Disasters | 19 | 0.4 | 100.0% | $2.0B-$5.0B | 100.0% |
| Drought | 1 | 0.0 | 7.1% | $5M-$100M | 0.9% |
| Flooding | 1 | 0.0 | 7.1% | $100M-$250M | 16.2% |
| Freeze | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Severe Storm | 3 | 0.1 | 21.4% | $100M-$250M | 15.0% |
| Tropical Cyclone | 1 | 0.0 | 7.1% | $5M-$100M | 4.4% |
| Wildfire | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Winter Storm | 8 | 0.2 | 57.1% | $500M-$1.0B | 63.5% |
| All Disasters | 14 | 0.3 | 100.0% | $1.0B-$2.0B | 100.0% |
| Time Period | Billion-Dollar Disasters | Events/ | Cost | Percent of Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s (1980-1989) | 3 | 0.3 | $5M-$100M | 3.6% |
| 1990s (1990-1999) | 8 | 0.8 | $1.0B-$2.0B | 71.9% |
| 2000s (2000-2009) | 1 | 0.1 | $100M-$250M | 6.8% |
| 2010s (2010-2019) | 3 | 0.3 | $5M-$100M | 2.5% |
| Last 5 Years (2020-2024) | 4 | 0.8 | $250M-$500M | 15.3% |
| Last 3 Years (2022-2024) | 4 | 1.3 | $250M-$500M | 15.3% |
| Last Year (2024) | 1 | 1.0 | $5M-$100M | 1.4% |
| All Years (1980-2024) | 19 | 0.4 | $2.0B-$5.0B | 100.0% |
| 1980s (1980-1989) | 0 | 0.0 | $0M | 0% |
| 1990s (1990-1999) | 6 | 0.6 | $500M-$1.0B | 50.4% |
| 2000s (2000-2009) | 1 | 0.1 | $100M-$250M | 10.5% |
| 2010s (2010-2019) | 3 | 0.3 | $5M-$100M | 4.4% |
| Last 5 Years (2020-2024) | 4 | 0.8 | $250M-$500M | 34.7% |
| Last 3 Years (2022-2024) | 4 | 1.3 | $250M-$500M | 34.7% |
| Last Year (2024) | 1 | 1.0 | $5M-$100M | 3.2% |
| All Years (1980-2024) | 14 | 0.3 | $1.0B-$2.0B | 100.0% |
| Event | Type | Begin Date |
End Date |
Summary |
CPI-AUnadjusted Estimated Cost (in Billions) |
Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Southern Tornado Outbreak and East Coast Storm January 2024 | Severe Storm | January 8, 2024 | January 10, 2024 | Southern tornado outbreak and east coast storm impacted more than a dozen states. At least 39 preliminary tornadoes were clustered around the Florida Panhandle through the Carolinas while hundreds of high wind reports were scattered up the East Coast reflecting damage to homes, businesses, vehicles and other infrastructure. The strongest tornado was an EF-3 that caused significant damage around Panama City Beach, Florida, after an intense waterspout moved onshore. | $2.8 CI | 3 |
East Coast Storm and Flooding December 2023 | Flooding | December 16, 2023 | December 18, 2023 | Powerful east coast storm from Florida to Maine produced widespread impacts from heavy rainfall, flooding, high winds and coastal erosion. The heavy rainfall and snowmelt were amplified by record-high temperatures in the Northeast. | $1.3 CI | 5 |
Northeastern Winter Storm/ February 2023 | Winter Storm | February 2, 2023 | February 5, 2023 | A strong winter storm produced snow, high winds and bitter cold across numerous Northeastern states. High winds caused widespread power outages in Massachusetts while Mount Washington, New Hampshire observed a wind chill temperature of -108 degrees Fahrenheit. This was one of the coldest wind chill temperatures ever recorded in the United States. | $1.8 CI | 1 |
Central and Eastern Winter Storm and Cold Wave December 2022 | Winter Storm | December 21, 2022 | December 26, 2022 | Historic winter storm and powerful arctic front caused significant impact across much of the nation, bringing heavy rains, snow, ice and high winds that sent temperatures plummeting. More than 200 million people were under a winter weather advisory or warning and more than a million customers, from Texas to Maine, were left without power. Buffalo, New York was paralyzed by near hurricane force winds and continuous snow squalls, which contributed to dozens of fatalities in the region. Additional impacts were widespread frozen water pipes that led to extensive water damage in many homes, businesses and to other critical infrastructure. | $9.0 CI | 87 |
Central and Eastern Winter Storm January 2018 | Winter Storm | January 3, 2018 | January 5, 2018 | A Nor'easter caused damage across many Northeastern states including MA, NJ, NY, CT, ME, NH, PA, MD, RI, SC, TN, VA, NC and GA. | $1.3 CI | 22 |
West/ 2016 | Drought | January 1, 2016 | December 31, 2016 | California's 5-year drought persisted during 2016 while new areas of extreme drought developed in states across the Northeast and Southeast. The long-term impacts of the drought in California have damaged forests where 100+ million trees have perished and are a public safety hazard. The agricultural impacts were reduced in California as water prices and crop fallowing declined. However, agricultural impacts developed in Northeast and Southeast due to stressed water supplies. | $4.6 CI | 0 |
Central and Eastern Winter storm, Cold Wave February 2015 | Winter Storm | February 14, 2015 | February 20, 2015 | A large winter storm and associated cold wave impacted many central, eastern and northeastern states (CT, DE, GA, IL, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA). The city of Boston was particularly impacted as feet of snow continued to accumulate causing load-stress on buildings and clogging transportation corridors. Total, direct losses in Massachusetts alone exceed $1.0 ($1.3) billion for this event, with considerable damage in many other states. | $4.0 CI | 30 |
East/ April 2007 | Severe Storm | April 13, 2007 | April 17, 2007 | Flooding, hail, tornadoes, and severe thunderstorms across numerous states (CT, DE, GA, LA, ME, MD, MA, MS, NH, NJ, NY, NC, PA, RI, SC, TX, VT, VA) in mid-April, including 3 "killer" tornadoes. | $3.8 CI | 9 |
Central and Eastern Winter Storm Mid-January 1999 | Winter Storm | January 13, 1999 | January 16, 1999 | Winter storm affecting the Central and Eastern states including IL, IN, OH, MI, WV, VA, MD, PA, NJ, NY, MA, CT, VT, NH and ME. | $1.7* CI | 0 |
Central and Eastern Winter Storm January 1999 | Winter Storm | January 1, 1999 | January 4, 1999 | South, Southeast, Midwest, Northeast affected by damaging winter storm | $2.0 CI | 25 |
Northeast Ice Storm January 1998 | Winter Storm | January 5, 1998 | January 9, 1998 | Intense ice storm hits Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York, with extensive forestry losses | $2.7 CI | 16 |
Mississippi and Ohio Valley Severe Weather and Flooding March 1997 | Severe Storm | February 28, 1997 | March 5, 1997 | Tornadoes and severe flooding hit the states of AR, MO, MS, TN, IL, IN, KY, OH, and WV, with over 10 inches of rain in 24 hours in Louisville. | $1.9 CI | 67 |
New England Flooding October 1996 | Flooding | October 19, 1996 | October 22, 1996 | The flooding damaged homes, businesses, vehicles and other infrastructure. Factories and mills in Lawrence, Haverhill and Lowell, Massachusetts were severely impacted. A total of 81 bridges needed to be rebuilt after to flood on area lakes and rivers. Communities such as Ocean Park, Old Orchard Beach and Westbrook were severely flooded. Communitites in southern Maine were aslo significantly damaged by floodwaters destroying homes, businesses and washing out raods, bridges and dams. | $1.4* CI | 1 |
Winter Storm, Cold Wave January 1994 | Winter Storm | January 17, 1994 | January 20, 1994 | Winter storm affects the Southeast and Northeast regions. The states impacted include CT, DE, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT and WV. | $2.2 CI | 70 |
East Coast Blizzard and Severe Weather March 1993 | Winter Storm | March 11, 1993 | March 14, 1993 | The "Storm of the Century" impacts the entire Eastern seaboard from Florida to Maine. This historic storm dumped 2-4 feet of snow and caused hurricane force winds across many Eastern and Northeastern states. This caused power outages to over 10 million households. Additional impacts included numerous tornadoes across Florida causing substantial damage. This was the most destructive and costly winter storm to affect the United States (since 1980), until it was surpassed by the February 2021 winter storm and cold wave. | $12.2 CI | 270 |
Hurricane Bob August 1991 | Tropical Cyclone | August 18, 1991 | August 20, 1991 | Category 2 hurricane brushes the Outer Banks of North Carolina before making landfall in Rhode Island. Its impacts were felt from North Carolina to Long Island and into New England. | $3.5 CI | 18 |
Winter Storm, Cold Wave December 1989 | Winter Storm | December 21, 1989 | December 26, 1989 | Winter storm and deep cold impacts the Northeast, South and Southeast. The states impacted include AL, AR, CT, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, ME, MO, MS, NC, NH, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT and WV. | $1.7* CI | 100 |
Hurricane Gloria September 1985 | Tropical Cyclone | September 26, 1985 | September 28, 1985 | Category 2 hurricane makes several landfalls along the eastern seaboard, affecting states from North Carolina to Maine. | $2.5* CI | 11 |
Midwest/ January 1982 | Winter Storm | January 8, 1982 | January 16, 1982 | Winter storm and cold wave affect numerous states (AL, AR, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV) across the Midwest, Southeast and Northeast. | $2.2* CI | 85 |
†Deaths associated with drought are the result of heat waves. (Not all droughts are accompanied by extreme heat waves.)
Flooding events (river basin or urban flooding from excessive rainfall) are separate from inland flood damage caused by tropical cyclone events.
Citing this information:
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (2025). https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/billions/, DOI: 10.25921/stkw-7w73