Maryland sees a moderate amount of severe weather each year, with 426 confirmed tornadoes, 1,528 hailstorm events and 7,836 damaging-wind events recorded by the National Weather Service since 1950., and averages 5.7 tornadoes per year over the 75-year record. The interactive map below plots every significant severe-weather event in Maryland from the official NOAA Storm Events Database (1950 through September 2025).

Use the map to find your county, click any marker for the date, magnitude, and casualty details of that event, and switch between tornadoes, hail and wind using the chips. For the national view across all 50 states, see our NOAA Storm Reports interactive map. For tornado tracks specifically, see the US Tornado Tracks map; for hail size and frequency, the US Hailstorms map.

Maryland Severe Weather by the Numbers (1950–2025)

• 426 tornadoes recorded between 1950 and 2025
• 47 violent tornadoes rated F2/EF2 or stronger
• 9 direct tornado deaths and 325 direct injuries
• 1,528 hailstorm events recorded by the NWS
• 7,836 damaging-wind events on record
• 5.7 tornadoes per year on average across the 75-year record
• June is the peak severe-weather month, accounting for roughly 20.4% of Maryland tornadoes
• 223 total direct deaths from all severe-weather event types tracked by the NWS

When Maryland Severe Weather Happens

Maryland tornado activity peaks in spring, with March through June accounting for about 49% of all events. The single busiest month is June, which alone produces around 20.4% of recorded tornadoes.

• June: 87 tornadoes (20.4%) — peak month
• July: 70 tornadoes (16.4%)
• May: 65 tornadoes (15.3%)
• April: 47 tornadoes (11%)
• August: 47 tornadoes (11%)
• September: 41 tornadoes (9.6%)

Top 10 Maryland Counties by Tornado Frequency

Tornado activity in Maryland is geographically broad, but a handful of counties have logged many times the state average. The combination of population density (more spotters and damage reports), county land area and local climatology drives the rankings below.

The Deadliest Tornadoes in Maryland History

Maryland has lost 9 lives to tornadoes since the National Weather Service began systematic tornado record-keeping in 1950.

Maryland Tornado Strength Distribution

Most Maryland tornadoes are weak: roughly 89% are rated F0/EF0 or F1/EF1. Violent tornadoes (F2+/EF2+) account for around 11.1% of rated tornadoes in the state.

• F0/EF0 (weak): 191 tornadoes — 45.2% of rated events
• F1/EF1: 185 tornadoes — 43.7% of rated events
• F2/EF2 (strong): 37 tornadoes — 8.7% of rated events
• F3/EF3: 8 tornadoes — 1.9% of rated events
• F4/EF4 (violent): 2 tornadoes — 0.5% of rated events

Record-Setting Severe Weather in Maryland

Largest hailstone: 4.50 inches in diameter, observed in Baltimore City (C) County on June 18, 1970. The three largest hailstones on record in Maryland measured 4.50″, 4.50″, 4.00″.

Highest measured wind gust: 78 knots (90 mph) recorded in Calvert County near North Beach on May 31, 2008. Most damaging-wind events in Maryland are estimated rather than measured because anemometers are sparse across the rural areas where supercells most often produce destructive thunderstorm winds.

How Maryland Compares Nationally

Maryland ranks among the lowest in the country for tornado frequency, with severe-weather activity well below the central-US average.

• Tornadoes (top 5): Texas (9,908), Kansas (4,890), Oklahoma (4,856), Florida (3,779), Iowa (3,417).
• Maryland tornado total: 426 — ranked 33rd nationally.
• Maryland hail total: 1,528 hail events on record since 1950.
• Maryland wind total: 7,836 damaging-wind events on record since 1950.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes does Maryland have on average per year?

Maryland averages 5.7 tornadoes per year over the 1950–2025 period. Counts vary widely year to year, but the long-term mean over 75 years of NWS records is a reliable benchmark for typical activity.

What was the deadliest tornado in Maryland history?

The September 24, 2001 tornado, rated F3 on the Fujita scale, killed 2 people and injured 55 in Prince George’s County. It remains the single deadliest tornado in the Maryland modern record.

Where in Maryland are tornadoes most common?

The single county with the most tornadoes on record is Frederick County with 38 events. The three most active counties overall are Frederick, St. Mary’s, Baltimore.

How does Maryland compare to its neighbors?

Maryland shares a severe-weather climate with Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia. Severe storms regularly cross state lines, so the same supercells, hail cores and wind events often appear in Maryland’s neighbors’ records on the same date.

How recent is the data on this map?

The map and statistics on this page are pulled from NOAA’s official Storm Events Database, which currently runs from January 1950 through September 2025. New records typically appear in the database within 30–90 days of the event date, once damage surveys and ratings are complete.

Compare Maryland to Neighboring States

Severe weather doesn’t stop at state lines. The same supercell systems that produce Maryland tornadoes regularly cross into neighboring states. Compare Maryland’s storm history to its land neighbors:

• Pennsylvania severe storm history — ranked 26th nationally, Great Lakes severe-weather and lake-effect winters
• Delaware severe storm history — ranked 46th nationally
• Virginia severe storm history — ranked 27th nationally
• West Virginia severe storm history — ranked 38th nationally

Explore the national NOAA Storm Reports map · US Tornado Tracks map · US Hailstorms map