Cecil County, MD Environment & Hazard Risk

• DroughtRelatively High$2.36M/yr expected annual loss, about 7.1 events a year
• Winter weatherRelatively High$375K/yr expected annual loss, about 11 events a year
• Strong windRelatively High$1.86M/yr expected annual loss, about 7.3 events a year
• HurricaneRelatively Low$1.76M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 14 years
• Heat waveRelatively Low$1.59M/yr expected annual loss, about 5.5 events a year
• EarthquakeRelatively Low$953K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 641 years
• Ice stormRelatively Moderate$209K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.2 events a year
• LightningRelatively Moderate$396K/yr expected annual loss, about 35 events a year
• LandslideVery Low$2,692/yr expected annual loss, about once every 7 years
• Coastal floodingRelatively Low$391K/yr expected annual loss, about 3.7 events a year
• Cold waveRelatively Low$1.21M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
• TornadoRelatively Low$1.35M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 4 years
• HailVery Low$150K/yr expected annual loss, about 2.8 events a year
• WildfireVery Low$12.47K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 5,439 years

Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: avalanche, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.

Check the flood zone for an address

Homes with flood insurance

533 of 38,662 (1.4%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

928

Insured in high-risk zones

378 (41%)

Flood claims since 1978

703

Claims paid since 1978

$14.34M

• Thunderstorm Wind302 · 2 deaths
• Winter Weather114
• Strong Wind88
• Heat60 · 1 death
• Flash Flood56
• Drought52
• Heavy Rain46
• Flood43
• Hail33
• Heavy Snow31

• Thunderstorm Wind61 kt wind09/18/2004

  Charlestown, Cecil County

  2 deaths

  What happened

  Severe thunderstorms caused wind damage in Charlestown and Colora. Two people were killed in Colora after a large tree fell onto the house they were sleeping in. About six large trees were uprooted in Colora. Two other homes were damaged by fallen trees. Several large tree limbs were also torn away. One shed was destroyed by the wind. Wind speeds were estimated at 70 mph. In Charlestown, several large trees were knocked down. The elementary school suffered minor structural damage.

• Heat07/04/1999

  Cecil

  10 injured

  What happened

  A very strong and oppressive high pressure system that extended from the surface to aloft gave the Maryland Eastern Shore a brutal heat wave that included the entire Independence Day weekend. High temperatures reached the 90s for the first time of the 3rd, but sweltering humidity and record breaking maximum temperatures of around 100 degrees occurred from Independence Day through the 6th. The combination of the temperature and humidity produced heat indices of around 110 degrees during the afternoon of each day. A cold front moved through the region early in the morning on the 7th. While high temperatures continued to reach the 90s from the 7th through the 10th, humidity levels were lower. A stronger cold front moved through the region during the afternoon of the 10th brought an even cooler and drier air mass. This ended the run of 90 degree highs.About 10 people were reported to suffer heat exhaustion during this heat spell. Most were not avoiding strenuous activities. The heat killed tens of thousands of chickens throughout the Delmarva Peninsula. One company alone lost around 33,000 chickens. The record heat led to record demand for power. Conectiv Energy reported a...

• Excessive Heat06/23/2010

  Cecil

  1 death

  What happened

  Unseasonably hot and humid weather enveloped the Maryland Eastern Shore on the 23rd and 24th. It culminated on the 24th with maximum temperatures of 95 to 100 degrees and afternoon heat indices of around 105F. For many places this was already hotter than the hottest day in all of 2009. The excessive heat claimed the life of an elderly person in Cecil County. The person collapsed outdoors. Maximum temperatures included 100 degrees at the Baltimore-Washington International Airport, 98 degrees in Salisbury (Wicomico County), 96 degrees in Stevensville (Queen Anne's County) and 95 degrees in Easton (Talbot County). The hot and humid weather ended abruptly with the passage of strong to severe thunderstorms during the late afternoon on the 24th.

• Heat08/06/2001

  Cecil

  1 death

  What happened

  A ridge of high pressure both surface and aloft that was broiling the central part of the country moved east and covered the Delmarva Peninsula during the work week of August 6th. This brought the most oppressive hot spell since July of 1999 to the region and peaked on the 9th. A 65-year-old man in Elkton succumbed to the heat on the 9th. He was found dead inside his mobile home and the temperature in the trailer was around 100 degrees. In Port Deposit, transportation was provided to senior citizens to transport them to air conditioned facilities. The hot weather put a strain on electrical usage. About 2,200 Elkton residents lost power for two hours on the 7th. The PJM Interconnection (An independent organization that coordinates electric delivery for 22 million people in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey) set a usage record of 54,176 megawatts on the 9th. It was also forced to reduce voltage by 5 percent that day between 310 p.m. and 615 p.m. EDT to protect power reserves.Highest temperatures included 101 degrees in downtown Baltimore, 98 degrees at the Baltimore-Washington International Airport, 95 degrees in Salisbury and 94 degrees in Ocean City. A cold front...

• Flash Flood09/16/1999

  Countywide, Cecil County

  2 injured, $3M damage

  What happened

  Hurricane Floyd battered the Maryland Eastern Shore on September 16th and brought with it torrential rains and damaging winds. The hurricane caused widespread flash flooding as storm totals averaged around ten inches, most of which fell in a twelve hour period from the early morning through the afternoon on the 16th. The highest verifiable storm total was 14.00 inches in Chestertown (Kent County). Based on Doppler Radar storm totals estimate similar amounts also fell across northern Queen Anne's County. Flooding along tidal sections of inland creeks and rivers were exacerbated during times of high tide. The torrential downpours associated with Hurricane Floyd exceeded the 100-year-flood return period for most of the Eastern Shore. Hundreds of roads and bridges were closed. At one point there were 225 roads closed throughout the state. About 450 people were evacuated from low lying areas, 300 in Cecil County. Five people were seriously injured. Dozens more were rescued from trapped vehicles. A 32-year-old man died on September 19th near Centreville (Queen Anne's County) when he was ejected from his motorcycle while attempting to jump over a washed out bridge. While...

• Heat07/23/1999

  Cecil

  4 injured

  What happened

  A protracted run of days with consecutive high temperatures of 90 degrees or higher started along the Eastern Shore on July 23rd. It lasted as long as 16 days in some areas through August 7th. Dispersed within this run were two periods of both excessive heat and humidity: from July 23rd through July 25th and again from July 29th through August 1st. A cold front moved through the area on the 25th and brought in drier air. High temperatures still reached into the 90s from the 26th through the 28th. The humidity and higher temperatures returned on the 29th. A strong cold front moved through the region the afternoon and evening of August 1st. This brought in considerably drier air, the driest air since mid-July. Because of the extremely dry ground conditions, high temperatures kept on reaching around 90 degrees through the 7th. Then a stronger cold front brought in an even cooler air mass from Canada into the northeastern United States. Delmarva hospitals reported a few cases of heat related injuries. Cecil County Department of Aging distributed fans to the needy. The continued excessive heat and lack of rain parched non-irrigated farms across the Eastern Shore. During...

• Thunderstorm Wind52 kt wind07/29/2026

  Leslie, Cecil County

  $10K damage

• Thunderstorm Wind52 kt wind07/21/2026

  Cowentown, Cecil County

  $1,000 damage

• Hail0.75" hail07/06/2026

  Aikin, Cecil County

• Thunderstorm Wind52 kt wind07/05/2026

  Port Deposit, Cecil County

• Excessive Heat07/04/2026

  Cecil

• Excessive Heat07/03/2026

  Cecil

• Excessive Heat07/02/2026

  Cecil

• Excessive Heat07/01/2026

  Cecil

• Hurricane Ida (2021)08/26/2021 · Landfall: LA · 929 mbTropical storm40 mph nearby
• Hurricane Isaias (2020)07/28/2020 · Landfall: NC · 986 mbTropical storm69 mph nearby
• Tropical Storm Danielle (1992)09/22/1992 · Landfall: VA · 1,001 mbTropical storm46 mph nearby
• Unnamed storm (1945)09/12/1945 · Landfall: FL, SC · 949 mbTropical storm40 mph nearby
• Unnamed storm (1934)06/04/1934 · Landfall: LA · 966 mbTropical storm46 mph nearby
• Unnamed storm (1899)10/26/1899 · Landfall: SCTropical storm58 mph nearby

• Town of ElktonServes 15,625 · Surface water · Local government2 health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
• Town of North EastServes 8,600 · Surface water · Local government10 health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Town of PerryvilleServes 4,413 · Surface water · Local government5 health violations+52 monitoring or reporting
• Town of CharlestownServes 3,791 · Groundwater · Local government1 health violation+2 monitoring or reporting
• Elkton WestServes 3,500 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
• Town of Rising SunServes 2,200 · Purchased surface water · Local government1 health violation+2 monitoring or reporting
• Mountain Hill Water CompanyServes 2,154 · Purchased surface water · PrivateNo health violations
• Perry Point V.A. Medical CenterServes 2,000 · Surface water · FederalNo health violations