Maryland, 1996

Heavy Rain in Maryland, December 31, 1996

December 31, 1996 · NWS PHI · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

The year 1996 was one of the wettest years on record for the Maryland Eastern Shore. 6 inches in Talbot County to 62 inches in Queen Anne's County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS PHI wrote it up.

The year 1996 was one of the wettest years on record for the Maryland Eastern Shore. Precipitation amounts averaged from 57.6 inches in Talbot County to 62 inches in Queen Anne's County. On a county average basis this was about 14 to 19 inches above normal.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Cecil

When
December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Cecil forecast zone
Coordinates
39.562, -75.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Kent

When
December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Kent forecast zone
Coordinates
39.236, -76.096 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Queen Annes

When
December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Queen Annes forecast zone
Coordinates
39.038, -76.085 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Talbot

When
December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Talbot forecast zone
Coordinates
38.749, -76.179 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Caroline

When
December 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Caroline forecast zone
Coordinates
38.872, -75.832 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Maryland in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Maryland, December 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5577636, 5577637, 5577638, 5577639, 5577640.