Bristol County, Massachusetts
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 25005 · population 578,698 · 553 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,151 records for Bristol County, Massachusetts from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 576 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (386 records). 623 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the January 26, 2015 heavy snow, filed for the forecast zone Southern Bristol, which covers the county: 1 death. FEMA has issued 30 declarations naming the county since 1972, 26 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Flooding” on May 15, 2024.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 1,151on 576 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 316 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $107Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 30latest 2024
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Bristol County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 386 since 1996. The rank column places the county among Massachusetts's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 386 | 221 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 3 | $7.3M | 5 of 12 |
| Floods | 194 | 113 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 2 | $55M | 4 of 12 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 194 | 98 | 1966-2025 | 1 | 0 | $950K | 8 of 12 |
| Winter storms | 175 | 107 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 1 | $7.5M | 9 of 12 |
| Hail | 80 | 41 | 1974-2024 | 0 | 0 | $9K | 11 of 12 |
| Lightning | 40 | 32 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 4 | $529K | 7 of 12 |
| Heavy rain | 33 | 29 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $25K | 5 of 12 |
| Drought | 14 | 9 | 2012-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 12 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 11 | 1953-2024 | 0 | 5 | $28M | 7 of 12 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 12 | 6 | 2008-2021 | 0 | 1 | $7.2M | 6 of 12 |
| Heat | 5 | 2 | 2010-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 12 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 1 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 12 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1997-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 12 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 1 | 0 | – | 3 of 12 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Bristol County had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in Bristol County from 1953 to 2024, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 5 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 14 tornadoes whose track touched Bristol County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-06-09 15:30, as SPC files it | Franklin | F3 | 28 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Massachusetts.
Every tornado record filed for Bristol County (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-26 | Adamsdale, Bristol County | EF1 4.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $28K |
| 2024-06-26 | Seekonk, Bristol County | EF1 0.55 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2023-09-13 | North Attleboro, Bristol County | EF0 0.07 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2023-08-18 | Adamsdale, Bristol County | EF1 7.6 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 2018-10-23 | Norton, Bristol County | EF1 0.8 mi x 170 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2008-07-23 | South Swansea, Bristol County | EF0 1.31 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $21K |
| 1997-08-06 | Westport, Bristol County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1972-09-14 | Bristol County | F0 4.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1970-08-28 | Bristol County | F2 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1970-08-02 | Bristol County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-08-09 | Bristol County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1968-08-09 | Bristol County | F1 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 4 | $25K step |
| 1953-06-09 | Bristol County | F3 | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Bristol County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 19, 2025 high wind ($1,500 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodFairhaven, Bristol County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodNorth Bristol, Bristol County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodFall River, Bristol County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodNorth Westport, Bristol County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | Winter StormBristol County · forecast zone Northern Bristol | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | BlizzardBristol County · forecast zone Southern Bristol | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Heavy SnowBristol County · forecast zone Southern Bristol | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Heavy SnowBristol County · forecast zone Northern Bristol | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-19 | High WindBristol County · forecast zone Southern Bristol | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-09-25 | Flash FloodNorth Westport, Bristol County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-25 | Thunderstorm WindWades Corner, Bristol County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $800 |
| 2025-07-25 | Thunderstorm WindRaynham Center, Bristol County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-01-26 | Heavy SnowBristol County · forecast zone Southern Bristol Near blizzard conditions occurred at New Bedford Regional Airport. Sixteen to twenty-six inches of snow fell across southern Bristol County. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-07-12 | Rip CurrentBristol County · forecast zone Southern Bristol A 42 year old man drowned after encountering a rip current at Anthony's beach in Dartmouth. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1996-05-21 | Thunderstorm WindNew Bedford, Bristol County | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1968-08-09 | TornadoBristol County | F1 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 4 | $25K step |
| 2010-03-29 | FloodNorth Attleboro, Bristol County Four to eight inches of rain fell across Bristol County resulting in several small streams rising above flood stage, including the Mill River in Taunton, the Canoe River at Norton, the Wading River at Norton, and the Segregansett River at Dighton, all of which set records. Basements flooded in Taunton, North ... | 0 | 2 | $32M | |
| 1999-10-18 | Strong WindBristol County · forecast zone Southern Bristol The remnants of Hurricane Irene combined with an approaching cold front to bring heavy rain and strong winds to the south coast, Cape Cod, and the Islands. Rainfall averaged 2 to 4 inches over most of these areas, but as much as 5.37 inches fell on Nantucket, where a wind gust to 60 mph was also reported. Gusts ... | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2020-11-15 | High WindBristol County · forecast zone Southern Bristol At 754 PM EST, a wind gust to 59 mph was recorded at West Island in Fairhaven. At 8 PM EST in Acushnet, a tree limb fell onto a person on Fairway Drive. The injured person was taken to Rhode Island Hospital. | 51 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $342 |
| 2020-08-04 | Tropical StormBristol County · forecast zone Northern Bristol Numerous trees were downed. In Rehoboth at 418 PM EDT, a tree fell onto a person on Reservoir Avenue. That person was injured but was conscious and alert at the scene. In Attleboro at 5 PM EDT, several large oak trees were snapped 25 feet above the ground. In North Attleboro, a tree was snapped in half. In Mansfield, ... | 0 | 1 | $8K |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-03-29 | FloodNorth Attleboro, Bristol County | 0 | 2 | $32M | |
| 2010-03-14 | FloodAttleboro, Bristol County | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 2011-08-28 | Tropical StormBristol County · forecast zone Northern Bristol | 0 | 0 | $3.7M | |
| 2011-08-28 | Tropical StormBristol County · forecast zone Southern Bristol | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | |
| 1996-01-07 | Heavy SnowBristol County · forecast zone Northern Bristol | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 1996-01-07 | Heavy SnowBristol County · forecast zone Southern Bristol | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | |
| 2012-09-05 | Flash FloodNorth Westport, Bristol County | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2021-10-26 | High WindBristol County · forecast zone Southern Bristol | 75 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 9, 1953 (tornado, Bristol County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Bristol County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 101 | 64 | 153 | 68 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 11 | 35 | 90 | 58 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 18 | 35 | 72 | 56 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 35 | 48 | 80 | 12 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 24 | 26 | 15 |
| Lightning | – | – | – | – | 4 | 11 | 18 | 7 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Bristol County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 111 · Feb 101 · Mar 110 · Apr 62 · May 34 · Jun 108 · Jul 172 · Aug 122 · Sep 66 · Oct 105 · Nov 64 · Dec 96 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Bristol County
FEMA's register lists 30 declarations that include Bristol County: 17 major disasters, 13 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (9) and severe storm (8).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-15 | DR-4780 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2023-09-15 | EM-3599 | Hurricane | Hurricane Lee |
| 2022-04-18 | DR-4651 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2020-03-27 | DR-4496 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3438 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-06-25 | DR-4372 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2015-04-13 | DR-4214 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding |
| 2013-04-19 | DR-4110 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding |
| 2013-04-17 | EM-3362 | Terrorist | Explosions |
| 2012-12-19 | DR-4097 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3350 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-09-03 | DR-4028 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Irene |
| 2011-08-26 | EM-3330 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-09-02 | EM-3315 | Hurricane | Hurricane Earl |
| 2010-03-29 | DR-1895 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2008-12-13 | EM-3296 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-11-10 | DR-1614 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-10-19 | EM-3264 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3252 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-02-17 | EM-3201 | Snowstorm | Record and/Or Near Record Snow |
| 2004-01-15 | EM-3191 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2003-03-11 | EM-3175 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2001-04-10 | DR-1364 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1998-06-23 | DR-1224 | Flood | Heavy Rains and Flooding |
| 1996-01-24 | DR-1090 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3103 | Snowstorm | Blizzards, High Winds & Record Snowfall |
| 1991-08-26 | DR-914 | Hurricane | Hurricane Bob |
| 1985-10-28 | DR-751 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gloria |
| 1978-02-10 | DR-546 | Flood | Coastal Storms, Flood, Ice & Snow |
| 1972-09-28 | DR-357 | Fishing Losses | Toxic Algae in Coastal Waters |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Bristol County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 194 flood or flash flood records for Bristol County from 1996 to 2026, on 113 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Bristol County ranks 237th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-29 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-28 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $13.7 million on 1,558 claims filed in Bristol County; the most in one year was 491 in 1991. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 136 · 1979: 11 · 1980: 6 · 1981: 6 · 1982: 9 · 1983: 21 · 1984: 16 · 1985: 52 · 1986: 5 · 1987: 51 · 1988: 3 · 1989: 2 · 1990: 6 · 1991: 491 · 1992: 42 · 1993: 6 · 1994: 1 · 1996: 10 · 1997: 33 · 1998: 68 · 1999: 3 · 2000: 7 · 2001: 34 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 3 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 62 · 2006: 21 · 2007: 11 · 2008: 8 · 2009: 7 · 2010: 213 · 2011: 17 · 2012: 61 · 2013: 5 · 2014: 5 · 2015: 3 · 2016: 3 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 13 · 2019: 8 · 2020: 5 · 2021: 15 · 2022: 13 · 2023: 49 · 2024: 10 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 2; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Bristol County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Bristol County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $87.3 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $62M | 3.3 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.8M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $558K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $10M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.6M | 5.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $650K | 20 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.0M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $922K | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Bristol County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in MassachusettsEvery Massachusetts tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- High wind and dust storms in MassachusettsThe state's high wind and dust records, by county, year and month
- The Massachusetts recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Bristol CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Bristol County's FEMA declarations (CSV)30 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis