Essex County, Vermont
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 50009 · population 5,893 · 662 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 501 records for Essex County, Vermont from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 466 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (288 records). 366 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 February 9, 2008 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Essex, which covers the county: 1 death and $6,853 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 30 declarations naming the county since 1973, 28 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on September 26, 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
- 501on 466 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 23 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $10Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest F1
- 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 Essex County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 288 since 1996. 45% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The rank column places the county among Vermont'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 288 | 288 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 0 | $3.1M | 7 of 13 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 89 | 67 | 1967-2024 | 0 | 0 | $757K | 13 of 13 |
| High wind and dust storms | 39 | 39 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $884K | 11 of 13 |
| Extreme cold | 30 | 30 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $113K | 7 of 13 |
| Floods | 28 | 25 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 3 | $4.7M | 13 of 13 |
| Hail | 13 | 13 | 1985-2022 | 0 | 0 | $10K | 12 of 13 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 5 | 2002-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 13 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2006-2025 | 0 | 0 | $643K | 12 of 13 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 1982-2011 | 0 | 0 | $96K | 8 of 13 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 0 | $14K | 13 of 13 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 1996-1996 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 13 |
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 Essex County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Essex County from 1982 to 2011, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 0 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 4 tornadoes whose track touched Essex County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 3: 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.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Vermont.
Every tornado record filed for Essex County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-07-26 | Canaan Bunnell Airport, Essex County | EF0 0.48 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 1988-08-28 | Essex County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1982-05-19 | Essex County | F1 0.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Essex County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 17, 2026 strong wind ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-17 | Strong WindEssex County · forecast zone Essex | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-02-20 | Winter WeatherEssex County · forecast zone Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-10 | Winter WeatherEssex County · forecast zone Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillEssex County · forecast zone Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-29 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillEssex County · forecast zone Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormEssex County · forecast zone Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillEssex County · forecast zone Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-06 | Winter WeatherEssex County · forecast zone Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-29 | Winter WeatherEssex County · forecast zone Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-19 | High WindEssex County · forecast zone Essex | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-12-10 | Winter WeatherEssex County · forecast zone Essex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-07 | Winter WeatherEssex County · forecast zone Essex | 0 | 0 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-02-09 | Winter WeatherEssex County · forecast zone Essex A storm system moved across New England on the night of February 9th which delivered 2 to 5 inches of snow to portions of Vermont, especially central and eastern Vermont. In addition, a favorable southwest flow of arctic air across Lake Ontario ahead and along an approaching cold front accounted for numerous snow ... | 1 | 0 | $7K | |
| 2001-02-05 | Winter StormEssex County · forecast zone Essex A storm system developed off the coast of Virginia early Monday, February 5, 2001 and moved northeast . It moved across extreme southeast coastal New England late Monday night and into the Gulf of Maine early Tuesday, February 6th. Steady snow spread across the area by the afternoon of Monday, February 5th and ... | 1 | 0 | $125K | |
| 1998-03-31 | Flash FloodCountywide, Essex County Unseasonably warm weather resulted in dramatic snowmelt with rapid rises on rivers the last few days of March. In addition, showers and thunderstorms with heavy downpours moved across the area on the 30th enhancing runoff into streams and rivers. During the early morning hours of the 31st, flooding occurred between ... | 0 | 3 | $181K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-05-26 | Flash FloodConcord, Essex County | 0 | 0 | $984K | |
| 2011-08-28 | FloodCanaan, Essex County | 0 | 0 | $656K | |
| 2012-03-17 | HeatEssex County · forecast zone Essex | 0 | 0 | $643K | |
| 2004-07-12 | Flash FloodCanaan, Essex County | 0 | 0 | $469K | |
| 2011-04-27 | Flash FloodNorton, Essex County | 0 | 0 | $328K | |
| 1998-03-31 | Flash FloodCountywide, Essex County | 0 | 3 | $181K | |
| 2001-02-05 | Winter StormEssex County · forecast zone Essex | 1 | 0 | $125K | |
| 2000-05-09 | Thunderstorm WindCanaan, Essex County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $17K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 19, 1982 (tornado, Essex 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 Essex 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 47 | 132 | 58 | 51 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 25 | 19 | 29 | 9 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 11 | 13 | 11 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 3 | 15 | 3 | 9 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
45% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 91 · Feb 73 · Mar 56 · Apr 29 · May 27 · Jun 25 · Jul 44 · Aug 27 · Sep 13 · Oct 15 · Nov 28 · Dec 73 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Essex County
FEMA's register lists 30 declarations that include Essex County: 25 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (15) and flood (8).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-26 | DR-4826 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2024-08-20 | DR-4810 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2024-08-08 | EM-3609 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Depression Debby |
| 2024-04-19 | DR-4770 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024-03-02 | DR-4762 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2023-07-14 | DR-4720 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2023-07-10 | EM-3595 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2023-03-20 | DR-4695 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2021-08-22 | EM-3567 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Henri |
| 2020-04-08 | DR-4532 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3437 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2020-01-17 | DR-4474 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2019-06-14 | DR-4445 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2018-01-02 | DR-4356 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2015-02-03 | DR-4207 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2014-06-11 | DR-4178 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2014-01-29 | DR-4163 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2013-06-13 | DR-4120 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2011-09-01 | DR-4022 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Irene |
| 2011-08-29 | EM-3338 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-07-08 | DR-4001 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2011-06-15 | DR-1995 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2008-09-12 | DR-1790 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2007-05-04 | DR-1698 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2002-07-12 | DR-1428 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1999-11-10 | DR-1307 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Floyd |
| 1998-06-30 | DR-1228 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1995-08-16 | DR-1063 | Severe Storm | Excessive Rainfall, Flooding |
| 1989-09-11 | DR-840 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-07-06 | DR-397 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, & Landslides |
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 Essex County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 28 flood or flash flood records for Essex County from 1996 to 2025, on 25 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Essex County ranks 2262nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-28 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $350,000 on 13 claims filed in Essex County; the most in one year was 6 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1981: 3 · 1987: 1 · 1996: 1 · 1998: 2 · 2011: 6; 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 Essex County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Essex County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $66K | 21 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $383K | 5.2 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $3K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $172K | once in about 23 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $458 | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $44K | once in about 845 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $21K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $2.3M | about once 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 Essex 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 VermontEvery Vermont tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in VermontThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Vermont recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Essex CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Essex County's FEMA declarations (CSV)30 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis