Grafton County, New Hampshire
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 33009 · population 91,072 · 1,709 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,373 records for Grafton County, New Hampshire from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 608 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (408 records). The deadliest single record is the June 27, 1998 flash flood: 1 death, 1 injury and $2.7 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 40 declarations naming the county since 1973, 38 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storm and Flooding” on August 20, 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
- 1,373on 608 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 711 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $69Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 14strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 40latest 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 Grafton County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 408 since 1961. 55% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1961 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among New Hampshire'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 408 | 160 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 4 | $24K | 9 of 10 |
| Winter storms | 354 | 205 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 0 | $3.1M | 10 of 10 |
| Floods | 267 | 127 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 2 | $59M | 4 of 10 |
| Hail | 132 | 74 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | $7K | 9 of 10 |
| High wind and dust storms | 90 | 50 | 1996-2022 | 1 | 0 | $580K | 9 of 10 |
| Extreme cold | 46 | 23 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 10 |
| Drought | 37 | 19 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 9 of 10 |
| Tornadoes | 14 | 12 | 1963-2024 | 0 | 0 | $3.2M | 9 of 10 |
| Lightning | 10 | 9 | 1997-2005 | 0 | 5 | $1.4M | 9 of 10 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 5 | 2 | 2011-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 10 |
| Heat | 4 | 2 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 10 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 2 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | $12K | 10 of 10 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 2 | 2 | 1996-2012 | 1 | 0 | – | 2 of 10 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2017-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 10 |
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 Grafton County had?
NOAA records 14 tornadoes in Grafton County from 1963 to 2024, the strongest rated F2, 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 13 tornadoes whose track touched Grafton County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 14: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969-08-25 15:00, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 5.7 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New Hampshire.
Every tornado record filed for Grafton County (14)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-16 | Hanover Center, Grafton County | EF1 1.8 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $75K |
| 2018-06-18 | Bath, Grafton County | EF0 9.45 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-06-18 | Lincoln, Grafton County | EF0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-07-17 | Bridgewater, Grafton County | EF0 0.46 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-08-21 | Grafton Center, Grafton County | EF1 2.69 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-08-13 | Enfield Center, Grafton County | F1 1 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1973-06-11 | Grafton County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1973-05-11 | Grafton County | F2 0.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1972-07-21 | Grafton County | F1 7 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-07-21 | Grafton County | F1 0.5 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1969-08-25 | Grafton County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1966-08-11 | Grafton County | F2 9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1964-06-27 | Grafton County | F0 0.5 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1963-07-14 | Grafton County | F1 0.1 mi x 83 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Grafton County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 20, 2026 winter weather (1 death).
A cold front swung through the region late on April 19th, causing temperatures to rapidly drop through the day on Sunday. Rain quickly changed to snow above 4,000 ft elevation, and strong winds caused wind chills to drop below freezing by the afternoon on the 19th. A man was caught unprepared for the conditions on Mount Washington and become hypothermic. The man was found deceased many days later when reported missing.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1319676)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindBath, Grafton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindRumney Depot, Grafton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindCanaan Street, Grafton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindRumney Depot, Grafton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindWest Rumney, Grafton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindLivermore Falls, Grafton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindOrford, Grafton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-15 | FloodLivermore Falls, Grafton County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtGrafton County · forecast zone Southern Grafton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtGrafton County · forecast zone Northern Grafton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-20 | Winter WeatherGrafton County · forecast zone Northern Grafton | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-16 | HailNorth Haverhill, Grafton County | 1.50 in hail | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-06-27 | Flash FloodPiermont, Grafton County From 3 to possibly as much as 6 inches of rain fell in 12 hours causing the Baker River and its tributaries to rise very rapidly. Bridges were destroyed, vehicles were washed away, and some towns were completely isolated as all roads in and out of the towns were flooded. Roads and bridges in much of the area were ... | 1 | 1 | $2.7M | |
| 2026-04-20 | Winter WeatherGrafton County · forecast zone Northern Grafton A cold front swung through the region late on April 19th, causing temperatures to rapidly drop through the day on Sunday. Rain quickly changed to snow above 4,000 ft elevation, and strong winds caused wind chills to drop below freezing by the afternoon on the 19th. A man was caught unprepared for the conditions on ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-01-07 | Winter StormGrafton County · forecast zone Northern Grafton Light to moderate snow began late in the evening on the 6th. A mesoscale snowband lifted north but never quite made it into the White Mountains. The result was only occasionally heavy snowfall. Snow ended quickly once surface winds veered to northwesterly. Snowfall totals ranged from 7 to 11 inches. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-11-20 | Winter WeatherGrafton County · forecast zone Northern Grafton A hiker planned to summit Mount Lafayette in the White Mountains on November 19-20th. The hiker didn't return to the trailhead as planned on Sunday and because of the harsh winter conditions a search party was immediately initiated that evening. Because of the harsh winter conditions bringing low visibility, blowing ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-10-30 | Debris FlowLincoln, Grafton County A man was standing 5 feet from the edge of a 10-15 ft high embankment at a building site located on the steep slope of a mountain. Heavy rains from Sandy caused the embankment to collapsed causing a mudslide. The victim was caught in the mudslide and was washed into a ravine along with mud and boulders. Cause of death ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2000-01-21 | Strong WindGrafton County · forecast zone Southern Grafton Strong, gusty, northwest winds developed over northern New England as a storm intensified rapidly in the Gulf of Maine. Although the strong winds persisted for an extended period of time, no damages were reported. However, the winds were a factor in a fatal, single-vehicle accident near Hebron in Grafton County. ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1996-07-13 | Flash FloodBristol, Grafton County Three to four inches of rain from the remnants of Hurricane Bertha on small rivers and streams. A 10 year old boy playing in the rain-swollen Newfound River was swept to his death. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1984-05-23 | Thunderstorm WindGrafton County | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-07-02 | Flash FloodLebanon, Grafton County | 0 | 0 | $8.2M | |
| 2017-07-01 | Flash FloodHanover Center, Grafton County | 0 | 0 | $7.2M | |
| 2017-07-01 | Flash FloodOrford, Grafton County | 0 | 0 | $4.8M | |
| 2011-08-28 | Flash FloodLincoln, Grafton County | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | |
| 2011-08-28 | FloodLebanon Regional Ar, Grafton County | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | |
| 2019-07-11 | Flash FloodNorth Dorchester, Grafton County | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | |
| 1998-06-27 | Flash FloodPiermont, Grafton County | 1 | 1 | $2.7M | |
| 1998-01-07 | Ice StormGrafton County · forecast zone Northern Grafton | 0 | 0 | $2.4M |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: August 11, 1966 (tornado, Grafton 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 Grafton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 33 | 91 | 178 | 72 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 63 | 161 | 80 | 50 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 25 | 63 | 122 | 57 |
| Hail | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 51 | 39 | 27 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 31 | 49 | 9 | 1 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 14 | 27 | 0 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
55% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1961 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 150 · Feb 103 · Mar 88 · Apr 75 · May 106 · Jun 149 · Jul 241 · Aug 157 · Sep 56 · Oct 79 · Nov 49 · Dec 120 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Grafton County
FEMA's register lists 40 declarations that include Grafton County: 29 major disasters, 11 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (17) and flood (8).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-20 | DR-4812 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2024-07-10 | DR-4799 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2024-04-19 | DR-4771 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2024-02-27 | DR-4761 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2023-09-14 | DR-4740 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2023-03-15 | DR-4693 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2020-04-03 | DR-4516 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3445 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-08-15 | DR-4457 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2018-01-02 | DR-4355 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2017-08-09 | DR-4329 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2013-08-02 | DR-4139 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2012-11-28 | DR-4095 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-30 | EM-3360 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-11-01 | EM-3344 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm |
| 2011-09-03 | DR-4026 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Irene |
| 2011-08-27 | EM-3333 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-07-22 | DR-4006 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2010-03-29 | DR-1892 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2009-01-02 | DR-1812 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-12-13 | EM-3297 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-09-05 | DR-1787 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2007-04-27 | DR-1695 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2006-05-25 | DR-1643 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-10-26 | DR-1610 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-19 | EM-3258 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-03-30 | EM-3207 | Snowstorm | Record and/Or Near Record Snow |
| 2005-03-30 | EM-3208 | Snowstorm | Record Snow |
| 2004-01-15 | EM-3193 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2001-03-28 | EM-3166 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1999-10-18 | DR-1305 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Floyd |
| 1998-07-02 | DR-1231 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1998-01-15 | DR-1199 | Severe Storm | Severe Ice Storm, Rains and High Winds |
| 1996-10-29 | DR-1144 | Flood | Fall Northeaster Rainstorm |
| 1996-01-03 | DR-1077 | Flood | Excessive Rainfall, High Winds, and Flooding |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3101 | Snowstorm | Blizzards, High Winds & Record Snowfall |
| 1990-08-29 | DR-876 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1987-04-16 | DR-789 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-01-21 | DR-411 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1973-07-11 | DR-399 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
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 Grafton County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 267 flood or flash flood records for Grafton County from 1996 to 2026, on 127 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Grafton County ranks 655th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Irene | 2011-08-28 | 8 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $4.7 million on 363 claims filed in Grafton County; the most in one year was 99 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 10 · 1979: 5 · 1980: 2 · 1981: 25 · 1982: 2 · 1984: 13 · 1986: 13 · 1987: 35 · 1988: 4 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 3 · 1992: 6 · 1994: 2 · 1995: 7 · 1996: 8 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 6 · 1999: 3 · 2000: 11 · 2001: 5 · 2003: 3 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 8 · 2006: 12 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 4 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 99 · 2013: 7 · 2014: 5 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2017: 27 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2023: 17 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 1; 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 Grafton County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Grafton County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $50.4 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 High | $608K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $544K | 3.3 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $43M | 4.3 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $828K | 20 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $332K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $1.7M | once in about 16 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | $13K | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $848K | once in about 729 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Grafton 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 New HampshireEvery New Hampshire tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in New HampshireThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The New Hampshire recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Grafton CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Grafton County's FEMA declarations (CSV)40 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis