Grand Isle County, Vermont
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 50013 · population 7,289 · 82 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 381 records for Grand Isle County, Vermont from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 355 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (196 records). 286 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 June 26, 2004 strong wind, filed for the forecast zone Grand Isle, which covers the county: 1 death and $31,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1973, 16 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Tropical Depression Debby” on August 8, 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
- 381on 355 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 11 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $16Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- FEMA declarations
- 18latest 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 Grand Isle County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 196 since 1996. 49% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. Census land area gives no figure for Grand Isle County under this code, so it carries no per-area rank.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 196 | 196 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $5.2M | – |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 62 | 49 | 1958-2025 | 0 | 1 | $1.3M | – |
| High wind and dust storms | 45 | 45 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $2.6M | – |
| Extreme cold | 29 | 29 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $196K | – |
| Hail | 18 | 17 | 1980-2023 | 0 | 0 | $47K | – |
| Floods | 13 | 12 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | $4.3M | – |
| Heat | 7 | 7 | 2006-2025 | 0 | 0 | $643K | – |
| Lightning | 6 | 6 | 1998-2019 | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | – |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 3 | 2002-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
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.
When was the last damaging storm in Grand Isle 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 WindGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-02-20 | Winter WeatherGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-10 | Winter WeatherGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-29 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-06 | Winter WeatherGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-28 | Winter WeatherGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-19 | High WindGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-12-10 | Winter WeatherGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-07 | Winter WeatherGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-06-26 | Strong WindGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle A cold trough in the upper levels of the atmosphere resulted in micro burst type winds. People reported hearing only one clap of thunder with no lightning. Wind gusts were estimated at 40 to 50 mph. In Isle La Motte, a wedding tent was blown over with flying debris resulting in one death. People described it as a ... | 40 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $31K |
| 1987-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindGrand Isle County | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-05-01 | Lakeshore FloodGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | |
| 1998-01-06 | Ice StormGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | |
| 2016-06-28 | LightningKeeler Bay, Grand Isle County | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | |
| 2011-08-28 | High WindGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2007-08-16 | Thunderstorm WindGrand Isle County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $356K |
| 2013-12-20 | Ice StormGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle | 0 | 0 | $317K | |
| 2006-08-07 | Thunderstorm WindIsle La Motte, Grand Isle County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $73K |
| 2004-06-26 | Strong WindGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle | 40 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $31K |
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 Grand Isle 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 | – | – | – | – | 26 | 76 | 50 | 44 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 20 | 15 | 8 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 17 | 14 | 12 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 3 | 14 | 4 | 8 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 76 · Feb 59 · Mar 42 · Apr 20 · May 13 · Jun 24 · Jul 41 · Aug 25 · Sep 10 · Oct 8 · Nov 12 · Dec 51 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Grand Isle County
FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Grand Isle County: 12 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-08 | EM-3609 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Depression Debby |
| 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 |
| 2018-07-30 | DR-4380 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2018-01-02 | DR-4356 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2014-01-29 | DR-4163 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2011-09-01 | DR-4022 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Irene |
| 2011-08-29 | EM-3338 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-06-15 | DR-1995 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2008-08-15 | DR-1784 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, A Tornado, and Flooding |
| 2001-04-10 | EM-3167 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1998-01-15 | DR-1201 | Severe Storm | Severe Ice Storms, Rain, High Winds and Flooding |
| 1993-05-12 | DR-990 | Flood | Heavy Rain, Snowmelt & 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 Grand Isle County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 13 flood or flash flood records for Grand Isle County from 1996 to 2011, on 12 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Grand Isle County ranks 1584th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $789,000 on 59 claims filed in Grand Isle County; the most in one year was 35 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1982: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1993: 4 · 1996: 1 · 1998: 3 · 2000: 3 · 2001: 2 · 2003: 2 · 2007: 1 · 2011: 35 · 2014: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 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 Grand Isle County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Grand Isle County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $81K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $40K | once in about 48 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $161K | once in about 337 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Very Low | $144K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | $31K | 14 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $60K | 2.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $3.1M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | $172K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Grand Isle County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- 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 Grand Isle CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Grand Isle County's FEMA declarations (CSV)18 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis