Hampshire County, Massachusetts
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 25015 · population 162,053 · 527 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,077 records for Hampshire County, Massachusetts from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 574 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (388 records). The deadliest single record is the July 6, 1999 thunderstorm wind: 1 death and 2 injuries. FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1985, 21 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Lee” on September 15, 2023.
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
- 1,077on 574 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 122 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $26Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 9strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 2023
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 Hampshire County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 388 since 1960. 54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 fell in July and August. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 388 | 194 | 1960-2026 | 1 | 10 | $2.9M | 2 of 12 |
| Winter storms | 252 | 153 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $9.5M | 4 of 12 |
| High wind and dust storms | 142 | 95 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 2 | $1.2M | 8 of 12 |
| Hail | 141 | 85 | 1959-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 12 |
| Floods | 69 | 55 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $6.1M | 9 of 12 |
| Lightning | 44 | 41 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 10 | $2.5M | 2 of 12 |
| Drought | 18 | 11 | 2016-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 12 |
| Heavy rain | 9 | 7 | 1996-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 12 |
| Tornadoes | 9 | 9 | 1954-2017 | 0 | 0 | $3.3M | 9 of 12 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 3 | 2011-2021 | 0 | 0 | $602K | 7 of 12 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2018-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 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 Hampshire County had?
NOAA records 9 tornadoes in Hampshire County from 1954 to 2017, the strongest rated F3, 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 10 tornadoes whose track touched Hampshire County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 9: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971-09-13 11:15, as SPC files it | Northampton | F3 | 0.5 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Massachusetts.
Every tornado record filed for Hampshire County (9)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-02-25 | Goshen, Hampshire County | EF1 2.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $301K |
| 2000-06-02 | Leeds, Hampshire County | F1 0.5 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-07-05 | Hampshire County | F1 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1971-09-13 | Hampshire County | F3 0.5 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1965-05-27 | Hampshire County | F1 1.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1961-07-21 | Hampshire County | F2 4.9 mi x 167 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1958-08-14 | Hampshire County | F2 1 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1957-07-05 | Hampshire County | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1954-08-16 | Hampshire County | F1 2 mi x 33 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 Hampshire County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 30, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindBelchertown, Hampshire County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindCushman, Hampshire County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $300 |
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindCushman, Hampshire County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindCold Spg, Hampshire County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $800 |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindHockanum, Hampshire County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindBay State, Hampshire County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-02-22 | Heavy SnowHampshire County · forecast zone Eastern Hampshire | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | Heavy SnowHampshire County · forecast zone Western Hampshire | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Heavy SnowHampshire County · forecast zone Western Hampshire | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Heavy SnowHampshire County · forecast zone Eastern Hampshire | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-02 | Heavy SnowHampshire County · forecast zone Western Hampshire | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-06 | Thunderstorm WindBondsville, Hampshire County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-07-06 | Thunderstorm WindPlainfield, Hampshire County Severe thunderstorms swept across Massachusetts in advance of a strong cold front. For the fourth day in a row, temperatures soared well up into the 90s across the Bay State, along with high humidity. The thunderstorms arrived in two lines: one from mid-afternoon into early evening with winds clocked as high as 82 ... | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2010-05-04 | Thunderstorm WindAmherst, Hampshire County Five solar panels were blown from the roof of the three story Knowles Engineering Building at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. In addition, six people were injured when two event tents were blown down at a barbeque at the university. Construction fences and a tree were also downed. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 6 | $115K |
| 2013-08-09 | LightningWare, Hampshire County Lightning struck the medical office building on the campus of Baystate Mary Lane Hospital in Ware, blowing out the building's electrical panel. In addition, three people who were on the telephone at the time of the strike reported feeling numbness and a tingling in their arms. All three walked over to the hospital to ... | 0 | 3 | $1K | |
| 2013-05-21 | LightningGranby, Hampshire County Three students at the MacDuffie School in Granby were struck by lightning while sitting outside at a picnic table. Two students were knocked unconscious and were hospitalized. The third student was further away when the lightning struck and was not directly hit, suffering less serious effects. The students were 16, ... | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2023-06-06 | LightningPelham, Hampshire County In Pelham on Amherst Road, the Fire Dept. reported an individual struck by lightning, with a reported foot injury. Report relayed by amateur radio. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2018-10-17 | Strong WindHampshire County · forecast zone Western Hampshire At 2:52 PM EST, a 16-inch Ash tree smashed the windshield of a truck or SUV traveling along Montgomery Road. A woman in the vehicle was transported to hospital with unspecified head and arm injuries. | 39 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $2K |
| 2016-10-23 | High WindHampshire County · forecast zone Western Hampshire Numerous trees and wires were reported downed in western Hampshire County. A tree was down on West Street in Plainfield as early as 6 AM EDT. A tree was reported down on Route 112 in Huntington. In Worthington, trees were downed on Old North Road and trees and wires were down on River Road. In Goshen , a tree was ... | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $6K |
| 2009-07-07 | LightningWorthington Corners, Hampshire County A woman was injured when lightning came through the open garage door and struck her ping pong paddle. She experienced pain in her right arm, an irregular heart rhythm and the tissue in her throat was burned. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-04-16 | FloodNorthampton, Hampshire County | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | |
| 2005-10-09 | FloodHampshire County · forecast zone Western Hampshire | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 2014-07-23 | LightningFlorence, Hampshire County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2011-08-28 | FloodNorthampton, Hampshire County | 0 | 0 | $525K | |
| 2011-02-01 | Winter StormHampshire County · forecast zone Eastern Hampshire | 0 | 0 | $409K | |
| 2003-08-11 | Flash FloodCummington, Hampshire County | 0 | 0 | $321K | |
| 2017-02-25 | TornadoGoshen, Hampshire County | EF1 2.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $301K |
| 2008-07-22 | Flash FloodWare, Hampshire County | 0 | 0 | $288K |
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 14, 1958 (tornado, Hampshire 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 Hampshire 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 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 35 | 78 | 130 | 124 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 46 | 83 | 93 | 30 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 39 | 26 | 44 | 33 |
| Hail | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 23 | 40 | 44 | 18 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 10 | 18 | 23 | 18 |
| Lightning | – | – | – | – | 5 | 17 | 14 | 8 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 fell in July and August. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 80 · Feb 80 · Mar 86 · Apr 36 · May 106 · Jun 118 · Jul 202 · Aug 129 · Sep 61 · Oct 52 · Nov 44 · Dec 83 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Hampshire County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include Hampshire County: 11 major disasters, 12 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for snowstorm (7) and hurricane (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-09-15 | EM-3599 | Hurricane | Hurricane Lee |
| 2020-03-27 | DR-4496 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3438 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013-04-19 | DR-4110 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3350 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-01-06 | DR-4051 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2011-11-01 | EM-3343 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm |
| 2011-09-03 | DR-4028 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Irene |
| 2011-08-26 | EM-3330 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-03-07 | DR-1959 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2009-01-05 | DR-1813 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2008-12-13 | EM-3296 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2007-05-16 | DR-1701 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding |
| 2005-11-10 | DR-1614 | 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 |
| 2001-03-28 | EM-3165 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1996-01-24 | DR-1090 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3103 | Snowstorm | Blizzards, High Winds & Record Snowfall |
| 1987-04-18 | DR-790 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1985-10-28 | DR-751 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gloria |
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 Hampshire County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 69 flood or flash flood records for Hampshire County from 1996 to 2025, on 55 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Hampshire County ranks 899th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-28 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.0 million on 215 claims filed in Hampshire County; the most in one year was 49 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 6 · 1980: 2 · 1981: 2 · 1982: 2 · 1983: 4 · 1984: 28 · 1987: 32 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 2 · 1991: 3 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 3 · 1996: 4 · 1998: 3 · 1999: 9 · 2001: 3 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 2 · 2005: 15 · 2007: 12 · 2008: 2 · 2009: 1 · 2011: 49 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 17; 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 Hampshire County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hampshire County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $37.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $4.3M | once in about 10 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $25M | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $493K | 2 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.2M | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $606K | 25 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $8K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.0M | once in about 715 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $480K | 4.4 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Hampshire 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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in MassachusettsThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Hampshire CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Hampshire County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis