Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 33011 · population 422,867 · 877 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 864 records for Hillsborough County, New Hampshire from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 498 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (274 records). The deadliest single record is the November 29, 2003 high wind, filed for the forecast zone Hillsborough, which covers the county: 2 deaths, 2 injuries and $40,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 31 declarations naming the county since 1973, 29 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm” on March 25, 2015.
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
- 864on 498 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 727 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $87Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 19strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 31latest 2020
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 Hillsborough County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 274 since 1956. 56% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 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 | 274 | 144 | 1956-2026 | 1 | 7 | $1.9M | 5 of 10 |
| Winter storms | 243 | 169 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 1 | $48M | 8 of 10 |
| Hail | 111 | 75 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 0 | $16K | 4 of 10 |
| Floods | 95 | 53 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $9.1M | 7 of 10 |
| High wind and dust storms | 59 | 53 | 1996-2021 | 4 | 6 | $6.7M | 6 of 10 |
| Lightning | 24 | 22 | 1996-2014 | 0 | 12 | $2.0M | 4 of 10 |
| Drought | 21 | 12 | 2020-2026 | 0 | 0 | $12M | 7 of 10 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 17 | 1956-1998 | 0 | 1 | $8.0M | 3 of 10 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 3 | 2007-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 10 |
| Heat | 5 | 4 | 2010-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 10 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 5 | 1996-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 10 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 3 | 2 | 2011-2020 | 0 | 0 | $20K | 5 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 Hillsborough County had?
NOAA records 19 tornadoes in Hillsborough County from 1956 to 1998, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 3rd of 10 New Hampshire counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 20 tornadoes whose track touched Hillsborough County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 19: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968-08-20 17:10, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 1 mi | 0 |
| 1963-05-20 13:45, as SPC files it | Antrim | F3 | 14 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New Hampshire.
Every tornado record filed for Hillsborough County (19)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-05-31 | Antrim, Hillsborough County | F2 0.5 mi x 85 yd | 0 | 0 | $54K |
| 1997-07-03 | Greenfield, Hillsborough County | F2 2 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $460K |
| 1986-06-16 | Hillsborough County | F1 2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1984-07-05 | Hillsborough County | F1 5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1984-07-05 | Hillsborough County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1978-06-19 | Hillsborough County | F0 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1972-07-19 | Hillsborough County | F1 0.9 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1970-07-16 | Hillsborough County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1968-08-20 | Hillsborough County | F3 1 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1968-08-20 | Hillsborough County | F1 2.5 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-07-17 | Hillsborough County | F2 0.1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1966-07-19 | Hillsborough County | F1 0.2 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1965-08-28 | Hillsborough County | F1 0.3 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1963-06-09 | Hillsborough County | F2 10 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1963-05-20 | Hillsborough County | F1 8.5 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1963-05-09 | Hillsborough County | F1 10.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1961-07-21 | Hillsborough County | F1 2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1961-07-02 | Hillsborough County | F2 2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1956-06-27 | Hillsborough County | 0 | 0 | $250 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 Hillsborough County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 6, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindParker, Hillsborough County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Lyndeborough, Hillsborough County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindWilder, Hillsborough County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindWest Peterborough, Hillsborough County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindAntrim, Hillsborough County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtHillsborough County · forecast zone Western And Central Hillsborough | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtHillsborough County · forecast zone Eastern Hillsborough | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindHollis, Hillsborough County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindWilton Center, Hillsborough County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindBrookline, Hillsborough County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindHollis, Hillsborough County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindFrancestown, Hillsborough County | 52 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-11-29 | High WindHillsborough County · forecast zone Hillsborough High winds brought down trees and power lines in Hillsborough County. A couple was killed in their vehicle when a 4-foot diameter tree blew down and crashed onto their van. About half an hour later, two people were injured when another tree blew down on their car. | 55 kt wind | 2 | 2 | $40K |
| 2010-03-14 | Strong WindHillsborough County · forecast zone Eastern Hillsborough A 42 year old man travelling on Interstate 93 in Manchester was killed when his car was struck by a 70 foot pine tree. Two passengers, the man's 36 year old wife and 2 year old daughter, were injured and were transported to the hospital. Saturated soil and strong winds combined, resulting in many downed trees across ... | 35 kt wind | 1 | 2 | $14K |
| 2009-10-31 | Strong WindHillsborough County · forecast zone Eastern Hillsborough A 10 year old boy was killed when a birch tree was blown over by a strong gust of wind. Photos of the tree shown on local news outlets as well as reports in local newspapers indicated that the tree was at least partially rotted. The closest observations are available eight to nine miles away at either Lawrence ... | 35 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2007-12-16 | Heavy SnowHillsborough County · forecast zone Eastern Hillsborough Two low pressure systems merged into a storm over eastern Massachusetts and produced strong winds and heavy snow across New Hampshire. One indirect fatality occurred when a car collided with a snow removal machine in Nashua. The driver of the car died from injuries sustained in the crash. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1999-07-06 | Thunderstorm WindAmherst, Hillsborough County Severe thunderstorms moved across southern New Hampshire in advance of a strong cold front, resulting in widespread wind damage in Cheshire and Hillsborough Counties. For the fourth day in a row, temperatures peaked well up into the 90s along with high humidity. In Cheshire County, the storms downed trees and wires in ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1996-12-07 | Heavy SnowHillsborough County · forecast zone Hillsborough A low pressure system centered over Georgia at 7 AM on December 7th moved rapidly northeast across North Carolina. The intensifying system then moved about parallel to the Mid-Atlantic coast with its center reaching Plymouth County in southeastern Massachusetts during the early morning hours of December 8th, before ... | 1 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2003-08-13 | LightningPelham, Hillsborough County Five campers and four staff members taking shelter in a building at a summer day camp in Pelham were taken to areas hospitals with minor injuries when lightning struck near them at Veterans Memorial Park. | 0 | 9 | – | |
| 2020-08-23 | Thunderstorm WindDavis, Hillsborough County Damaging wind gusts caused by a severe thunderstorm blew over a tent where many people gathered for an outdoor event. At least 6 people where injured with minor injuries being reported by media outlets. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 6 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-12-11 | Ice StormHillsborough County · forecast zone Eastern Hillsborough | 0 | 0 | $21M | |
| 2008-12-11 | Ice StormHillsborough County · forecast zone Western And Central Hillsborough | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 2001-03-05 | Heavy SnowHillsborough County · forecast zone Hillsborough | 0 | 0 | $8.3M | |
| 2010-02-25 | High WindHillsborough County · forecast zone Eastern Hillsborough | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3.4M |
| 2006-05-13 | FloodCountywide, Hillsborough County | 0 | 0 | $2.9M | |
| 2007-04-16 | FloodPeterborough, Hillsborough County | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | |
| 2010-02-25 | High WindHillsborough County · forecast zone Western And Central Hillsborough | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
| 1996-12-07 | Heavy SnowHillsborough County · forecast zone Hillsborough | 1 | 0 | $1.9M |
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: May 9, 1963 (tornado, Hillsborough County); June 9, 1963 (tornado, Hillsborough County); July 5, 1984 (tornado, Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough 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 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 16 | 38 | 90 | 105 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 26 | 74 | 100 | 43 |
| Hail | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 32 | 25 | 35 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 18 | 15 | 22 | 40 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 19 | 16 | 23 | 1 |
| Lightning | – | – | – | – | 6 | 13 | 5 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
56% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 70 · Feb 71 · Mar 67 · Apr 31 · May 68 · Jun 98 · Jul 179 · Aug 91 · Sep 53 · Oct 41 · Nov 29 · Dec 66 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Hillsborough County
FEMA's register lists 31 declarations that include Hillsborough County: 19 major disasters, 12 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (13) and snowstorm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-03 | DR-4516 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3445 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015-03-25 | DR-4209 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2013-03-19 | DR-4105 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2012-10-30 | EM-3360 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-12-05 | DR-4049 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2011-11-01 | EM-3344 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm |
| 2011-08-27 | EM-3333 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-05-12 | DR-1913 | Severe Storm | 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 |
| 2008-10-03 | DR-1799 | 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 |
| 2005-04-28 | EM-3211 | Snowstorm | Record Snow |
| 2005-03-30 | EM-3207 | Snowstorm | Record and/Or Near Record Snow |
| 2004-01-15 | EM-3193 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2003-03-11 | EM-3177 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2001-03-28 | EM-3166 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 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 |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3101 | Snowstorm | Blizzards, High Winds & Record Snowfall |
| 1991-09-09 | DR-917 | Hurricane | Hurricane Bob & Severe Storms |
| 1990-08-29 | DR-876 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1987-04-16 | DR-789 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1986-08-27 | DR-771 | Flood | Severe Storms, 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 Hillsborough County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 95 flood or flash flood records for Hillsborough County from 1996 to 2025, on 53 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Hillsborough County ranks 436th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $10.4 million on 629 claims filed in Hillsborough County; the most in one year was 165 in 2006. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 11 · 1979: 19 · 1980: 5 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 4 · 1983: 6 · 1984: 21 · 1986: 13 · 1987: 59 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 2 · 1991: 1 · 1993: 3 · 1994: 2 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 33 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 6 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 2 · 2001: 2 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 19 · 2005: 9 · 2006: 165 · 2007: 150 · 2008: 14 · 2010: 23 · 2011: 7 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 5 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2018: 7 · 2019: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 22 · 2024: 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 Hillsborough County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hillsborough County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $120 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 | Very High | $2.5M | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $2.2M | 21 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $486K | 19 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $2.5M | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $76M | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $18M | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $6.5M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.6M | 1.7 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 Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Hillsborough County's FEMA declarations (CSV)31 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis