Kent County, Rhode Island
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 44003 · population 170,332 · 169 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 602 records for Kent County, Rhode Island from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 369 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (180 records). 418 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 20, 2021 rip current, filed for the forecast zone Eastern Kent, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1978, 20 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storm and Flooding” on March 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
- 602on 369 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 311 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $42Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 2strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 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 Kent County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 180 since 1996. 57% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The rank column places the county among Rhode Island'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 | 180 | 104 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 2 | $799K | 1 of 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | 171 | 113 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 2 of 4 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 76 | 54 | 1956-2025 | 0 | 0 | $579K | 1 of 4 |
| Floods | 61 | 47 | 1996-2024 | 1 | 0 | $38M | 1 of 4 |
| Hail | 31 | 26 | 1956-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 4 |
| Heavy rain | 29 | 23 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 4 |
| Heat | 21 | 20 | 1998-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 4 |
| Drought | 8 | 4 | 2012-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 4 |
| Lightning | 8 | 8 | 1997-2018 | 0 | 9 | $766K | 3 of 4 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 6 | 3 | 2011-2021 | 0 | 0 | $150K | 2 of 4 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 5 | 1999-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 4 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 2 | 2 | 2021-2022 | 2 | 0 | $504 | 3 of 4 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1997-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 4 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 1990-1994 | 0 | 0 | $565K | 2 of 4 |
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 Kent County had?
NOAA records 2 tornadoes in Kent County from 1990 to 1994, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 2nd of 4 Rhode Island 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 2 tornadoes whose track touched Kent County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 2, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Every tornado record filed for Kent County (2)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-08-13 | Coventry, Kent County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-10-18 | Kent County | F1 4.5 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K 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 Kent County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 3, 2025 thunderstorm wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-22 | Heavy SnowKent County · forecast zone Eastern Kent | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | Heavy SnowKent County · forecast zone Western Kent | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-06 | Heavy SnowKent County · forecast zone Western Kent | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Heavy SnowKent County · forecast zone Eastern Kent | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Heavy SnowKent County · forecast zone Western Kent | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-03 | Thunderstorm WindWarwick, Kent County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $100 |
| 2025-07-03 | Thunderstorm WindGreenwood, Kent County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-07 | Strong WindKent County · forecast zone Eastern Kent | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $11K |
| 2021-06-20 | Rip CurrentKent County · forecast zone Eastern Kent | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-03-29 | FloodLakewood, Kent County | 0 | 0 | $35M | |
| 2010-03-14 | FloodLakewood, Kent County | 1 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 2009-08-05 | LightningCoventry, Kent County | 0 | 9 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-06-20 | Rip CurrentKent County · forecast zone Eastern Kent Strong rip currents off of Conimicut Point in Warwick, RI (Narragansett Bay) caused the drowning death of a 10 year old girl and of the 45 year old man who went in to attempt to rescue her. Time approximate. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-03-14 | FloodLakewood, Kent County The South Branch of the Pawtuxet River at Washington rose above flood stage and the main branch of the Pawtuxet River at Cranston rose into major flood, eventually setting a record crest following three to four inches of rain. The main branch of the Pawtuxet River flooded portions of Warwick and West Warwick. Multiple ... | 1 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 2009-08-05 | LightningCoventry, Kent County Nine people, taking shelter under a tree at Foster Memorial Park, were injured when lightning struck nearby. Five of the injured refused medical treatment, the other four were transported to a nearby hospital. There were only minor injuries. No information was available on their ages. | 0 | 9 | – | |
| 2005-12-09 | Winter StormKent County · forecast zone Western Kent A low pressure system centered near the Delaware coast intensified rapidly as it tracked quickly northeast across southern New England, producing near-blizzard conditions across Rhode Island around mid afternoon. Damaging winds, whiteout conditions, and approximately one hour of thunder snow occurred across most of ... | 0 | 2 | $151K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-03-29 | FloodLakewood, Kent County | 0 | 0 | $35M | |
| 2010-03-14 | FloodLakewood, Kent County | 1 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 1997-06-22 | LightningWarwick, Kent County | 0 | 0 | $460K | |
| 2005-12-09 | Winter StormKent County · forecast zone Western Kent | 0 | 2 | $151K | |
| 2025-03-07 | Strong WindKent County · forecast zone Eastern Kent | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $11K |
| 2025-07-03 | Thunderstorm WindWarwick, Kent County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $100 |
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: October 18, 1990 (tornado, Kent 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 Kent 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 | – | – | – | – | 31 | 50 | 77 | 22 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 68 | 37 | 47 | 19 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 32 | 16 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 22 | 22 | 11 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 5 | 2 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 25 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
57% 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 78 · Feb 86 · Mar 76 · Apr 24 · May 19 · Jun 44 · Jul 55 · Aug 43 · Sep 32 · Oct 45 · Nov 40 · Dec 60 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Kent County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include Kent County: 13 major disasters, 10 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (8) and severe storm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-03-20 | DR-4765 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2024-03-20 | DR-4766 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2022-05-12 | DR-4653 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2021-08-21 | EM-3563 | Hurricane | Hurricane Henri |
| 2020-03-30 | DR-4505 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3440 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015-04-03 | DR-4212 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2013-03-22 | DR-4107 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2012-11-03 | DR-4089 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3355 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-09-03 | DR-4027 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Irene |
| 2011-08-27 | EM-3334 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-03-30 | EM-3311 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2010-03-29 | DR-1894 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-19 | EM-3255 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-02-17 | EM-3203 | Snowstorm | Record Snow |
| 1996-11-19 | EM-3123 | Other | Major Water Main Break |
| 1996-01-24 | DR-1091 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3102 | Snowstorm | Blizzards, High Winds & Record Snowfall |
| 1991-08-26 | DR-913 | Hurricane | Hurricane Bob |
| 1985-10-15 | DR-748 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gloria |
| 1978-02-16 | DR-548 | Snowstorm | Snow & Ice |
| 1978-02-07 | EM-3058 | Snowstorm | Blizzard & Snowstorms |
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 Kent County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 61 flood or flash flood records for Kent County from 1996 to 2024, on 47 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Kent County ranks 272nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $21.5 million on 1,300 claims filed in Kent County; the most in one year was 491 in 2010. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 85 · 1979: 54 · 1980: 12 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 46 · 1983: 57 · 1984: 13 · 1985: 17 · 1986: 2 · 1987: 11 · 1988: 2 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1991: 79 · 1992: 11 · 1993: 15 · 1994: 6 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 3 · 1997: 6 · 1998: 21 · 1999: 4 · 2001: 30 · 2003: 2 · 2004: 6 · 2005: 88 · 2006: 9 · 2007: 24 · 2008: 12 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 491 · 2011: 14 · 2012: 37 · 2013: 8 · 2014: 14 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 5 · 2018: 6 · 2019: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2023: 37 · 2024: 49; 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 Kent County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Kent County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $32.3 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 | $3.1M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $23M | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $233K | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $471K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.3M | once in about 840 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $870K | 5.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | $533K | 3.8 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $87K | 12 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 Kent 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 Rhode IslandThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Rhode Island recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Kent CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Kent County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis