Litchfield County, Connecticut
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 09005
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,645 records for Litchfield County, Connecticut from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 740 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (561 records). The deadliest single record is the July 10, 1989 thunderstorm wind: 1 death and 10 injuries. FEMA has issued 31 declarations naming the county since 1978, 29 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on September 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
- 1,645on 740 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 655 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $139Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 38strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 31latest 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 Litchfield County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 561 since 1956. 52% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. Census land area gives no figure for Litchfield County under this code, so it carries no per-area rank.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 561 | 221 | 1956-2026 | 2 | 14 | $1.6M | – |
| Winter storms | 321 | 189 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 2 | $2.4M | – |
| Floods | 186 | 89 | 1996-2024 | 1 | 0 | $6.7M | – |
| Hail | 164 | 81 | 1962-2025 | 0 | 0 | $98K | – |
| High wind and dust storms | 116 | 76 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 1 | $1.1M | – |
| Extreme cold | 106 | 66 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Heat | 96 | 58 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Tornadoes | 38 | 29 | 1951-2024 | 0 | 34 | $125M | – |
| Drought | 24 | 13 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Lightning | 19 | 16 | 1997-2019 | 0 | 4 | $1.7M | – |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 6 | 3 | 2011-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 6 | 6 | 2007-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | $137K | – |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2002-2002 | 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.
How many tornadoes has Litchfield County had?
NOAA records 38 tornadoes in Litchfield County from 1951 to 2024, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 34 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 38 tornadoes whose track touched Litchfield County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 38, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Connecticut.
Every tornado record filed for Litchfield County (38)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-21 | Harwinton, Litchfield County | EF0 2 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2023-08-12 | Roxbury Falls, Litchfield County | EF0 0.75 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-07-28 | South Norfolk, Litchfield County | EF0 5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-04-21 | Birch Hill, Litchfield County | EF0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2020-08-27 | Minortown, Litchfield County | EF0 0.06 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-27 | Birch Hill, Litchfield County | EF0 0.51 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-02 | Norfolk, Litchfield County | EF0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-02 | Lime Rock Stn, Litchfield County | EF1 1.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-02 | Sharon Vly, Litchfield County | EF0 0.25 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-05-15 | Barkhamsted, Litchfield County | EFU 0.39 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-05-15 | Winsted, Litchfield County | EF1 0.68 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-06-09 | Woodbury, Litchfield County | EF1 0.04 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-07-21 | Terryville, Litchfield County | EF1 0.57 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2010-07-21 | Thomaston, Litchfield County | EF1 0.36 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-07-21 | Thomaston, Litchfield County | EF1 0.16 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-07-21 | East Litchfield, Litchfield County | EF1 0.16 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2002-06-16 | Lanesville, Litchfield County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 2002-06-05 | Salisbury, Litchfield County | F1 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $66K |
| 2001-07-01 | New Milford, Litchfield County | F0 10 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $125K |
| 2001-06-23 | Torrington, Litchfield County | F2 0.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $417K |
| 2001-06-23 | Washington, Litchfield County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K |
| 1998-05-31 | Washington, Litchfield County | F1 0.3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 1989-07-10 | Litchfield County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 20 | $25M step |
| 1989-07-10 | Litchfield County | F2 10 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 4 | $25M step |
| 1976-06-30 | Litchfield County | F2 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-07-20 | Litchfield County | F1 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1975-06-19 | Litchfield County | F1 5.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1974-07-03 | Litchfield County | F1 5.1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1973-06-29 | Litchfield County | F1 1.3 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1973-06-12 | Litchfield County | F2 1.5 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1972-08-09 | Litchfield County | F1 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-08-07 | Litchfield County | F1 9.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1968-08-20 | Litchfield County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1966-08-11 | Litchfield County | F2 2.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-06-18 | Litchfield County | F2 0.1 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1959-05-12 | Litchfield County | F2 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1958-08-21 | Litchfield County | F1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1951-08-21 | Litchfield County | F2 43.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 9 | $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 Litchfield County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 22, 2026 blizzard (1 death).
Zone average snowfall of 15 inches and 3 to 4 hours worth of frequent wind gusts between 35 to 40 mph.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1320376)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-12 | HeatLitchfield County · forecast zone Southern Litchfield | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindWatertown, Litchfield County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindWatertown, Litchfield County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindWashington, Litchfield County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindBantam, Litchfield County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindCornwall Bridge, Litchfield County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | HeatLitchfield County · forecast zone Southern Litchfield | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindBantam, Litchfield County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | Thunderstorm WindTorringford, Litchfield County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Strong WindLitchfield County · forecast zone Southern Litchfield | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Strong WindLitchfield County · forecast zone Northern Litchfield | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-22 | BlizzardLitchfield County · forecast zone Northern Litchfield | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-07-10 | Thunderstorm WindLitchfield County | 1 | 10 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | BlizzardLitchfield County · forecast zone Southern Litchfield Zone average snowfall of 15 inches and 3 to 4 hours worth of frequent wind gusts between 35 to 40 mph. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-09-02 | FloodHotchkissville, Litchfield County A police vehicle was swept away by the swollen Weekeepeemee River at Jack's Bridge, resulting in the death of the Police Sergeant occupying the vehicle. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2014-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindPark Lane, Litchfield County Broadcast Media reported that downed power lines resulted in a man exiting a vehicle to be electrocuted. The man died as a result of the injuries. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2009-12-29 | High WindLitchfield County · forecast zone Southern Litchfield Tree fell on a postal vehicle on Weekeepeemee Road in Bethlehem Connecticut killing the driver. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2005-01-23 | Winter StormLitchfield County · forecast zone Northern Litchfield | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1989-07-10 | TornadoLitchfield County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 20 | $25M step |
| 1951-08-21 | TornadoLitchfield County | F2 43.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 9 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Litchfield County | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 1997-03-31 | Winter StormLitchfield County · forecast zone Litchfield | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 2015-04-21 | LightningHuntsville, Litchfield County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2007-04-15 | FloodNew Hartford, Litchfield County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2023-07-09 | Flash FloodSouth Norfolk, Litchfield County | 0 | 0 | $969K | |
| 1996-01-19 | FloodLitchfield County · forecast zone Northern Litchfield | 0 | 0 | $564K | |
| 2023-07-09 | FloodSouth Norfolk, Litchfield County | 0 | 0 | $484K | |
| 2001-06-23 | TornadoTorrington, Litchfield County | F2 0.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $417K |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: July 10, 1989 (tornado, Litchfield County); July 10, 1989 (tornado, Litchfield 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 Litchfield 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 | 2 | 9 | 22 | 62 | 115 | 179 | 170 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 20 | 88 | 123 | 90 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 22 | 69 | 38 | 57 |
| Hail | 0 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 23 | 66 | 59 | 6 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 24 | 49 | 31 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 23 | 52 | 31 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
52% 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 173 · Feb 124 · Mar 82 · Apr 59 · May 141 · Jun 244 · Jul 292 · Aug 190 · Sep 94 · Oct 66 · Nov 53 · Dec 127 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Litchfield County
FEMA's register lists 31 declarations that include Litchfield County: 17 major disasters, 14 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (11) and severe storm (8).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-20 | DR-4820 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2024-08-21 | EM-3612 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2021-10-30 | DR-4629 | Hurricane | Remnants of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021-08-22 | EM-3564 | Hurricane | Hurricane Henri |
| 2021-01-12 | DR-4580 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Isaias |
| 2020-08-06 | EM-3535 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Isaias |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4500 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3439 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013-03-21 | DR-4106 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2013-02-10 | EM-3361 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2012-10-30 | DR-4087 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3353 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-11-17 | DR-4046 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm |
| 2011-10-31 | EM-3342 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm |
| 2011-09-02 | DR-4023 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Irene |
| 2011-08-27 | EM-3331 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-03-03 | DR-1958 | Snowstorm | Snowstorm |
| 2007-05-11 | DR-1700 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-12-16 | DR-1619 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3246 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-02-17 | EM-3200 | Snowstorm | Record Snow |
| 2004-01-15 | EM-3192 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2003-03-11 | EM-3176 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1999-09-23 | DR-1302 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd |
| 1996-01-24 | DR-1092 | Snowstorm | Blizzard 0f 96 |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3098 | Snowstorm | Severe Winds & Blizzard, Record Snowfall |
| 1989-07-17 | DR-837 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
| 1985-10-11 | DR-747 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gloria |
| 1984-06-18 | DR-711 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1982-06-14 | DR-661 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-02-07 | EM-3060 | 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 Litchfield County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 186 flood or flash flood records for Litchfield County from 1996 to 2024, on 89 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Litchfield County ranks 522nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ida | 2021-09-02 | 1 | 1 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $7.1 million on 479 claims filed in Litchfield County; the most in one year was 131 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 13 · 1979: 17 · 1980: 6 · 1981: 7 · 1982: 32 · 1983: 3 · 1984: 51 · 1985: 6 · 1986: 2 · 1987: 19 · 1989: 7 · 1990: 2 · 1991: 3 · 1994: 20 · 1995: 3 · 1996: 2 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 3 · 1999: 9 · 2001: 5 · 2002: 1 · 2004: 2 · 2005: 38 · 2006: 2 · 2007: 42 · 2008: 2 · 2009: 4 · 2011: 131 · 2012: 2 · 2013: 8 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 4 · 2021: 13 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 9 · 2024: 5; 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 Litchfield County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Connecticut by its nine planning regions, which replaced the eight counties as the state's county-equivalent areas in 2022, so it carries no rating for Litchfield County itself. The storm record and the declarations above still use the county.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Next
- Tornadoes in ConnecticutEvery Connecticut tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in ConnecticutThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Connecticut recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- Download Litchfield County's FEMA declarations (CSV)31 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis