Orange County, Vermont
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 50017 · population 29,274 · 687 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 573 records for Orange County, Vermont from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 478 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (281 records). 357 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 23, 2012 lightning: 1 death. FEMA has issued 34 declarations naming the county since 1973, 32 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on August 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
- 573on 478 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 21 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $76Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 4strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 34latest 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 Orange County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 281 since 1996. 45% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The rank column places the county among Vermont'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 | 281 | 281 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $4.6M | 8 of 13 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 133 | 83 | 1960-2026 | 0 | 1 | $3.5M | 10 of 13 |
| Hail | 37 | 25 | 1980-2026 | 0 | 0 | $145K | 11 of 13 |
| High wind and dust storms | 36 | 36 | 1999-2026 | 1 | 0 | $1.7M | 12 of 13 |
| Floods | 33 | 30 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $63M | 12 of 13 |
| Extreme cold | 28 | 28 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $371K | 10 of 13 |
| Heat | 7 | 7 | 2006-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 9 of 13 |
| Lightning | 7 | 6 | 1999-2012 | 1 | 0 | $244K | 5 of 13 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 5 | 2002-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 13 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 4 | 1972-2026 | 0 | 0 | $602K | 6 of 13 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1996-2002 | 0 | 0 | $9K | 2 of 13 |
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 Orange County had?
NOAA records 4 tornadoes in Orange County from 1972 to 2026, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 6th of 13 Vermont 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 3 tornadoes whose track touched Orange County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 4: 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.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Vermont.
Every tornado record filed for Orange County (4)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-16 | Williamstown, Orange County | EF1 0.53 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $150K |
| 2009-07-16 | Williamstown, Orange County | EF0 2.71 mi x 425 yd | 0 | 0 | $103K |
| 2009-05-09 | Washington, Orange County | EF1 0.55 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $172K |
| 1972-08-09 | Orange County | F1 3.6 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Orange County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 18, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($30,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindWilliamstown, Orange County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2026-04-16 | HailWilliamstown, Orange County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2026-04-16 | Thunderstorm WindBrookfield, Orange County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $75K |
| 2026-04-16 | TornadoWilliamstown, Orange County | EF1 0.53 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $150K |
| 2026-04-16 | HailWest Topsham, Orange County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-17 | Strong WindOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-02-20 | Winter StormOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-10 | Winter WeatherOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-29 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-06-23 | LightningPost Mills Airport, Orange County A 16 year old teenage farm worker was injured after being struck by lightning at the Crossroad Farm along the Fairlee/Post Mills line on June 23rd. He eventually died from his injuries on June 27th. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1999-09-16 | High WindOrange County · forecast zone Orange The remnants of Tropical Storm Floyd moved into southern New England Thursday night (9/16/99) and then across eastern New England on Friday, September 17th. Strong winds combined with saturated soils from heavy rain resulted in many trees and power lines being blown down. A death occurred when a tree fell on a mobile ... | 1 | 0 | $177K | |
| 1997-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindRandolph Center, Orange County A cold front moved across Vermont Sunday afternoon and evening (June 22, 1997). Thunderstorms developed along and following the front with heavy rain and damaging winds with a few of the storms.In Orange County...An individual was injured in Randolph Center due to a tree limb being blown down and striking them in the ... | 0 | 1 | $28K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-08-28 | Flash FloodRandolph, Orange County | 0 | 0 | $45M | |
| 1998-06-27 | Flash FloodCountywide, Orange County | 0 | 0 | $3.6M | |
| 2017-07-01 | Flash FloodUnion Vlg, Orange County | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | |
| 2012-03-17 | HeatOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2007-07-11 | Flash FloodRandolph, Orange County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2010-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindEast Brookfield, Orange County | 75 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $609K |
| 2009-08-21 | Flash FloodChelsea, Orange County | 0 | 0 | $481K | |
| 1996-01-19 | FloodOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | $470K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: August 9, 1972 (tornado, Orange 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 Orange 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 | – | – | – | – | 43 | 130 | 57 | 51 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 22 | 32 | 45 | 21 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 11 | 11 | 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 13 | 14 | 8 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 9 | 13 | 3 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 3 | 13 | 3 | 9 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
45% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 91 · Feb 75 · Mar 59 · Apr 28 · May 22 · Jun 46 · Jul 87 · Aug 36 · Sep 18 · Oct 19 · Nov 26 · Dec 66 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Orange County
FEMA's register lists 34 declarations that include Orange County: 29 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (17) and flood (11).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-20 | DR-4810 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2024-08-08 | EM-3609 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Depression Debby |
| 2024-03-02 | DR-4762 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2020-01-17 | DR-4474 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2019-06-14 | DR-4445 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2018-07-30 | DR-4380 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2018-01-02 | DR-4356 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm and Flooding |
| 2017-08-16 | DR-4330 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2015-02-03 | DR-4207 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2014-06-11 | DR-4178 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2013-08-02 | DR-4140 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2011-09-01 | DR-4022 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Irene |
| 2011-08-29 | EM-3338 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-07-08 | DR-4001 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2008-09-12 | DR-1790 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2007-08-03 | DR-1715 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2007-05-04 | DR-1698 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-09-12 | DR-1488 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2000-07-27 | DR-1336 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1999-11-10 | DR-1307 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Floyd |
| 1998-06-30 | DR-1228 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1998-01-15 | DR-1201 | Severe Storm | Severe Ice Storms, Rain, High Winds and Flooding |
| 1996-02-13 | DR-1101 | Flood | Ice Jams and Flooding |
| 1992-03-18 | DR-938 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Ice Jams & Flooding |
| 1989-09-11 | DR-840 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1984-06-18 | DR-712 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1976-08-05 | DR-518 | Flood | Severe Storms, High Winds & 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 Orange County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 33 flood or flash flood records for Orange County from 1996 to 2024, on 30 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Orange County ranks 1399th 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 $1.9 million on 84 claims filed in Orange County; the most in one year was 25 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 1 · 1980: 1 · 1981: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 4 · 1986: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1992: 2 · 1996: 3 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2007: 3 · 2008: 2 · 2009: 4 · 2011: 25 · 2013: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2023: 18 · 2026: 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 Orange County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Orange County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $11.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $506K | 20 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $30K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $472K | once in about 19 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $93K | 21 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $8.6M | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $67K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $555K | 4 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $301K | about once 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 Orange 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 VermontEvery Vermont tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- 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 Orange CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Orange County's FEMA declarations (CSV)34 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis