Strafford County, New Hampshire
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 33017 · population 130,861 · 367 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 558 records for Strafford County, New Hampshire from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 420 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (190 records). 300 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 September 24, 2006 thunderstorm wind: 1 death. FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1973, 23 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm” on June 8, 2018.
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
- 558on 420 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 124 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $47Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 25latest 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 Strafford County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 190 since 1996. 52% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 190 | 185 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | $5.9M | 1 of 10 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 129 | 81 | 1971-2026 | 1 | 8 | $10M | 3 of 10 |
| Hail | 71 | 32 | 1962-2023 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 3 of 10 |
| High wind and dust storms | 51 | 51 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 5 | $112K | 1 of 10 |
| Lightning | 28 | 25 | 1996-2008 | 0 | 10 | $813K | 1 of 10 |
| Floods | 26 | 21 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $9.0M | 8 of 10 |
| Drought | 23 | 23 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 1 of 10 |
| Extreme cold | 22 | 21 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 10 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 7 | 1953-2008 | 0 | 0 | $9.8M | 4 of 10 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 2 | 1999-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 10 |
| Heat | 3 | 3 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 10 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 1996-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 10 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 2 | 2011-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 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 Strafford County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Strafford County from 1953 to 2008, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 4th 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 7 tornadoes whose track touched Strafford County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person, 0 of them in Strafford County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-07-24 09:30, as SPC files it | Unnamed | EF2 | 50.46 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New Hampshire.
Every tornado record filed for Strafford County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-07-24 | New Durham, Strafford County | EF2 8.44 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $173K |
| 1999-07-06 | Strafford County | F2 2 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-08-02 | Countywide, Strafford County | F0 0.3 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1981-06-22 | Strafford County | F2 8.7 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1976-05-03 | Strafford County | F2 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1963-05-14 | Strafford County | F2 8.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1953-06-09 | Strafford County | F1 1 mi x 40 yd | 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 Strafford County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the November 1, 2020 drought ($10.3 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
The drought peaked in intensity during the first week of October before beneficial widespread rains impacted the state towards the middle of October. Concord received a monthly rainfall total of 5.11, Manchester received 4.01, and Durham received 4.59. Conditions became dry once again during the beginning of November before three soaking rain events impacted the region. Concord received a monthly rainfall total of 4.15, Manchester received 4.26, and Durham received 4.56. Even with the October through November rainfall, deficits since Jan 1st remained at -9.44 at Concord, -9.72 at Durham and -11.14 at Manchester. Drought classification remained the same throughout the entire region during the month of November. D2 and D3 classification remained centered across southeast New Hampshire with no improvements during the entire month. …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 930641)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindStrafford Corner, Strafford County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindStrafford County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtStrafford County · forecast zone Strafford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtStrafford County · forecast zone Strafford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtStrafford County · forecast zone Strafford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-23 | Winter StormStrafford County · forecast zone Strafford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-23 | BlizzardStrafford County · forecast zone Strafford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtStrafford County · forecast zone Strafford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormStrafford County · forecast zone Strafford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | DroughtStrafford County · forecast zone Strafford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-23 | Winter StormStrafford County · forecast zone Strafford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-02 | Winter StormStrafford County · forecast zone Strafford | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-09-24 | Thunderstorm WindMilton, Strafford County Strong winds associated with a line of showers and thunderstorms toppled a tree onto a car in the town of Milton. The 21-year-old female driver of the car from Milton Mills was killed in the incident. According to police, no other trees fell in the area. | 45 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2018-07-28 | Thunderstorm WindBow Lake Vlg, Strafford County A microburst from a severe thunderstorm downed numerous large trees around the Bow Lake area. One tree landed on a house near Bow Lake where eight people had taken cover from the storm. Six of the 8 were treated at the scene and 2 were taken to hospital. | 70 kt wind | 0 | 8 | – |
| 1998-10-01 | Strong WindStrafford County · forecast zone Strafford Strong winds developed over New Hampshire following the passage of a cold front. The winds downed trees and limbs, causing scattered power outages. Winds gusted to 47 mph in Portsmouth, 45 mph in Whitefield, and to 44 mph in Concord. In Durham, five people were injured while attending an outdoor ceremony at the ... | 0 | 5 | – | |
| 2007-07-15 | LightningNew Durham, Strafford County Three people were injured by lightning while they picked raspberries. The lightning traveled along the metal wires that were supporting the plants. The most severely injured man suffered burns to his arms and feet and was treated at a nearby hospital. A pregnant woman was taken to the hospital as a precaution and ... | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 1996-07-14 | LightningBarrington, Strafford County Three people received electrical shocks while playing electrical instruments during a thunderstorm when lightning struck nearby. The three were inside the main building of a camp and were transported to an area hospital. | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2005-06-29 | LightningMiddleton Corners, Strafford County A 14-year-old boy was injured while playing video games on his television when lightning struck outside near the home. The lightning apparently traveled through wires into the home. The boy suffered burns to his hands and feet and was transported to a nearby hospital where he spent the night as a precaution. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2005-06-29 | LightningRochester, Strafford County A trucking company employee was struck by lightning while delivering waste to a landfill. The man was in the process of cranking a metal sky wheel to remove the nylon cover of the truck bed at the time. The man was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2004-05-15 | LightningDover, Strafford County A Dover woman was seriously injured when she was struck by lightning while she walked her dog in the family's back yard. After the strike, the woman was left unconscious, not breathing, and without a pulse. Her husband was able to revive her with CPR, and she was taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-08-02 | Thunderstorm WindNew Hampshie, Strafford County | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 1998-01-07 | Ice StormStrafford County · forecast zone Strafford | 0 | 0 | $5.1M | |
| 1996-10-20 | Flash FloodCountywide, Strafford County | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | |
| 2006-05-13 | FloodCountywide, Strafford County | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 1998-06-13 | Flash FloodCountywide, Strafford County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 1996-01-12 | Heavy SnowStrafford County · forecast zone Strafford | 0 | 1 | $753K | |
| 2010-03-14 | FloodBellamy, Strafford County | 0 | 0 | $472K | |
| 2005-10-08 | FloodStrafford County · forecast zone Strafford | 0 | 0 | $302K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 22, 1981 (tornado, Strafford 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 Strafford 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 | 82 | 50 | 27 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 15 | 27 | 47 | 24 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 43 | 16 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 29 | 4 | 1 |
| Lightning | – | – | – | – | 6 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 9 | 6 | 4 |
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 winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 75 · Feb 57 · Mar 52 · Apr 17 · May 25 · Jun 82 · Jul 91 · Aug 42 · Sep 20 · Oct 22 · Nov 19 · Dec 56 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Strafford County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Strafford County: 15 major disasters, 10 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (9) and snowstorm (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-03 | DR-4516 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3445 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-06-08 | DR-4371 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 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 |
| 2011-11-01 | EM-3344 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm |
| 2011-09-03 | DR-4026 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Irene |
| 2011-08-27 | EM-3333 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 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 |
| 2008-08-11 | DR-1782 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornado, and Flooding |
| 2007-04-27 | DR-1695 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2006-05-25 | DR-1643 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-19 | EM-3258 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-03-30 | EM-3207 | Snowstorm | Record and/Or Near Record Snow |
| 2003-03-11 | EM-3177 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2001-03-28 | EM-3166 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 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 |
| 1987-04-16 | DR-789 | 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 Strafford County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 26 flood or flash flood records for Strafford County from 1996 to 2022, on 21 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Strafford County ranks 1144th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.3 million on 137 claims filed in Strafford County; the most in one year was 39 in 2006. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 5 · 1979: 1 · 1983: 2 · 1984: 2 · 1987: 5 · 1988: 2 · 1993: 2 · 1996: 14 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 3 · 1999: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 39 · 2007: 30 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 15 · 2011: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 2; 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 Strafford County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Strafford County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $29.1 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 | Relatively High | $951K | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $21M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $715K | 20 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $509K | 4.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.6M | once in about 485 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $1.5M | once in about 8 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $442K | 3.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $75K | 19 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 Strafford 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
- Winter storms in New HampshireThe state's winter storm records, 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 Strafford CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Strafford County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis