Washington County, Rhode Island
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 44009 · population 129,802 · 329 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 441 records for Washington County, Rhode Island from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 314 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (170 records). 310 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 28, 2008 high surf, filed for the forecast zone Washington, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1978, 22 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
- 441on 314 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 57 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $49Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 25latest 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 Washington County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 170 since 1996. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 170 | 143 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 1 | $843K | 3 of 4 |
| Winter storms | 87 | 74 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $354K | 4 of 4 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 51 | 37 | 1959-2023 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 4 of 4 |
| Floods | 48 | 33 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 1 | $45M | 4 of 4 |
| Hail | 27 | 20 | 1995-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 4 |
| Heavy rain | 19 | 19 | 1996-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 4 |
| Drought | 8 | 4 | 2012-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 4 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 8 | 5 | 2011-2021 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 3 of 4 |
| Lightning | 8 | 8 | 2001-2023 | 1 | 1 | $69K | 4 of 4 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 6 | 5 | 2003-2023 | 4 | 1 | – | 2 of 4 |
| Heat | 4 | 2 | 2010-2025 | 0 | 3 | – | 4 of 4 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 2 | 2012-2021 | 0 | 0 | $173K | 4 of 4 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1996-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 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 Washington County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Washington County from 2012 to 2021, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 0 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 3 tornadoes whose track touched Washington County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 3, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Every tornado record filed for Washington County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-11-13 | White Rock, Washington County | EF1 1.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $54K |
| 2021-11-13 | La Fayette, Washington County | EF0 1.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $54K |
| 2012-08-10 | Block Is, Washington County | EF0 3.83 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $64K |
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 Washington County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2025 excessive heat (3 injuries).
The closest climate site at T.F. Green Airport (KPVD) beat both its daily record and it's all time June high temperature record with 100F. Three beachgoers were taken to the hospital with heat related injuries in Narragansett.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1256852)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-22 | BlizzardWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | BlizzardWashington County · forecast zone Block Island | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-06 | Heavy SnowWashington County · forecast zone Block Island | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-06 | Heavy SnowWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Heavy SnowWashington County · forecast zone Block Island | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Heavy SnowWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-19 | High WindWashington County · forecast zone Block Island | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-22 | Excessive HeatWashington County · forecast zone Block Island | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2025-03-07 | Strong WindWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2025-03-07 | High WindWashington County · forecast zone Block Island | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-07-27 | Rip CurrentWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-11-13 | TornadoWhite Rock, Washington County | EF1 1.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $54K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-09-28 | High SurfWashington County · forecast zone Washington A newly married couple went to Black Point in Narragansett to watch and photograph the waves churned up by Hurricane Kyle. A wave swept the wife off the rocks, pulling her into the water. Her husband jumped into the water to save her. Both drowned. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2004-08-11 | LightningNarragansett Pier, Washington County Two men were struck by lightning from an early morning thunderstorm while fishing at East Matunuck State Beach in Narragansett. They were trying to find shelter when they were hit, according to media reports. One man, who initially was in critical condition, succumbed to his injuries a couple of days later. The other ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2023-07-27 | Rip CurrentWashington County · forecast zone Washington Fifteen year old Jaimer Ico Gregorio from New London, Connecticut, was with his family at Dunes Park Beach in Westerly, Rhode Island, Thursday night when he went under the water and never resurfaced. There were no lifeguards on duty at the time. A search was launched on the evening of the 27th but his body was not ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2003-09-18 | High SurfWashington County · forecast zone Washington A 67-year old man drowned off the coast of Narragansett. High surf associated with Hurricane Isabel caused him to lose his footing near Black Point, sweeping him into the water. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-22 | Excessive HeatWashington County · forecast zone Block Island The closest climate site at T.F. Green Airport (KPVD) beat both its daily record and it's all time June high temperature record with 100F. Three beachgoers were taken to the hospital with heat related injuries in Narragansett. | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindWashington County · forecast zone Washington A Citizens Weather Observing Program observer in Westerly reported sustained winds of 64 mph and a wind gust of 86 mph. The Automated Surface Observing System at Westerly State Airport recorded wind gusts of 69 mph. Amateur radio reported the membrane of a roof blown off a building in North Kingstown. Numerous trees ... | 75 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $96K |
| 2010-10-02 | Rip CurrentWashington County · forecast zone Washington Three men were quickly pulled out to sea by rip currents at East Matanuck. Two of the men were able to swim out of the rip current and back to shore. Another man, a University of Rhode Island student, was in the water and swam out to help the drowning man to shore. With the help of his body board he was able to pull ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2010-03-29 | FloodEscoheag, Washington County Five to ten inches of rain fell across Washington County, resulting in rises on the Pawcatuck River at Westerly and at Wood River Junction. The Pawcatuck River set a record of nearly fifteen and a half feet at Westerly and just over eleven feet at Wood River Junction. The Pawcatuck River overflowed its banks in ... | 0 | 1 | $34M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-03-29 | FloodEscoheag, Washington County | 0 | 1 | $34M | |
| 2012-10-29 | Coastal FloodWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | $6.0M | |
| 2012-10-29 | Coastal FloodWashington County · forecast zone Block Island | 0 | 0 | $4.0M | |
| 1996-08-24 | Thunderstorm WindBlock Island, Washington County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2021-08-22 | Tropical StormWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 1998-02-18 | Flash FloodSoutheast Portion, Washington County | 0 | 0 | $724K | |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 75 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $96K |
| 2012-08-10 | TornadoBlock Is, Washington County | EF0 3.83 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $64K |
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 Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 45 | 25 | 65 | 35 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 21 | 42 | 14 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 18 | 15 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 19 | 16 | 10 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Washington County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 56 · Feb 55 · Mar 54 · Apr 26 · May 10 · Jun 20 · Jul 44 · Aug 33 · Sep 22 · Oct 44 · Nov 33 · Dec 44 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Washington County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Washington County: 13 major disasters, 11 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for hurricane (8) and snowstorm (7).
| 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 |
| 2023-04-14 | FM-5464 | Fire | Queens River Fire |
| 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 |
| 2003-03-27 | EM-3182 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1996-01-24 | DR-1091 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3102 | Snowstorm | Blizzards, High Winds & Record Snowfall |
| 1992-09-16 | EM-3094 | Toxic Substances | Water Contamination |
| 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 Washington County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 48 flood or flash flood records for Washington County from 1997 to 2024, on 33 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Washington County ranks 166th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Henri | 2021-08-22 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-29 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $51.9 million on 2,399 claims filed in Washington County; the most in one year was 857 in 2012. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 65 · 1979: 13 · 1980: 16 · 1982: 52 · 1983: 14 · 1984: 10 · 1985: 53 · 1986: 2 · 1987: 7 · 1988: 6 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1991: 331 · 1992: 74 · 1993: 43 · 1994: 26 · 1995: 4 · 1996: 7 · 1997: 6 · 1998: 37 · 1999: 9 · 2000: 9 · 2001: 14 · 2002: 5 · 2003: 5 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 65 · 2006: 5 · 2007: 55 · 2008: 4 · 2009: 16 · 2010: 422 · 2011: 52 · 2012: 857 · 2013: 8 · 2014: 8 · 2015: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 5 · 2019: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 16 · 2022: 10 · 2023: 14 · 2024: 39 · 2026: 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 Washington County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Washington County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $31.7 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 | $3.5M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $2.3M | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $22M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $310K | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $561K | 21 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $921K | once in about 898 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $419K | 3.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $124K | 3.4 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Washington County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- High wind and dust storms in Rhode IslandThe state's high wind and dust 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 Washington CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Washington County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis