Washington County, Vermont
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 50023 · population 59,777 · 687 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 748 records for Washington County, Vermont from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 588 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (317 records). 414 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 12, 1996 lightning: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 33 declarations naming the county since 1973, 31 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
- 748on 588 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 47 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $262Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- FEMA declarations
- 33latest 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 winter storm records: 317 since 1996. 47% 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 | 317 | 317 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 3 | $6.1M | 4 of 13 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 179 | 103 | 1964-2026 | 0 | 1 | $2.4M | 5 of 13 |
| Floods | 84 | 66 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $250M | 3 of 13 |
| Hail | 64 | 36 | 1961-2025 | 0 | 0 | $137K | 7 of 13 |
| High wind and dust storms | 50 | 50 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | 8 of 13 |
| Extreme cold | 30 | 30 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $387K | 8 of 13 |
| Heat | 8 | 8 | 1998-2025 | 1 | 0 | $1.3M | 5 of 13 |
| Lightning | 8 | 7 | 1996-2013 | 1 | 3 | $368K | 4 of 13 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 7 | 2002-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 13 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 1996-1996 | 0 | 0 | $19K | 9 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.
When was the last damaging storm in Washington County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 18, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($25,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindBarre, Washington County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindRiverton, Washington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-03-17 | Strong WindWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-02-20 | Winter WeatherWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-10 | Winter WeatherWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-29 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-14 | Winter WeatherWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-06 | Winter WeatherWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-28 | Winter WeatherWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-06-12 | LightningBarre, Washington County | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2023-07-11 | Flash FloodMontpelier Jct, Washington County Three to seven inches of rain fell during the afternoon/evening of July 10 and into the morning hours on July 11. Severe flash flooding occurred, most notably in the Barre area where the Stevens and Jail Branches of the Winooski River were overwhelmed. A number of homes and businesses were damaged, especially along ... | 1 | 0 | $97M | |
| 2018-07-01 | HeatWashington County · forecast zone Washington High temperatures in the upper 80s to upper 90s with dewpoints in the 60s and 70s created dangerous heat indices in the 95 to 110 degree range between June 30th and July 5th. One fatality was reported when a 67-year-old male died from Hyperthermia in his place of residence in Waterbury. Increased hospitalization ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1997-12-01 | Heavy SnowWashington County · forecast zone Washington An area of low pressure off the Middle Atlantic coast Sunday night (11/30/97) moved to near Cape Cod early Monday (12/01/97) and continued to move northeast thereafter. Snow and freezing rain developed during late Sunday night (11/30/97) and continued in the form of periods of snow Monday (12/01/97) into early Tuesday ... | 1 | 0 | $37K | |
| 1999-11-15 | Winter StormWashington County · forecast zone Washington An area of stationary low pressure over New Brunswick resulted in snow across much of Vermont during Monday, November 15, 1999 and Tuesday, November 16, 1999. The snow accumulations were enhanced by the mountainous terrain of northern Vermont...and thus was considered an elevation snow event. Across the western half ... | 0 | 3 | $27K | |
| 2013-07-04 | LightningBarre, Washington County A report of a 62 year old woman struck by lightning and taken to the hospital for treatment. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2004-11-25 | Thunderstorm WindMarshfield, Washington County A strong cold front moved across Vermont during the early afternoon and was preceded and accompanied by thunderstorms, showers and gusty winds. A few thunderstorms were severe. A severe thunderstorm moved from Marshfield to Cabot with damaging winds. Trees and power lines were blown down. In Cabot, a woman was blown ... | 85 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $31K |
| 1999-06-06 | LightningMontpelier, Washington County A weak trough of low pressure moved across Vermont Sunday evening. Scattered showers and thunderstorms developed along and ahead of this trough. A bolt of lightning struck the ground very close to a lady in the Montpelier, Vermont area. She went to the hospital and was treated for associated injuries. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-07-11 | Flash FloodMontpelier Jct, Washington County | 1 | 0 | $97M | |
| 2011-08-28 | Flash FloodWaterbury Airport, Washington County | 0 | 0 | $82M | |
| 2011-08-28 | FloodCabot, Washington County | 0 | 0 | $23M | |
| 2023-07-10 | Flash FloodRoxbury, Washington County | 0 | 0 | $9.7M | |
| 1998-06-27 | Flash FloodCountywide, Washington County | 0 | 0 | $9.4M | |
| 2011-05-26 | Flash FloodMontpelier Jct, Washington County | 0 | 0 | $6.6M | |
| 2024-07-10 | Flash FloodFairmont Airport, Washington County | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | |
| 2007-07-11 | Flash FloodEast Barre, Washington County | 0 | 0 | $2.1M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 53 | 146 | 61 | 57 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 23 | 34 | 66 | 37 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 12 | 26 | 31 | 15 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 34 | 1 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 22 | 14 | 10 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 4 | 14 | 3 | 9 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
47% 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 104 · Feb 82 · Mar 68 · Apr 30 · May 66 · Jun 68 · Jul 120 · Aug 52 · Sep 16 · Oct 22 · Nov 33 · Dec 87 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Washington County
FEMA's register lists 33 declarations that include Washington County: 28 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (14) and flood (13).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2018-01-02 | 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 |
| 2011-11-08 | DR-4043 | Severe Storm | 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 |
| 2011-06-15 | DR-1995 | 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 |
| 1999-11-10 | DR-1307 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Floyd |
| 1998-06-30 | DR-1228 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1997-07-25 | DR-1184 | Flood | Excessive Rainfall, High Winds, and Flooding |
| 1996-02-13 | DR-1101 | Flood | Ice Jams and Flooding |
| 1995-08-16 | DR-1063 | Severe Storm | Excessive Rainfall, Flooding |
| 1992-03-18 | DR-938 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Ice Jams & Flooding |
| 1990-07-25 | DR-875 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 Washington County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 84 flood or flash flood records for Washington County from 1996 to 2025, on 66 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Washington County ranks 281st 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 $49.8 million on 1,234 claims filed in Washington County; the most in one year was 453 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 18 · 1979: 8 · 1980: 13 · 1981: 28 · 1982: 6 · 1983: 8 · 1984: 21 · 1986: 4 · 1987: 5 · 1989: 10 · 1990: 2 · 1992: 72 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 3 · 1996: 10 · 1997: 3 · 1998: 15 · 2000: 20 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 2 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 22 · 2008: 3 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 453 · 2013: 5 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 28 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 8 · 2021: 1 · 2023: 340 · 2024: 113; 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 $22.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $366K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $275K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $680K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $18M | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $601K | once in about 23 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $637K | 0.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $114K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.0M | 4.3 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 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
- 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 Washington CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Washington County's FEMA declarations (CSV)33 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis