Windsor County, Vermont
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 50027 · population 57,706 · 969 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 727 records for Windsor County, Vermont from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 532 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (299 records). 395 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 January 7, 2000 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Windsor, which covers the county: 1 death, 2 injuries and $86,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 27 declarations naming the county since 1969, 25 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Tropical Depression Debby” on August 8, 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
- 727on 532 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 53 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $222Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 5strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 27latest 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 Windsor County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 299 since 1996. 48% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. 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 | 299 | 272 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 2 | $7.3M | 12 of 13 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 196 | 106 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 1 | $3.3M | 12 of 13 |
| Floods | 65 | 49 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $206M | 11 of 13 |
| Hail | 64 | 41 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 0 | $21K | 9 of 13 |
| High wind and dust storms | 44 | 40 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 13 of 13 |
| Extreme cold | 33 | 28 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 13 of 13 |
| Heat | 8 | 7 | 2006-2025 | 1 | 0 | $1.3M | 11 of 13 |
| Lightning | 7 | 7 | 2000-2007 | 1 | 0 | $213K | 6 of 13 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 5 | 2002-2009 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 13 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 4 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 0 | $871K | 10 of 13 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 1996-1996 | 0 | 0 | $19K | 12 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 Windsor County had?
NOAA records 5 tornadoes in Windsor County from 1955 to 2026, the strongest rated F2, 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 4 tornadoes whose track touched Windsor County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 5: 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 Windsor County (5)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Bridgewater, Windsor County | EF1 1.27 mi x 550 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 1966-08-11 | Windsor County | F2 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-07-09 | Windsor County | F2 4.7 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1962-07-09 | Windsor County | F2 7.6 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1955-10-24 | Windsor County | F2 1 mi x 33 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 Windsor County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 18, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($25,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Several uprooted trees and damage to large tree limbs along the Quechee Club golf course near and south of Lake Pinneo Beach. Survey determined it was a likely microburst.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1334009)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindQuechee, Windsor County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindHartford, Windsor County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2026-06-18 | TornadoBridgewater, Windsor County | EF1 1.27 mi x 550 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2026-06-06 | HailRochester, Windsor County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-17 | Strong WindWindsor County · forecast zone Eastern Windsor County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-02-20 | Winter StormWindsor County · forecast zone Western Windsor County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-20 | Winter WeatherWindsor County · forecast zone Eastern Windsor County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-10 | Winter WeatherWindsor County · forecast zone Western Windsor County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-10 | Winter WeatherWindsor County · forecast zone Eastern Windsor County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillWindsor County · forecast zone Eastern Windsor County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillWindsor County · forecast zone Western Windsor County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-29 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillWindsor County · forecast zone Eastern Windsor County | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-01-07 | Winter WeatherWindsor County · forecast zone Windsor A cold front moved across the area ushering in colder air. Periods of wet snow accompanied the front with falling temperatures. Roads became very slick with numerous accidents reported. Accidents on I-91 resulted in closure of portions of that interstate around Ascutney. One death resulted of a young boy and serious ... | 1 | 2 | $86K | |
| 2023-07-10 | Flash FloodChester, Windsor County Training showers and thunderstorms with heavy rainfall affected this area between the early morning and early to mid afternoon on July 10. Observations and radar estimates show 3 to 7 inches of rainfall occurred, with localized totals to 8 inches. Severe to devastating flash flooding occurred in several towns during ... | 1 | 0 | $24M | |
| 2016-11-29 | Winter WeatherWindsor County · forecast zone Windsor Numerous vehicle accidents due to icy roads. Ice accumulation less than one tenth of an inch. A accident between a vehicle and a tractor-trailer resulted in a fatality of the driver of the vehicle. | 1 | 0 | $31K | |
| 2011-07-21 | HeatWindsor County · forecast zone Windsor A portion of the heat ridge that brought record setting heat across much of the eastern two-thirds of the lower 48 states, delivered record heat as well as oppressive dew points to portions of Vermont on July 21st. This was the 2nd day of a three to four day heat wave across a large portion of Vermont. Maximum ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2002-07-04 | LightningWoodstock, Windsor County As a thunderstorm was ending near Quechee, Vermont, a male in his late 30's was struck by the final lightning bolt of a thunderstorm. The bolt struck the individual's tent. Initially, after the strike, the individual reportedly spoke, then lapsed into unconsciousness followed by cardiac arrest and death. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2003-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindCavendish, Windsor County An area of low pressure moved from eastern New York into New England Monday night. Rapidly moving thunderstorms associated with this system resulted in a transport down to the surface of strong upper level winds with damage in the towns of Cavendish and Chester. In the town of Cavendish, a path of tree damage ... | 100 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $160K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-08-28 | Flash FloodGoulds Mill, Windsor County | 0 | 0 | $138M | |
| 2011-08-28 | FloodPompanoosuc, Windsor County | 0 | 0 | $30M | |
| 2023-07-10 | Flash FloodChester, Windsor County | 1 | 0 | $24M | |
| 2017-07-01 | Flash FloodStockbridge, Windsor County | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | |
| 1998-06-27 | Flash FloodNorth Portion, Windsor County | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 1996-01-19 | FloodWindsor County · forecast zone Windsor | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 2010-02-23 | Winter StormWindsor County · forecast zone Windsor | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2000-07-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Windsor County | 0 | 0 | $857K |
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: October 24, 1955 (tornado, Windsor County); July 9, 1962 (tornado, Windsor County); August 11, 1966 (tornado, Windsor 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 Windsor 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 | – | – | – | – | 42 | 120 | 61 | 76 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 43 | 35 | 63 | 37 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 11 | 20 | 24 | 10 |
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 24 | 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 13 | 15 | 13 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 13 | 4 | 14 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
48% 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 103 · Feb 88 · Mar 62 · Apr 22 · May 55 · Jun 65 · Jul 133 · Aug 58 · Sep 24 · Oct 19 · Nov 23 · Dec 75 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Windsor County
FEMA's register lists 27 declarations that include Windsor County: 21 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (11) and flood (9).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2019-06-14 | DR-4445 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2017-08-16 | DR-4330 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2015-02-03 | DR-4207 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2001-04-10 | EM-3167 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 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 |
| 1976-08-05 | DR-518 | Flood | Severe Storms, High Winds & Flooding |
| 1973-07-06 | DR-397 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, & Landslides |
| 1969-08-30 | DR-277 | 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 Windsor County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 65 flood or flash flood records for Windsor County from 1996 to 2025, on 49 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Windsor County ranks 494th 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 $24.9 million on 511 claims filed in Windsor County; the most in one year was 262 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 9 · 1980: 2 · 1981: 7 · 1984: 3 · 1987: 4 · 1989: 1 · 1992: 7 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 7 · 1998: 4 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 3 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 2 · 2003: 2 · 2005: 3 · 2006: 5 · 2007: 6 · 2008: 3 · 2009: 4 · 2010: 3 · 2011: 262 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 5 · 2014: 4 · 2017: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 8 · 2021: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 141 · 2024: 3; 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 Windsor County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Windsor County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $25.1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $67K | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $19M | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $187K | 20 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $256K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $483K | 21 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $880K | once in about 19 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $1.0M | 1.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.3M | 3.1 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 Windsor 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 Windsor CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Windsor County's FEMA declarations (CSV)27 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis