State profile · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Connecticut Natural Disasters
Connecticut has one of the lighter federal disaster records in the country. 43 FEMA disaster declarations are on record, led by hurricane, with $81.3M in combined property and crop damage. A light count doesn't mean zero risk, just fewer events that crossed the federal declaration threshold. NOAA storm event data shows 2,622 recorded weather events resulting in 16 fatalities, figures the state uses to prioritize disaster-preparedness planning.
- 43
- FEMA declarations
- 2,622
- NOAA storm events
- 16
- Storm fatalities
- $81.3M
- Property + crop damage
How does Connecticut compare?
Connecticut vs. every U.S. state
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
43 19th percentile higher than 19% of 59 states and territories
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states and territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-03
Do more storms mean more federal disasters?
Connecticut sits at the 13th percentile of FEMA declaration volume and the 13th percentile of NOAA storm-event volume among 55 states and territories, those two ranks are not interchangeable.
FEMA declaration rank vs NOAA storm-event rank
Read the chart, every state as text
Percentiles are within this release's state/territory sample. Raw counts are the underlying FEMA and NOAA totals.
| State | FEMA decls | FEMA %ile | NOAA storms | NOAA %ile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 396 | 98 | 23,694 | 93 |
| Texas | 389 | 96 | 53,309 | 98 |
| Oklahoma | 258 | 95 | 23,896 | 95 |
| Washington | 215 | 93 | 4,408 | 22 |
| Florida | 188 | 91 | 12,838 | 55 |
| Oregon | 169 | 89 | 3,695 | 20 |
| New Mexico | 126 | 87 | 10,974 | 45 |
| Arizona | 120 | 85 | 9,541 | 38 |
| New York | 118 | 84 | 21,653 | 82 |
| Montana | 112 | 82 | 13,576 | 56 |
| Colorado | 111 | 78 | 18,340 | 73 |
| Louisiana | 111 | 78 | 11,204 | 47 |
| Nevada | 110 | 76 | 4,534 | 24 |
| Alabama | 102 | 75 | 14,583 | 64 |
| Kentucky | 98 | 71 | 19,947 | 78 |
| Mississippi | 98 | 71 | 14,100 | 62 |
| Tennessee | 97 | 69 | 16,645 | 69 |
| South Dakota | 96 | 67 | 22,759 | 87 |
| Alaska | 94 | 64 | 2,683 | 15 |
| Kansas | 94 | 64 | 25,115 | 96 |
| Arkansas | 87 | 60 | 13,637 | 58 |
| Nebraska | 87 | 60 | 20,136 | 80 |
| Missouri | 86 | 58 | 22,952 | 89 |
| North Carolina | 85 | 56 | 16,367 | 67 |
| West Virginia | 84 | 55 | 12,026 | 49 |
| Georgia | 81 | 51 | 16,676 | 71 |
| Minnesota | 81 | 51 | 19,109 | 75 |
| Iowa | 78 | 49 | 21,883 | 84 |
| Virginia | 77 | 47 | 23,584 | 91 |
| North Dakota | 75 | 45 | 10,818 | 44 |
| Hawaii | 72 | 44 | 6,200 | 31 |
| Maine | 71 | 42 | 4,781 | 27 |
| Illinois | 68 | 40 | 22,088 | 85 |
| Pennsylvania | 64 | 38 | 19,427 | 76 |
| New Hampshire | 63 | 36 | 2,547 | 11 |
| Vermont | 62 | 35 | 3,449 | 18 |
| Idaho | 60 | 31 | 5,142 | 29 |
| Ohio | 60 | 31 | 16,184 | 65 |
| Massachusetts | 59 | 25 | 6,781 | 33 |
| New Jersey | 59 | 25 | 8,218 | 35 |
| Utah | 59 | 25 | 4,578 | 25 |
| Wisconsin | 56 | 24 | 13,807 | 60 |
| Indiana | 54 | 22 | 12,687 | 53 |
| Puerto Rico | 51 | 18 | 2,944 | 16 |
| South Carolina | 51 | 18 | 10,520 | 42 |
| Michigan | 46 | 16 | 9,052 | 36 |
| Wyoming | 45 | 15 | 12,494 | 51 |
| Connecticut | 43 | 13 | 2,622 | 13 |
| Maryland | 38 | 11 | 10,290 | 40 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 33 | 9 | 88 | 0 |
| Rhode Island | 31 | 7 | 924 | 7 |
| Delaware | 26 | 5 | 1,475 | 9 |
| Guam | 25 | 4 | 258 | 2 |
| District of Columbia | 24 | 2 | 452 | 5 |
| American Samoa | 17 | 0 | 292 | 4 |
What shapes Connecticut's record?
FEMA declaration types in Connecticut
Wider bars = more declarations of that incident type
- Hurricane
Hurricane
14 declarations
- Severe Storm
Severe Storm
12 declarations
- Snowstorm
Snowstorm
8 declarations
- Flood 3
Flood
3 declarations
- Tornado 3
Tornado
3 declarations
- Biological 2
Biological
2 declarations
- Fire 1
Fire
1 declarations
What this shows Hurricane leads Connecticut's FEMA declaration mix with 14 records among the types shown.
NOAA storm events by year
Reported severe-weather events in Connecticut, 2015–2025 catalog window.
Peak year in this series: 2018 (335 events). Counts are reported events, not a complete census.
Historical Activity Index
Moderate historical activity
Connecticut · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite mixing OpenFEMA declaration totals (1953–present) with NOAA Storm Events (2015–2025), different windows and event definitions, disclosed weights on the methodology page . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
43 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (0.5x state average)
2622 NOAA storm events in the 2015–2025 extract (0.2x median state)
Recorded NOAA property+crop damage in the 2015–2025 extract (0.1x median state)
7 different disaster types declared in Connecticut
What does Connecticut's hazard record show?
Flood exposure & where to dig deeper
Flood exposure is quantified separately through the National Flood Insurance Program. Policyholders across 8Connecticut counties have filed 29,251 NFIP claims totaling $551.9M, or an average of $18.9K per claim. NFIP data captures only insured flood losses, so uninsured flood damage and storm-surge losses outside mapped high-risk zones remain invisible in this figure. Drill into individual counties for localized risk, read FEMA's hazard-specific briefings, and review insurance and flood-zone designations, state-level averages can mask sharp county-to-county differences in exposure and resilience.
NOAA storm events & FEMA National Risk Index
NOAA's Storm Events Database adds the near-term severe-weather lens. Between 2015 and 2025, Connecticut recorded 2,622 individual storm events, causing 16 fatalities and 35 injuries, with combined property and crop damage estimated at $81.3M. The most frequent event types in the state are Thunderstorm Wind (926 events), Flash Flood (328 events), Winter Weather (311 events).
What this count is, and is not. Storm Events is a reported database: NOAA compiles it from National Weather Service offices, trained spotters, law enforcement, and the public. It is a record of what was observed and logged, not a complete census of severe weather. Densely populated areas report more events than sparsely populated ones with similar meteorological exposure, and detection has improved over time, so an event count is not a like-for-like measure of hazard between places or across decades. Damage figures are field estimates, not audited losses. See methodology.
FEMA disaster declarations
Connecticut (CT) has a low level of federal declaration activity, with 43 FEMA declaration records, including 26 Major Disaster declarations (DR). A DR may authorize Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, or both; those program approvals are not implied by the DR count. The dominant declaration type is Hurricane, followed by Severe Storm (12), Snowstorm (8), Flood (3). Declaration counts at the state level reflect the cumulative federal footprint: large multi-county events count once per state, but repeat hazard patterns across decades are visible in the breakdown below.
Disaster Types in Connecticut
Storm Events by Type
NOAA storm event data for Connecticut (2015-2025).
| Event Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 926 | 7 | 13 | $9.0M |
| Flash Flood | 328 | 3 | 0 | $9.3M |
| Winter Weather | 311 | 1 | 3 | $162.7K |
| Heavy Snow | 157 | 0 | 0 | $53.0K |
| Strong Wind | 142 | 1 | 2 | $2.3M |
| High Wind | 118 | 1 | 3 | $2.5M |
| Winter Storm | 113 | 1 | 1 | $48.0K |
| Hail | 104 | 0 | 0 | $75.0K |
| Flood | 77 | 1 | 0 | $808.0K |
| Heat | 71 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Lightning | 44 | 0 | 13 | $1.3M |
| Drought | 44 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Tornado | 31 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| Cold/Wind Chill | 29 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Excessive Heat | 24 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Tropical Storm | 22 | 1 | 0 | $54.3M |
| Coastal Flood | 21 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Blizzard | 21 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | 17 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Frost/Freeze | 7 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
Storm Events by Year
| Year | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 207 | 0 | 4 | $222.4K |
| 2024 | 288 | 4 | 7 | $1.2M |
| 2023 | 240 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
| 2022 | 190 | 0 | 2 | $185.5K |
| 2021 | 303 | 1 | 2 | $7.7M |
| 2020 | 238 | 1 | 1 | $56.4M |
| 2019 | 240 | 3 | 2 | $803.0K |
| 2018 | 335 | 3 | 6 | $7.9M |
| 2017 | 201 | 2 | 4 | $1.4M |
| 2016 | 210 | 0 | 4 | $1.7M |
| 2015 | 170 | 2 | 3 | $1.5M |
FEMA Disaster Declarations
How the 43 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download all 43 declarations as CSV . Source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
43 unique disaster declarations in Connecticut.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5542 | HAWTHORNE FIRE | FM | Fire | 2024-10-24 |
| 4820 | SEVERE STORM, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES | DR | Severe Storm | 2024-09-20 |
| 3612 | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES | EM | Severe Storm | 2024-08-21 |
| 3604 | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND A POTENTIAL DAM BREACH | EM | Severe Storm | 2024-01-13 |
| 4629 | REMNANTS OF HURRICANE IDA | DR | Hurricane | 2021-10-30 |
| 3564 | HURRICANE HENRI | EM | Hurricane | 2021-08-22 |
| 4580 | TROPICAL STORM ISAIAS | DR | Hurricane | 2021-01-12 |
| 3535 | TROPICAL STORM ISAIAS | EM | Hurricane | 2020-08-06 |
| 4500 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-28 |
| 3439 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4410 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2018-12-05 |
| 4385 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR | Tornado | 2018-08-20 |
| 4213 | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM | DR | Severe Storm | 2015-04-08 |
| 4106 | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM | DR | Severe Storm | 2013-03-21 |
| 3361 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM | Severe Storm | 2013-02-10 |
| 4087 | HURRICANE SANDY | DR | Hurricane | 2012-10-30 |
| 3353 | HURRICANE SANDY | EM | Hurricane | 2012-10-28 |
| 4046 | SEVERE STORM | DR | Severe Storm | 2011-11-17 |
| 3342 | SEVERE STORM | EM | Severe Storm | 2011-10-31 |
| 4023 | TROPICAL STORM IRENE | DR | Hurricane | 2011-09-02 |
| 3331 | HURRICANE IRENE | EM | Hurricane | 2011-08-27 |
| 1958 | SNOWSTORM | DR | Snowstorm | 2011-03-03 |
| 1904 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2010-04-23 |
| 1700 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2007-05-11 |
| 3266 | SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2006-05-02 |
| 1619 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2005-12-16 |
| 3246 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-13 |
| 3200 | RECORD SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2005-02-17 |
| 3192 | SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2004-01-15 |
| 3176 | SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2003-03-11 |
| 1302 | HURRICANE FLOYD | DR | Hurricane | 1999-09-23 |
| 1092 | BLIZZARD 0F 96 | DR | Snowstorm | 1996-01-24 |
| 3098 | SEVERE WINDS & BLIZZARD, RECORD SNOWFALL | EM | Snowstorm | 1993-03-16 |
| 972 | WINTER STORM & COASTAL FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1992-12-17 |
| 916 | HURRICANE BOB | DR | Hurricane | 1991-08-30 |
| 837 | SEVERE STORMS & TORNADOES | DR | Tornado | 1989-07-17 |
| 747 | HURRICANE GLORIA | DR | Hurricane | 1985-10-11 |
| 711 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1984-06-18 |
| 661 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1982-06-14 |
| 608 | TORNADO & SEVERE STORMS | DR | Tornado | 1979-10-04 |
| 3060 | BLIZZARD & SNOWSTORMS | EM | Snowstorm | 1978-02-07 |
| 42 | HURRICANE, TORRENTIAL RAIN & FLOODS | DR | Hurricane | 1955-08-20 |
| 25 | HURRICANES | DR | Hurricane | 1954-09-17 |
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
National Flood Insurance Program claims across Connecticut from FEMA NFIP data.
Total Claims
29,251
Total Paid
$551.9M
Avg Per Claim
$18.9K
Counties With Claims
8
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
Counties in Connecticut
8 counties with FEMA disaster data.
| # | County | Disasters | Major |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Haven County | 36 | 20 |
| 2 | Fairfield County | 33 | 18 |
| 3 | Litchfield County | 31 | 17 |
| 4 | Hartford County | 30 | 15 |
| 5 | New London County | 30 | 16 |
| 6 | Windham County | 28 | 14 |
| 7 | Middlesex County | 28 | 16 |
| 8 | Tolland County | 28 | 14 |
All 8 counties in Connecticut are listed above.
Disaster Preparedness Guides
Learn more about natural disaster risk, preparedness, and data interpretation.
Preparing for Natural Disasters
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Hazard Risk by Region
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Climate Change & Disasters
How climate trends are changing the frequency and severity of natural disasters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What natural disasters affect Connecticut?
How many FEMA disaster declarations has Connecticut had?
What severe weather events are most common in Connecticut?
How active is Connecticut's federal disaster declaration record?
How many flood insurance claims has Connecticut had?
Which counties in Connecticut have the most disaster declarations?
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025) FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025) For informational purposes only
What this means for Connecticut
New Haven alone accounts for 84% of Connecticut's FEMA disaster declarations, out of 8 counties tracked statewide.
- The declaration record is uneven within the state: New Haven and Fairfield carry the most FEMA declarations. Browse counties
- See how Connecticut ranks against other states for disaster frequency and damage. State rankings
- Learn what FEMA declarations, NRI risk scores, and damage figures do and don't tell you. Disaster-data guide
Historical declaration counts and damage totals describe past federal response, not a forecast. For current threats, follow the National Weather Service and local officials; in an emergency call 911.
PlainHazard derives this presentation from FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries. Its county comparison covers 3,266 U.S. counties and county equivalents in this database, refreshed as of 2026-08-03. Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Verify with FEMA → · Verify with FEMA NRI → · Verify with NOAA →
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, the data & editorial changelog, or report a data error.