Connecticut winter storms
Every recorded winter storm record since 1996 · 8 counties with a record
NOAA's Storm Events Database records 1,461 winter storm records in Connecticut from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 49 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the January 6, 2009 ice storm in New Haven County: 2 deaths and 4 injuries across 2 records. Connecticut ranks 44th of 51 states and territories by count and 7th of 50 per square mile.
Winter storms in Connecticut, 1996 to 2026
Winter storm records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $1 million
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- Records
- 1,4611996 to June 30, 2026
- A year since 2000
- 49average
- Deaths
- 955 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $57Mas filed
- Busiest year
- 201899 records
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
Are winter storm records common in Connecticut?
Connecticut averages about 49 winter storm records a year since 2000, 44th of 51 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2018 (99). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Connecticut records 3017 winter storm records since 1996, 7th of 50 states and territories by that measure.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.
When is winter storm season in Connecticut?
57% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The busiest month is February (420 records).
The values, month by month
Jan 416 · Feb 420 · Mar 253 · Apr 44 · May 0 · Jun 0 · Jul 0 · Aug 0 · Sep 0 · Oct 15 · Nov 54 · Dec 259 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.
What were the deadliest winter storm records in Connecticut?
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-01-06 | Ice StormNew Haven County · forecast zone Northern New Haven One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. The combination of a weak high retreating over the northeast and deepening low pressure over the Great Lakes resulted in a significant accumulation of ice across interior portions of southern Connecticut from the evening of January 6 into the afternoon of January 7. A warm front extending east from the developing low ... | 2 | 4 | – | |
| 2019-01-19 | Winter StormMiddlesex County · forecast zone Northern Middlesex One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. Deepening low pressure tracking from the southeast United States on Saturday January 19, 2019 to the northeast on Sunday January 20, 2019. An arctic air mass was located across New England as the storm system approached the region. A warm front associated with the low moved north along the coast early on the morning ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2015-01-18 | Winter WeatherNew Haven County · forecast zone Southern New Haven Freezing rain led to widespread motor vehicle accidents, including 1 fatality, and numerous falls and injuries. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-10-29 | Heavy SnowTolland County · forecast zone Tolland One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. A rare and historic October Nor'easter brought very heavy snow to portions of southern New England on Saturday October 29. Low pressure tracked northeast from the North Carolina coast Saturday morning, rapidly strengthening as it passed well south of Nantucket Saturday evening. As the storm intensified, colder air ... | 1 | 0 | $14M | |
| 2011-02-17 | Winter WeatherFairfield County · forecast zone Southern Fairfield Eighty four year old Ada Eads was found dead of hypothermia or exposure to the cold weather on High Point Road in Westport Connecticut on Thursday morning around 8:00 am by trash collectors. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | BlizzardLitchfield County · forecast zone Southern Litchfield One storm episode: 2 records; the totals are the episode's. A highly anticipated, highly impactful Nor'easter struck northwest Connecticut on the evening of Sunday, February 22 through the afternoon of Monday, February 23, 2026. Tracking along the East Coast and rapidly intensifying as it approached the 40 latitude/70 longitude benchmark, this system quickly gained national ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1997-12-10 | Winter WeatherFairfield County · forecast zone Southern Fairfield With cold air in place, a low pressure system developed off the Mid-Atlantic Coast during the late afternoon and evening. The low intensified as it moved east-northeast away from the area overnight.The heaviest snow, which fell from 3 pm to 9 pm on December 10th, made driving and walking hazardous. A man was struck by ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2005-01-23 | Winter StormLitchfield County · forecast zone Northern Litchfield | 1 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.
The costliest winter storm records in Connecticut
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-10-29 | Heavy SnowTolland County · forecast zone Tolland One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. | 1 | 0 | $14M | |
| 1996-12-07 | Heavy SnowHartford County · forecast zone Hartford One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. | 0 | 0 | $11M | |
| 2001-03-05 | Heavy SnowHartford County · forecast zone Hartford | 0 | 0 | $8.3M | |
| 2011-02-01 | Winter StormHartford County · forecast zone Hartford One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. | 0 | 0 | $5.1M | |
| 2011-02-01 | Ice StormNew Haven County · forecast zone Southern New Haven One storm episode: 2 records; the totals are the episode's. | 0 | 0 | $4.6M | |
| 2002-11-16 | Ice StormHartford County · forecast zone Hartford One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. | 0 | 0 | $4.1M | |
| 2001-03-09 | Heavy SnowHartford County · forecast zone Hartford | 0 | 0 | $3.3M | |
| 1997-04-01 | Heavy SnowHartford County · forecast zone Hartford One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. | 0 | 0 | $1.8M |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.
Are winter storm records becoming more frequent in Connecticut?
Connecticut's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.
| Decade | Connecticut | United States | Connecticut's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-99 | 146 | 32,893 | 0.44% |
| 2000s | 405 | 88,805 | 0.46% |
| 2010s | 617 | 103,626 | 0.60% |
| 2020-26 | 293 | 62,015 | 0.47% |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
The most recent winter storm records in Connecticut
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-23 | BlizzardNew London County · forecast zone Southern New London | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-23 | BlizzardMiddlesex County · forecast zone Southern Middlesex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-23 | BlizzardNew Haven County · forecast zone Southern New Haven | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-23 | BlizzardFairfield County · forecast zone Southern Fairfield | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-23 | BlizzardFairfield County · forecast zone Northern Fairfield | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | BlizzardLitchfield County · forecast zone Northern Litchfield | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | BlizzardLitchfield County · forecast zone Southern Litchfield | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | Heavy SnowNew London County · forecast zone Northern New London | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | Heavy SnowMiddlesex County · forecast zone Northern Middlesex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | Heavy SnowNew Haven County · forecast zone Northern New Haven | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | Heavy SnowWindham County · forecast zone Windham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | Heavy SnowTolland County · forecast zone Tolland | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.
Federal disaster declarations for winter storm records in Connecticut
FEMA has declared 12 disasters in Connecticut for winter storm, counting its incident type and declarations that name snow or winter storm or ice storm or blizzard in the title (FEMA files most storm disasters under Severe Storm); 5 were major disasters, the latest on April 8, 2015.
| Declared | Number | Title | Areas named |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-04-08 | DR-4213 | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm | 4 |
| 2013-03-21 | DR-4106 | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm | 9 |
| 2013-02-10 | EM-3361 | Severe Winter Storm | 9 |
| 2011-03-03 | DR-1958 | Snowstorm | 8 |
| 2006-05-02 | EM-3266 | Snow | 5 |
| 2005-02-17 | EM-3200 | Record Snow | 8 |
| 2004-01-15 | EM-3192 | Snow | 7 |
| 2003-03-11 | EM-3176 | Snow | 8 |
| 1996-01-24 | DR-1092 | Blizzard 0f 96 | 8 |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3098 | Severe Winds & Blizzard, Record Snowfall | 8 |
| 1992-12-17 | DR-972 | Winter Storm & Coastal Flooding | 3 |
| 1978-02-07 | EM-3060 | Blizzard & Snowstorms | 8 |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), through October 2, 2026. OpenFEMA dataset page.