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Vermont high wind and dust storms

Every recorded high wind record since 1996 · 14 counties with a record

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 1,086 high wind and dust records in Vermont from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 39 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the December 21, 2012 strong wind in Chittenden County: 2 deaths and $77,000 in damage in 2025 dollars across 2 records. Vermont ranks 38th of 52 states and territories by count and 7th of 51 per square mile.

High wind and dust storms in Vermont, 1996 to 2026

Wind 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
1,0861996 to June 30, 2026
A year since 2000
39average
Deaths
54 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$44Mas filed
Busiest year
202471 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 high wind and dust records common in Vermont?

Vermont averages about 39 high wind and dust records a year since 2000, 38th of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2024 (71). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Vermont records 1178 high wind and dust records since 1996, 7th of 51 states and territories by that measure.

  1. 1. Rhode Island 7061
  2. 2. New Jersey 4882
  3. 3. Massachusetts 4776
  4. 4. Delaware 3705
  5. 5. Maryland 1330
  6. 6. Connecticut 1301
  7. 7. Vermont 1178
  8. 8. Hawaii 1067
  9. 9. New York 1028
  10. 10. Wyoming 900

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.

Which counties in Vermont have the most high wind and dust records?

Per square mile, Chittenden County leads Vermont: 96 days with a high wind record since 1996, 178.8 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Chittenden County has the most wind records (140 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).

  1. Chittenden County 178.8 (140)
  2. Lamoille County 153.9 (72)
  3. Bennington County 145.3 (104)
  4. Windham County 108.1 (136)
  5. Franklin County 104.6 (106)
  6. Addison County 103.1 (114)
  7. Rutland County 78.4 (112)
  8. Washington County 72.8 (50)
  9. Caledonia County 69.3 (45)
  10. Orleans County 61.9 (43)
  11. Essex County 58.9 (39)
  12. Orange County 52.4 (36)

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.

When is the windy season in Vermont?

Vermont's high wind and dust records by month. The busiest month is February (180 records).

The values, month by month

Jan 148 · Feb 180 · Mar 86 · Apr 88 · May 42 · Jun 13 · Jul 11 · Aug 49 · Sep 47 · Oct 133 · Nov 114 · Dec 175 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.

What were the deadliest high wind and dust records in Vermont?

Vermont: the storms with the most deaths since 1996
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2012-12-21 Strong WindChittenden County · forecast zone Western Chittenden One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. A strong, complex, dual area of low pressure from the Great Lakes to the New Jersey coast on the morning of December 21st eventually lifted north across New York into Quebec by December 22nd. On the front end of the storm, a wintry mix of snow and some sleet accumulated 1 to 3 inches across Vermont with up to 6 inches ... 43 kt wind 2 0 $77K
1999-09-16 High WindOrange County · forecast zone Orange The remnants of Tropical Storm Floyd moved into southern New England Thursday night (9/16/99) and then across eastern New England on Friday, September 17th. Strong winds combined with saturated soils from heavy rain resulted in many trees and power lines being blown down. A death occurred when a tree fell on a mobile ... 1 0 $177K
2022-12-23 High WindRutland County · forecast zone Western Rutland One storm episode: 8 records in 7 places; the totals are the episode's. An extremely powerful winter storm located in the eastern Great Lakes and Ontario delivered strong southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph with frequent gusts of 50-60+ mph during the morning hours to higher elevations, western slopes of the Green mountains and the Champlain valley. The result was numerous to widespread tree ... 48 kt wind 1 0 $2.7M
2004-06-26 Strong WindGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle A cold trough in the upper levels of the atmosphere resulted in micro burst type winds. People reported hearing only one clap of thunder with no lightning. Wind gusts were estimated at 40 to 50 mph. In Isle La Motte, a wedding tent was blown over with flying debris resulting in one death. People described it as a ... 40 kt wind 1 0 $31K

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 high wind and dust records in Vermont

Vermont: the most damaging storms since 1993, 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2007-04-16 High WindRutland County · forecast zone Western Rutland One storm episode: 3 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. 69 kt wind 0 0 $6.7M
2010-12-01 High WindChittenden County · forecast zone Eastern Chittenden One storm episode: 6 records in 5 places; the totals are the episode's. 63 kt wind 0 1 $4.4M
2022-12-23 High WindRutland County · forecast zone Western Rutland One storm episode: 8 records in 7 places; the totals are the episode's. 48 kt wind 1 0 $2.7M
2017-10-30 High WindChittenden County · forecast zone Eastern Chittenden One storm episode: 5 records in 4 places; the totals are the episode's. 52 kt wind 0 0 $2.1M
2011-08-28 Hurricane Irene · High WindGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. 56 kt wind 0 0 $1.8M
2017-05-05 High WindRutland County · forecast zone Western Rutland 64 kt wind 0 0 $602K
1999-09-16 Tropical Storm Floyd · High WindWindham County · forecast zone Windham One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. 0 0 $576K
1996-07-19 High WindRutland County · forecast zone Western Rutland 0 0 $376K

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.

Are high wind and dust records becoming more frequent in Vermont?

Vermont'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.

High wind and dust storms: Vermont and the United States by decade (2020s to June 30, 2026)
DecadeVermontUnited StatesVermont's share
1996-9910214,0260.73%
2000s37137,2541.00%
2010s33541,7480.80%
2020-2627836,3000.77%

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

The most recent high wind and dust records in Vermont

The 12 most recent records, to June 30, 2026
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-03-17 Strong WindOrange County · forecast zone Orange 43 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-03-17 Strong WindWindsor County · forecast zone Eastern Windsor County 43 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-03-17 Strong WindWashington County · forecast zone Washington 43 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-03-17 Strong WindLamoille County · forecast zone Lamoille 43 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-03-17 Strong WindFranklin County · forecast zone Western Franklin 43 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-03-17 Strong WindFranklin County · forecast zone Eastern Franklin 43 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-03-17 Strong WindChittenden County · forecast zone Western Chittenden 43 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-03-17 Strong WindChittenden County · forecast zone Eastern Chittenden 43 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-03-17 Strong WindGrand Isle County · forecast zone Grand Isle 43 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-03-17 Strong WindOrleans County · forecast zone Orleans 43 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-03-17 Strong WindEssex County · forecast zone Essex 43 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-03-17 Strong WindCaledonia County · forecast zone Caledonia 43 kt wind 0 0 $10K

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.

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