States › Connecticut › Litchfield County
Litchfield County, Connecticut
Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 1 Oct 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
Between 1950 and 2026, NCEI recorded 976 storm events in Litchfield County, Connecticut, led by damaging wind.
That is 106.0 events per 100 square miles, below the Connecticut figure of 147.9, and 52.8 per 10,000 residents against 19.9 statewide.
28 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 3 deaths and 52 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $60M and crop damage at $38K.
FEMA has designated the county in 31 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (major disaster, 20 Sep 2024).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 479 claims since 1978, of which 331 were paid, totalling $7.1M (about $22K per paid claim).
50 tropical storm or hurricane tracks in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 2 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.
Compared with Connecticut and the United States
| Measure | Litchfield County | Connecticut | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 976 | 7,161 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 106.0 | 147.9 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 52.8 | 19.9 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 28 | 235 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 3 | 65 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $60M | $848M | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 8.2 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $22K | $24K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | — | — | 16.1 |
County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.
Events by decade
Trend: 662 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 259 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.
Events by type
Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.
Largest recorded events
| Date | Event type | Group | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Jul 1989 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 92 mph | — | — | 1 | 10 | County |
| 27 May 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 58 mph | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 2 Sep 2021 | Flood | Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1989 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $25M | — | — | 20 | County |
| 21 Aug 1951 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 9 | County |
| 10 Jul 1989 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $25M | — | — | 4 | County |
| 21 Jul 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 23 Jun 2001 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $150K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 11 Jun 2000 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 1 Jun 2007 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 6 Jun 2010 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 10 Jun 2010 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 25 Jul 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 6 Sep 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 16 Sep 1999 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $1.1M | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 1997 | Winter Storm | Winter | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Apr 2015 | Lightning | Lightning | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2023 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2007 | Flood | Flood | — | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2023 | Flood | Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.
Federal disaster declarations
| Declared | Number | Type | Incident | Title | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Sep 2024 | DR-4820 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 21 Aug 2024 | EM-3612 | Emergency | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Public assistance |
| 30 Oct 2021 | DR-4629 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida | Public assistance |
| 22 Aug 2021 | EM-3564 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Henri | Public assistance |
| 12 Jan 2021 | DR-4580 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Isaias | Public assistance |
| 6 Aug 2020 | EM-3535 | Emergency | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Isaias | Public assistance |
| 28 Mar 2020 | DR-4500 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3439 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 21 Mar 2013 | DR-4106 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Public assistance |
| 10 Feb 2013 | EM-3361 | Emergency | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 30 Oct 2012 | DR-4087 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy | Public assistance |
| 28 Oct 2012 | EM-3353 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy | Public assistance |
| 17 Nov 2011 | DR-4046 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storm | Public assistance |
| 31 Oct 2011 | EM-3342 | Emergency | Severe Storm | Severe Storm | Public assistance |
| 2 Sep 2011 | DR-4023 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Irene | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 27 Aug 2011 | EM-3331 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 3 Mar 2011 | DR-1958 | Major disaster | Snowstorm | Snowstorm | Public assistance |
| 11 May 2007 | DR-1700 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 16 Dec 2005 | DR-1619 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 13 Sep 2005 | EM-3246 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Public assistance |
| 17 Feb 2005 | EM-3200 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Record Snow | Public assistance |
| 15 Jan 2004 | EM-3192 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Snow | Public assistance |
| 11 Mar 2003 | EM-3176 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Snow | Public assistance |
| 23 Sep 1999 | DR-1302 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 24 Jan 1996 | DR-1092 | Major disaster | Snowstorm | Blizzard 0f 96 | Public assistance |
| 16 Mar 1993 | EM-3098 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Severe Winds & Blizzard, Record Snowfall | Public assistance |
| 17 Jul 1989 | DR-837 | Major disaster | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 11 Oct 1985 | DR-747 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Gloria | Public assistance |
| 18 Jun 1984 | DR-711 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 14 Jun 1982 | DR-661 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 7 Feb 1978 | EM-3060 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Blizzard & Snowstorms | Public assistance |
Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.
Flood insurance claims
| Year of loss | Claims | Paid claims | Amount paid | Average paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | 3 | $241,060 | $80,353 |
| 2023 | 9 | 8 | $308,384 | $38,548 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2021 | 13 | 8 | $631,683 | $78,960 |
| 2018 | 4 | 2 | $47,440 | $23,720 |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2015 | 2 | 1 | $2,186 | $2,186 |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2013 | 8 | 6 | $75,577 | $12,596 |
| 2012 | 2 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2011 | 131 | 103 | $3,366,332 | $32,683 |
| 2009 | 4 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2008 | 2 | 2 | $8,298 | $4,149 |
| 2007 | 42 | 34 | $418,108 | $12,297 |
| 2006 | 2 | 1 | $2,290 | $2,290 |
| 2005 | 38 | 26 | $533,770 | $20,530 |
| 2004 | 2 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2002 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2001 | 5 | 2 | $58,524 | $29,262 |
| 1999 | 9 | 4 | $20,273 | $5,068 |
| 1998 | 3 | 1 | $10,588 | $10,588 |
| 1997 | 1 | 1 | $3,129 | $3,129 |
| 1996 | 2 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1995 | 3 | 1 | $3,128 | $3,128 |
| 1994 | 20 | 12 | $219,989 | $18,332 |
OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).
National Risk Index
The current National Risk Index release does not carry a row for this county under the boundaries used on this site (Connecticut's index rows use planning regions).
Hurricane and tropical storm passes
| Storm | Year | Closest approach | Max wind while within 100 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elsa | 2021 | 78 mi | 58 mph |
| Henri | 2021 | 67 mi | 63 mph |
| Ida | 2021 | 85 mi | 46 mph |
| Irene | 2011 | 49 mi | 63 mph |
| Hanna | 2008 | 79 mi | 52 mph |
| Barry | 2007 | 96 mi | 40 mph |
| Floyd | 1999 | 62 mi | 58 mph |
| Bertha | 1996 | 72 mi | 69 mph |
| Bob | 1991 | 94 mi | 104 mph |
| Gloria | 1985 | 24 mi | 86 mph |
| Henri | 1985 | 78 mi | 40 mph |
| Belle | 1976 | 55 mi | 69 mph |
| Agnes | 1972 | 65 mi | 52 mph |
| Doria | 1971 | 47 mi | 52 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1968 | 24 mi | 63 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1961 | 44 mi | 63 mph |
| Brenda | 1960 | 94 mi | 58 mph |
| Donna | 1960 | 55 mi | 98 mph |
| Diane | 1955 | 76 mi | 46 mph |
| Carol | 1954 | 72 mi | 115 mph |
| Able | 1952 | 33 mi | 52 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1944 | 82 mi | 104 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1938 | 38 mi | 121 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1934 | 75 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1934 | 43 mi | 75 mph |
HURDAT2 best-track positions at tropical-storm strength (34 kt) or more, measured from the county's Census centre point; through the 2025 season. Distance from a track is not the same as the extent of the storm's wind, rain or surge.
ZIP codes with flood claims
- 06776 128
- 06795 49
- 06779 33
- 06790 29
- 06798 27
- 06786 25
- 06757 22
- 06057 18
- 06763 16
- 06039 14
- 06069 12
- 06018 10
- 06777 10
- 06756 9
- 06098 7
- 06783 6
- 06794 5
- 06759 5
- 06782 5
- 06750 5
ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.
Questions and answers
How often does it hail in Litchfield County, CT?
NCEI records 164 hail events in Litchfield County since 1950, in 37 different years; that is about 2.1 recorded events a year. 16 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Litchfield County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 38 tornadoes in Litchfield County since 1950, 9 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 0.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Litchfield County?
20 Sep 2024: Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides, a major disaster declaration for severe storm. The county appears in 31 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Litchfield County, and how much was paid?
479 NFIP claims since 1978, 331 of them paid, for $7.1M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Litchfield County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index does not carry a row for this county under the county boundaries used on this site.
How does Litchfield County compare with the rest of Connecticut?
106.0 recorded events per 100 square miles against 147.9 statewide, and 2.6 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 8.2. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.
Provenance
Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 1 Oct 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 1 Oct 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.