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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Danbury, CT

Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.

Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated

47 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Danbury, Connecticut since 1851, 10 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ida in 2021. Since 1950, 52 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
10

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
37

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
52

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
2

1 deaths in all

What the records show for Danbury

The strongest storm to pass near Danbury was Carol in 1954, a Category 3 hurricane with 115 mph winds when its centre passed 73 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1893, whose centre came within 8 miles. The record near Danbury begins with an unnamed storm in 1858; the most recent system was Ida in 2021, a tropical storm 64 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1890s, with 5 systems, 2 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 47 systems, 6 have come since 2000. Of the 186 Connecticut cities on this site, 47% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Danbury. The highest rating among the 52 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on July 29, 1971, came within 24 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on May 24, 1962, killed 1 person. Of the 52, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 26 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 17. The most recent tornado was on August 12, 2023. Danbury has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 60% of the 186 Connecticut cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 29 times since 1961, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 186 Connecticut cities, 65% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Danbury.

Compare Danbury's storm record with another city →

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Danbury

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Danbury, Connecticut, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2021IdaSep 264 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 4
2021ElsaJul 967 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
2020IsaiasAug 461 miTropical storm (60 mph)Category 1
2013AndreaJun 867 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2011IreneAug 288 miTropical storm (61 mph)Category 3
2008HannaSep 736 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 1
1999FloydSep 1730 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 4
1996BerthaJul 1322 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1985GloriaSep 2723 miCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 4
1985HenriSep 2465 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1976BelleAug 1022 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 3
1972AgnesJun 2221 miTropical storm (55 mph)Category 1
1971DoriaAug 284 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1968Unnamed 1968 stormSep 1122 miTropical storm (63 mph)Tropical storm
1961Unnamed 1961 stormSep 1537 miTropical storm (63 mph)Tropical storm
1960DonnaSep 1250 miCategory 1 (94 mph)Category 4
1960BrendaJul 3021 miTropical storm (54 mph)Tropical storm
1955DianeAug 1952 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1954CarolAug 3173 miCategory 3 (115 mph)Category 3
1952AbleSep 122 miTropical storm (54 mph)Category 2
1944Unnamed 1944 stormSep 1573 miCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 5
1938Unnamed 1938 stormSep 2128 miCategory 3 (112 mph)Category 5
1934Unnamed 1934 stormSep 928 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 2
1934Unnamed 1934 stormJun 1954 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1924Unnamed 1924 stormSep 307 miTropical storm (66 mph)Category 1
1916Unnamed 1916 stormMay 1756 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1915Unnamed 1915 stormAug 4overheadTropical storm (53 mph)Category 1
1908Unnamed 1908 stormMay 3073 miTropical storm (41 mph)Category 1
1904Unnamed 1904 stormSep 1572 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 1
1902Unnamed 1902 stormJun 1659 miTropical storm (43 mph)Tropical storm
1899Unnamed 1899 stormNov 150 miTropical storm (53 mph)Category 2
1897Unnamed 1897 stormSep 2456 miTropical storm (56 mph)Tropical storm
1894Unnamed 1894 stormOct 1049 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 2938 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 248 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 3
1888Unnamed 1888 stormSep 1246 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1888Unnamed 1888 stormAug 223 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3
1882Unnamed 1882 stormSep 2456 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1878Unnamed 1878 stormOct 2372 miCategory 1 (74 mph)Category 2
1877Unnamed 1877 stormOct 567 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1874Unnamed 1874 stormSep 3017 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 1
1872Unnamed 1872 stormOct 2633 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1866Unnamed 1866 stormOct 3026 miTropical storm (56 mph)Tropical storm
1863Unnamed 1863 stormSep 1919 miTropical storm (47 mph)Tropical storm
1861Unnamed 1861 stormNov 366 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 1
1861Unnamed 1861 stormSep 2816 miTropical storm (60 mph)Category 1
1858Unnamed 1858 stormSep 1672 miCategory 1 (87 mph)Category 2

Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Danbury: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.

Tornadoes within 25 miles of Danbury

By decade

  • 2020s6
  • 2010s9
  • 2000s11
  • 1990s8
  • 1980s5
  • 1970s7(1 EF3+)
  • 1960s2(1 EF3+)
  • 1950s4
Strongest tornadoes near Danbury, Connecticut
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
May 24, 1962F320 mi11.6 mi1 / 50
Jul 29, 1971F324 mi0.1 mi0 / 2
May 15, 2018EF212 mi1.18 mi0 / 0
Jul 12, 2006F224 mi10.1 mi0 / 6
Jul 10, 1989F211 mi0.5 mi0 / 5
Jul 10, 1989F222 mi5 mi0 / 70
Jul 10, 1989F225 mi10 mi0 / 4
Jun 12, 1973F223 mi1.5 mi0 / 0
Jul 29, 1971F213 mi4.5 mi0 / 0
Jul 19, 1971F221 mi1.5 mi0 / 0
Oct 24, 1955F222 mi0.5 mi0 / 0
Aug 21, 1951F215 mi43.9 mi0 / 9

The strongest 12 of 52, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

Hail in Danbury

The Storm Prediction Center has 29 hail reports within 10 miles of Danbury since 1961, made on 21 separate days. Of these, 17 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), fell on May 31, 1998. The most recent report is from June 2, 2023. August has the most reports, 10.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.

Radar-estimated hail days in Danbury since 2019 →

Weather by month in Danbury

The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Danbury, CT, 2 miles east of Danbury at 405 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 85°F and low of 64°F; January is the coolest, at 36°F and 21°F. July and October are the wettest at 5.0 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.3 inches; the year adds up to 53.0 inches over 86 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 54% of the year's precipitation (28.6 of 53.0 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 47 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (21); a normal September there has highs of 75°F and 4.9 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 20 days a year, almost all from May to August. Lows fall below freezing on about 126 nights a year. Snowfall averages 49.3 inches a year, most of it in January. That 53.0 inches is more than at 22 of the 27 Connecticut stations used on this site (81%). Brewster, NY, 7 miles west, has its own station (Carmel 4N, NY): 50.5 inches a year, 2.5 less than here, and a July average high of 78°F against 85°F.

Water temperature at the NOAA tide station Bridgeport, CT, 21 miles southeast, averaged 76°F in August and 39°F in February over 2021–2025. No month averaged 80°F. Sea level at the Bridgeport tide gauge, 21 miles from Danbury, has risen 1.35 ± 0.08 inches per decade from 1964 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 13.5 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 81 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.

Monthly climate normals 1991–2020 at Danbury, CT
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. inDays ≥ 0.1"Snow inWater °F
Jan36213.7715.742
Feb39223.3711.039
Mar48294.4810.442
Apr61394.281.748
May72494.280.056
Jun80594.870.065
Jul85645.070.073
Aug82634.970.076
Sep75554.960.074
Oct63435.060.066
Nov50344.071.956
Dec40264.688.646
Year614253.08649.357

Averages for 1991–2020 at Danbury, CT (405 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station Bridgeport, CT, from NOAA Tides & Currents. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.

Connecticut weather by month, station by station →

Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Danbury

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 256 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Danbury: 176 thunderstorm wind reports, 47 flash floods, 26 floods, 6 lightning strikes and 1 heavy rain event. They killed 3 people and injured 8, and the NWS estimated $1.3 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 100 mph, on July 18, 2012. September has had the most flash floods, 16 of 47. Of the 186 Connecticut cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 139 have had fewer than Danbury.

  • May 15, 2018: thunderstorm wind in Danbury — 1 killed, 1 injured, $5,000 damage.

    NWS: “Tree fell on truck in Candlewood Lake area killing a man.”

  • May 15, 2018: thunderstorm wind 5 miles from the centre of Danbury — 1 killed, $5,000 damage.

  • June 22, 2011: heavy rain event 7 miles from the centre of Danbury — 1 killed.

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.

Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings

Flood insurance policyholders in Danbury's 2 ZIP codes have filed 231 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $7.7 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Floyd in 1999: 51 claims (22% of all) and $2.3 million, then Hurricane Irene in 2011 with 26 and Hurricane Ida in 2021 with 14. The year with the most claims was 2011, with 67. 45% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 128 Connecticut cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 102 have fewer than Danbury.

Flood insurance claims in Danbury by named event
EventClaimsPaid
Hurricane Floyd199951$2.3 million
Hurricane Irene201126$607,000
Hurricane Ida202114$1.3 million

Fairfield County, which includes Danbury, has been named in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1978, 18 of them major disasters (by incident: 11 hurricanes, 8 severe storms, 8 snowstorms, 3 floods). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides, on September 20, 2024.

Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.

Cities near Danbury