NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Highgate Center, VT
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
10 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Highgate Center, Vermont since 1851, 1 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Isaias in 2020. Since 1950, 13 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 1
- Tropical storms
- 9
- Tornadoes
- 13
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Highgate Center
The strongest storm to pass near Highgate Center was an unnamed storm in 1900, a Category 1 hurricane with 75 mph winds when its centre passed 38 miles away. The record near Highgate Center begins with an unnamed storm in 1866; the most recent system was Isaias in 2020, a tropical storm 18 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1920s, with 2 systems. Of the 10 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 75 Vermont cities on this site, 36% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Highgate Center. The highest rating among the 13 tornadoes within 25 miles is F2, reached 6 times; the most recent, on August 3, 1970, came within 8 miles. Of the 13, 2 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 2 have come since 2000. June and July have had the most tornadoes, 5 each. The most recent tornado was on July 18, 2008. Highgate Center has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 54% of the 75 Vermont cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 24 times since 1986, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 75 Vermont cities, 69% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Highgate Center.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Highgate Center
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 5 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2011 | IreneAug 29 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1968 | Unnamed 1968 stormSep 11 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1938 | Unnamed 1938 stormSep 22 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 3 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 19 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormSep 12 | 38 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 24 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1866 | Unnamed 1866 stormOct 30 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Highgate Center: 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 Highgate Center
By decade
- 2000s2
- 1980s1
- 1970s3
- 1960s5
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 3, 1970 | F2 | 8 mi | 4.5 mi | 0 / 7 |
| Jul 4, 1963 | F2 | 4 mi | 5.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 20, 1962 | F2 | 15 mi | 1.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 13, 1961 | F2 | in town | 7.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 24, 1960 | F2 | 22 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 18, 1957 | F2 | 9 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 18, 2008 | EF1 | 19 mi | 0.31 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 11, 1973 | F1 | 24 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 19, 1972 | F1 | 14 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 18, 1961 | F1 | 10 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 21, 1953 | F1 | 10 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 18, 2008 | EF0 | 19 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 13, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Highgate Center
The Storm Prediction Center has 24 hail reports within 10 miles of Highgate Center since 1986, made on 19 separate days. Of these, 12 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on July 22, 2005. The most recent report is from June 15, 2023. May has the most reports, 9.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Highgate Center
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is St Albans Radio, VT, 6 miles southwest of Highgate Center at 380 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 79°F and low of 61°F; January is the coolest, at 25°F and 8°F. June and July are the wettest at 4.1 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 1.9 inches; the year adds up to 38.2 inches over 86 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 59% of the year's precipitation (22.6 of 38.2 inches); the other six months are drier. August has brought the most of the 10 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (4); a normal August there has highs of 77°F and 3.7 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 3 days a year, almost all from June. Lows fall below freezing on about 148 nights a year. Snowfall averages 79.9 inches a year, most of it in February. That 38.2 inches is more than at 4 of the 33 Vermont stations used on this site (12%). Enosburg Falls, 12 miles east, has its own station (Enosburg Falls, VT): 41.1 inches a year, 2.9 more than here, and a July average high of 82°F against 79°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25 | 8 | 2.1 | 6 | 16.9 |
| Feb | 29 | 10 | 1.9 | 6 | 18.3 |
| Mar | 37 | 20 | 2.6 | 7 | 16.2 |
| Apr | 52 | 33 | 3.2 | 8 | 6.2 |
| May | 66 | 46 | 3.2 | 7 | 0.1 |
| Jun | 74 | 56 | 4.1 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 79 | 61 | 4.1 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 77 | 59 | 3.7 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 69 | 51 | 3.9 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 56 | 40 | 3.9 | 8 | 1.2 |
| Nov | 44 | 30 | 2.9 | 7 | 5.0 |
| Dec | 32 | 18 | 2.6 | 7 | 16.0 |
| Year | 53 | 36 | 38.2 | 86 | 79.9 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at St Albans Radio, VT (380 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Highgate Center
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 62 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Highgate Center: 57 thunderstorm wind reports, 3 floods and 2 flash floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $2.0 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on July 30, 2019.
November 1, 2019: flash flood 10 miles from the centre of Highgate Center — $750,000 damage.
June 10, 2015: flood 2 miles from the centre of Highgate Center — $150,000 damage.
January 13, 2018: flood 5 miles from the centre of Highgate Center — $150,000 damage.
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
Franklin County, which includes Highgate Center, has been named in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1973, 25 of them major disasters (by incident: 13 severe storms, 10 floods, 3 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Winter Storm, on April 19, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Franklin County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for lightning; Relatively Low for hurricanes, inland flooding and strong wind; Very Low for tornadoes, hail and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $13.1 million a year, the 7th highest of 14 Vermont counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $9.7 million (74%), is from inland flooding.
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).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets 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 Highgate Center
- Swanton, VT4 mi
- Saint Albans, VT10 mi
- Enosburg Falls, VT12 mi
- Rouses Point, NY17 mi
- Fairfax, VT17 mi
- Richford, VT18 mi
- Champlain, NY20 mi
- Chazy, NY20 mi
- Grand Isle, VT21 mi
- Milton, VT21 mi
- Jeffersonville, VT23 mi
- West Chazy, NY25 mi
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