NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Richford, 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
11 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Richford, Vermont since 1851, 1 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Isaias in 2020. Since 1950, 12 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 1
- Tropical storms
- 10
- Tornadoes
- 12
- 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 Richford
The strongest storm to pass near Richford was an unnamed storm in 1900, a Category 1 hurricane with 75 mph winds when its centre passed 41 miles away. The record near Richford begins with an unnamed storm in 1866; the most recent system was Isaias in 2020, a tropical storm 1 mile away. The busiest decade was the 1920s, with 2 systems. Of the 11 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 75 Vermont cities on this site, 36% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Richford. The highest rating among the 12 tornadoes within 25 miles is F2, reached 5 times; the most recent, on August 3, 1970, came within 23 miles. Of the 12, none had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 2 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 5. The most recent tornado was on July 18, 2008. Richford has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 45% of the 75 Vermont cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 21 times since 1959, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 75 Vermont cities, 79% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Richford.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Richford
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 5 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2011 | IreneAug 29 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 6 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1968 | Unnamed 1968 stormSep 11 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1938 | Unnamed 1938 stormSep 22 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 3 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 19 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormSep 12 | 41 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 24 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1866 | Unnamed 1866 stormOct 30 | 36 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 Richford: 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 Richford
By decade
- 2000s2
- 1970s2
- 1960s6
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 3, 1970 | F2 | 23 mi | 4.5 mi | 0 / 7 |
| Jul 4, 1963 | F2 | 20 mi | 5.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 20, 1962 | F2 | 14 mi | 1.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 13, 1961 | F2 | 13 mi | 7.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 18, 1957 | F2 | 9 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 18, 2008 | EF1 | 21 mi | 0.31 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 19, 1972 | F1 | 16 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 20, 1962 | F1 | 21 mi | 9.4 mi | 0 / 1 |
| May 20, 1962 | F1 | 14 mi | 1.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 18, 1961 | F1 | 24 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 21, 1953 | F1 | 24 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 18, 2008 | EF0 | 21 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 12, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Richford
The Storm Prediction Center has 21 hail reports within 10 miles of Richford since 1959, made on 13 separate days. Of these, 18 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 2 days, most recently June 18, 2011. The most recent report is from July 3, 2025. May has the most reports, 8.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Richford
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Enosburg Falls, VT, 8 miles southwest of Richford at 420 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 82°F and low of 58°F; January is the coolest, at 30°F and 8°F. June and August are the wettest at 4.4 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.0 inches; the year adds up to 41.1 inches over 94 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 59% of the year's precipitation (24.4 of 41.1 inches); the other six months are drier. Highs reach 90°F on about 4 days a year, almost all from June to July. Lows fall below freezing on about 158 nights a year. Snowfall averages 83.3 inches a year, most of it in February. That 41.1 inches is more than at 13 of the 33 Vermont stations used on this site (39%). Jay, 12 miles east, has its own station (Newport, VT): 43.6 inches a year, 2.5 more than here, and a July average high of 78°F against 82°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30 | 8 | 2.4 | 7 | 17.9 |
| Feb | 33 | 9 | 2.0 | 6 | 19.3 |
| Mar | 42 | 19 | 2.5 | 7 | 17.1 |
| Apr | 57 | 32 | 3.2 | 8 | 4.5 |
| May | 70 | 43 | 3.7 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 77 | 53 | 4.4 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 82 | 58 | 4.3 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 80 | 56 | 4.4 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 73 | 49 | 4.0 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 60 | 38 | 4.2 | 9 | 0.7 |
| Nov | 47 | 28 | 3.1 | 8 | 4.9 |
| Dec | 35 | 17 | 2.9 | 8 | 18.9 |
| Year | 57 | 34 | 41.1 | 94 | 83.3 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Enosburg Falls, VT (420 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 Richford
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 26 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Richford: 14 thunderstorm wind reports, 9 floods and 3 flash floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $1.00 billion in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 63 mph, on July 5, 2005.
August 28, 2011: flood 5 miles from the centre of Richford — $500.5 million damage.
NWS: “Heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Irene caused flooding across Franklin County VT. Along the Missisquoi River and its tributaries, floodwaters inundated and forced the closures of routes 105, 118, and 108.”
August 28, 2011: flood 6 miles from the centre of Richford — $500.3 million damage.
NWS: “Heavy rain from Tropical Storm Irene inundated roads in Orleans County Vermont. 0 feet.”
April 27, 2011: flood 2 miles from the centre of Richford — $500,000 damage.
NWS: “Runoff from heavy rain and snowmelt caused flooding of the Missisquoi River and its tributaries. The Missisquoi River flooded portions of Route 105 between Sheldon and Berkshire.”
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 Richford, 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 Richford
- Enosburg Falls, VT9 mi
- Jay, VT12 mi
- Highgate Center, VT18 mi
- Johnson, VT22 mi
- Swanton, VT23 mi
- Newport, VT23 mi
- Saint Albans, VT24 mi
- Jeffersonville, VT24 mi
- Hyde Park, VT25 mi
- Fairfax, VT27 mi
- Orleans, VT27 mi
- Morrisville, VT29 mi
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