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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Simsbury, 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

45 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Simsbury, Connecticut since 1851, 8 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Henri in 2021. Since 1950, 69 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
8

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
37

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
69

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
4

7 deaths in all

What the records show for Simsbury

The strongest storm to pass near Simsbury was an unnamed storm in 1869, a Category 3 hurricane with 112 mph winds when its centre passed 65 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Gloria in 1985, whose centre crossed the city. The record near Simsbury begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Henri in 2021, a tropical storm 49 miles away. The 1860s and the 1890s were the busiest decades, with 5 systems each. Of the 45 systems, 6 have come since 2000. Of the 186 Connecticut cities on this site, 88% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Simsbury. The strongest of the 69 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on October 3, 1979; its path came within 8 miles, and it killed 3 people. The deadliest, an EF3 on June 1, 2011, killed 3 people. Of the 69, none had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 24 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 21. The most recent tornado was on June 21, 2024. Simsbury has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 96% of the 186 Connecticut cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 68 times since 1961, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). Simsbury has more hail reports within 10 miles than 80% of the 186 Connecticut cities.

Compare Simsbury's storm record with another city →

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Simsbury

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Simsbury, Connecticut, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2021HenriAug 2249 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
2021ElsaJul 965 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
2013AndreaJun 865 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2011IreneAug 2828 miTropical storm (59 mph)Category 3
2008HannaSep 737 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 1
2007BarryJun 472 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1999FloydSep 1721 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 4
1996BerthaJul 1322 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1985GloriaSep 27overheadCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 4
1976BelleAug 103 miTropical storm (54 mph)Category 3
1972AgnesJun 2262 miTropical storm (53 mph)Category 1
1971DoriaAug 2818 miTropical storm (55 mph)Tropical storm
1968Unnamed 1968 stormSep 114 miTropical storm (61 mph)Tropical storm
1961Unnamed 1961 stormSep 1527 miTropical storm (64 mph)Tropical storm
1960DonnaSep 1239 miCategory 1 (87 mph)Category 4
1960BrendaJul 3012 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1954CarolAug 3150 miCategory 3 (110 mph)Category 3
1952AbleSep 120 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 2
1944Unnamed 1944 stormSep 1568 miCategory 2 (100 mph)Category 5
1938Unnamed 1938 stormSep 217 miCategory 2 (102 mph)Category 5
1934Unnamed 1934 stormSep 920 miTropical storm (53 mph)Category 2
1934Unnamed 1934 stormJun 2070 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1924Unnamed 1924 stormSep 3025 miTropical storm (64 mph)Category 1
1916Unnamed 1916 stormMay 1744 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1915Unnamed 1915 stormAug 512 miTropical storm (48 mph)Category 1
1908Unnamed 1908 stormMay 3055 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1902Unnamed 1902 stormJun 1653 miTropical storm (41 mph)Tropical storm
1899Unnamed 1899 stormNov 155 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 2
1897Unnamed 1897 stormSep 2448 miTropical storm (51 mph)Tropical storm
1894Unnamed 1894 stormOct 1037 miTropical storm (70 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 2939 miTropical storm (62 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 2431 miCategory 1 (77 mph)Category 3
1888Unnamed 1888 stormSep 1247 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1888Unnamed 1888 stormAug 2217 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3
1882Unnamed 1882 stormSep 2463 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1878Unnamed 1878 stormOct 2461 miTropical storm (66 mph)Category 2
1874Unnamed 1874 stormSep 3012 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 1
1872Unnamed 1872 stormOct 2740 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1869Unnamed 1869 stormSep 865 miCategory 3 (112 mph)Category 3
1866Unnamed 1866 stormOct 3050 miTropical storm (55 mph)Tropical storm
1863Unnamed 1863 stormSep 1936 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1861Unnamed 1861 stormNov 358 miTropical storm (64 mph)Category 1
1861Unnamed 1861 stormSep 285 miTropical storm (59 mph)Category 1
1858Unnamed 1858 stormSep 1651 miCategory 1 (79 mph)Category 2
1851Unnamed 1851 stormOct 1962 miTropical storm (48 mph)Tropical storm

Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Simsbury: 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 Simsbury

By decade

  • 2020s6
  • 2010s13(1 EF3+)
  • 2000s5
  • 1990s4
  • 1980s3
  • 1970s16(1 EF3+)
  • 1960s9(1 EF3+)
  • 1950s13(1 EF3+)
Strongest tornadoes near Simsbury, Connecticut
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Oct 3, 1979F48 mi11.3 mi3 / 500
Jun 1, 2011EF316 mi37.58 mi3 / 200
May 24, 1962F319 mi11.6 mi1 / 50
May 10, 1954F318 mi0.3 mi0 / 2
Jun 23, 2001F216 mi0.5 mi0 / 0
Jul 10, 1989F225 mi5 mi0 / 70
Jul 10, 1989F224 mi10 mi0 / 4
Jul 5, 1984F211 mi3 mi0 / 0
Jun 30, 1976F218 mi1 mi0 / 0
Jul 24, 1975F217 mi0.3 mi0 / 0
Sep 18, 1973F219 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
Sep 6, 1973F216 mi3.3 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 69, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

Hail in Simsbury

The Storm Prediction Center has 68 hail reports within 10 miles of Simsbury since 1961, made on 47 separate days. Of these, 27 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.5 inches (tennis ball size), fell on May 15, 2018. The most recent report is from August 26, 2024. July has the most reports, 23.

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

Weather by month in Simsbury

The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Burlington, CT, 8 miles southwest of Simsbury at 505 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 84°F and low of 62°F; January is the coolest, at 36°F and 17°F. October is the wettest at 5.7 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.4 inches; the year adds up to 53.5 inches over 85 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 54% of the year's precipitation (28.9 of 53.5 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 45 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (19); a normal September there has highs of 75°F and 5.0 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 13 days a year, almost all from June to August. Lows fall below freezing on about 142 nights a year. Snowfall averages 38.6 inches a year, most of it in February. That 53.5 inches is more than at 24 of the 27 Connecticut stations used on this site (89%). Bloomfield, 5 miles southeast, has its own station (Hartford Bradley International Airport, CT): 47.1 inches a year, 6.4 less than here, and a July average high of 85°F against 84°F.

Monthly climate normals 1991–2020 at Burlington, CT
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. inDays ≥ 0.1"Snow in
Jan36173.7711.1
Feb39183.4711.8
Mar47264.275.5
Apr60364.370.5
May70474.280.0
Jun79574.880.0
Jul84624.480.0
Aug82605.170.0
Sep75535.060.0
Oct63415.770.6
Nov52323.960.8
Dec41244.888.3
Year613953.58538.6

Averages for 1991–2020 at Burlington, CT (505 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.

Connecticut weather by month, station by station →

Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Simsbury

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 216 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Simsbury: 149 thunderstorm wind reports, 32 flash floods, 28 floods and 7 lightning strikes. They killed 1 person and injured 8, and the NWS estimated $3.4 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on November 13, 2021. August has had the most flash floods, 15 of 32. Of the 186 Connecticut cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 101 have had fewer than Simsbury.

  • October 15, 2005: flood 8 miles from the centre of Simsbury — 1 killed, $500,000 damage.

  • June 11, 2000: thunderstorm wind 6 miles from the centre of Simsbury — 8 injured.

  • April 15, 2007: flood 8 miles from the centre of Simsbury — $750,000 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

Flood insurance policyholders in Simsbury's ZIP code 06070 have filed 89 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $461,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Not a named storm in 1982: 33 claims (37% of all) and $45,000, then Flooding in 1984 with 10. 58% 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, 78 have fewer than Simsbury.

Flood insurance claims in Simsbury by named event
EventClaimsPaid
Not a named storm198233$45,000
Flooding198410$11,000

Hartford County, which includes Simsbury, has been named in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1978, 15 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 hurricanes, 8 snowstorms, 6 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Tropical Storm Isaias, on January 12, 2021.

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 Simsbury