NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Stafford Springs, 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
49 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Stafford Springs, Connecticut since 1851, 10 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Henri in 2021. Since 1950, 60 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 10
- Tropical storms
- 39
- Tornadoes
- 60
- EF3 or stronger
- 4
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
9 deaths in all
What the records show for Stafford Springs
The strongest storm to pass near Stafford Springs was an unnamed storm in 1869, a Category 2 hurricane with 108 mph winds when its centre passed 40 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Donna in 1960, whose centre came within 19 miles. The record near Stafford Springs begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Henri in 2021, a tropical storm 25 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1890s, with 5 systems, one of them at hurricane strength. Of the 49 systems, 6 have come since 2000. Of the 186 Connecticut cities on this site, 47% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Stafford Springs. The strongest of the 60 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on October 3, 1979; its path came within 21 miles, and it killed 3 people. The deadliest, an EF3 on June 1, 2011, killed 3 people. Of the 60, one had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 23 have come since 2000. August has had the most tornadoes, 16. The most recent tornado was on August 18, 2023. Stafford Springs has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 77% of the 186 Connecticut cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 38 times since 1960, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Stafford Springs has more hail reports within 10 miles than 56% of the 186 Connecticut cities.
Compare Stafford Springs's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Stafford Springs
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | HenriAug 22 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 9 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 8 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2011 | IreneAug 28 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2008 | HannaSep 7 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2007 | BarryJun 4 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1999 | FloydSep 17 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 13 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1991 | BobAug 19 | 59 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | GloriaSep 27 | 20 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1976 | BelleAug 10 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 28 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1968 | Unnamed 1968 stormSep 11 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 15 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 12 | 19 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 30 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1954 | CarolAug 31 | 25 mi | Category 2 (107 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 2 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormSep 15 | 52 mi | Category 1 (93 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1938 | Unnamed 1938 stormSep 21 | 35 mi | Category 2 (101 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormSep 9 | overhead | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 20 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 19 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 21 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 17 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 5 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormMay 30 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 30 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 15 | 64 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 16 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 24 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 10 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 24 | 55 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 12 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 22 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 24 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 24 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 5 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 30 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 27 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormSep 8 | 40 mi | Category 2 (108 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 19 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormNov 3 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 28 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1858 | Unnamed 1858 stormSep 16 | 27 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormOct 19 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Stafford Springs: 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 Stafford Springs
By decade
- 2020s5
- 2010s14(1 EF3+)
- 2000s4
- 1990s2
- 1980s1
- 1970s12(2 EF3+)
- 1960s10
- 1950s12(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3, 1979 | F4 | 21 mi | 11.3 mi | 3 / 500 |
| Jun 1, 2011 | EF3 | 9 mi | 37.58 mi | 3 / 200 |
| Oct 3, 1970 | F3 | 25 mi | 35.4 mi | 1 / 0 |
| May 10, 1954 | F3 | 11 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Aug 10, 1979 | F2 | 25 mi | 9.7 mi | 2 / 2 |
| Jul 24, 1975 | F2 | 22 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 6, 1973 | F2 | 14 mi | 3.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 11, 1966 | F2 | 24 mi | 5.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 19, 1965 | F2 | 4 mi | 6.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 20, 1963 | F2 | 23 mi | 3.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 12, 1962 | F2 | 19 mi | 4.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 7, 1958 | F2 | 6 mi | 1.3 mi | 0 / 2 |
The strongest 12 of 60, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Stafford Springs
The Storm Prediction Center has 38 hail reports within 10 miles of Stafford Springs since 1960, made on 31 separate days. Of these, 19 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 5 days, most recently June 8, 2011. The most recent report is from August 26, 2024. June has the most reports, 13.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Stafford Springs
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Staffordville, CT, 2 miles northeast of Stafford Springs at 736 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 81°F and low of 59°F; January is the coolest, at 34°F and 14°F. October is the wettest at 4.9 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.3 inches; the year adds up to 50.4 inches. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 52% of the year's precipitation (26.3 of 50.4 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 49 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (20); a normal September there has highs of 73°F and 4.3 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 5 days a year, almost all from June to August. Lows fall below freezing on about 152 nights a year. That 50.4 inches is more than at 14 of the 27 Connecticut stations used on this site (52%). Ashford, 8 miles southeast, has its own station (Storrs, CT): 49.3 inches a year, 1.1 less than here, and the same July average high, 81°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34 | 14 | 3.9 |
| Feb | 36 | 15 | 3.3 |
| Mar | 44 | 22 | 4.3 |
| Apr | 57 | 33 | 4.3 |
| May | 68 | 43 | 3.8 |
| Jun | 76 | 53 | 4.6 |
| Jul | 81 | 59 | 4.1 |
| Aug | 79 | 58 | 4.4 |
| Sep | 73 | 51 | 4.3 |
| Oct | 60 | 39 | 4.9 |
| Nov | 49 | 30 | 4.0 |
| Dec | 39 | 21 | 4.5 |
| Year | 58 | 36 | 50.4 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Staffordville, CT (736 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 Stafford Springs
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 118 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Stafford Springs: 102 thunderstorm wind reports, 6 flash floods, 5 lightning strikes, 4 floods and 1 heavy rain event. They killed 0 people and injured 4, and the NWS estimated $908,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 85 mph, on July 27, 2014. July has had the most flash floods, 5 of 6. Of the 186 Connecticut cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 16 have had fewer than Stafford Springs.
March 7, 2011: flood 10 miles from the centre of Stafford Springs — 3 injured.
July 26, 2011: lightning strike 9 miles from the centre of Stafford Springs — 1 injured.
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 Stafford Springs's ZIP code 06076 have filed 22 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1981, and were paid $340,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The year with the most claims was 2005, with 12. 27% 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, 31 have fewer than Stafford Springs.
Tolland County, which includes Stafford Springs, has been named in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1978, 14 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.