NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit West 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 West Simsbury, Connecticut since 1851, 8 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Henri in 2021. Since 1950, 65 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 5 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 8
- Tropical storms
- 37
- Tornadoes
- 65
- EF3 or stronger
- 5
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
7 deaths in all
What the records show for West Simsbury
The strongest storm to pass near West Simsbury was an unnamed storm in 1869, a Category 3 hurricane with 113 mph winds when its centre passed 67 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Gloria in 1985, whose centre came within 2 miles. The record near West Simsbury begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Henri in 2021, a tropical storm 51 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 West Simsbury. The strongest of the 65 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on October 3, 1979; its path came within 10 miles, and it killed 3 people. The deadliest, an EF3 on June 1, 2011, killed 3 people. Of the 65, 2 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 22 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 20. The most recent tornado was on June 21, 2024. West Simsbury has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 90% of the 186 Connecticut cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 71 times since 1961, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). West Simsbury has more hail reports within 10 miles than 83% of the 186 Connecticut cities.
Compare West Simsbury's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near West Simsbury
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | HenriAug 22 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 9 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 8 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2011 | IreneAug 28 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2008 | HannaSep 7 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2007 | BarryJun 4 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1999 | FloydSep 17 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 13 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | GloriaSep 27 | 2 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1976 | BelleAug 10 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 22 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 28 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1968 | Unnamed 1968 stormSep 11 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 15 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 12 | 40 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 30 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1954 | CarolAug 31 | 52 mi | Category 3 (110 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormSep 15 | 70 mi | Category 2 (100 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1938 | Unnamed 1938 stormSep 21 | 5 mi | Category 2 (102 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormSep 9 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 20 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 17 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 5 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormMay 30 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 16 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 24 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 10 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 24 | 29 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 12 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 22 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 24 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 24 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 30 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 27 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1869 | Unnamed 1869 stormSep 8 | 67 mi | Category 3 (113 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1866 | Unnamed 1866 stormOct 30 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 19 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormNov 3 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 28 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1858 | Unnamed 1858 stormSep 16 | 52 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormOct 19 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in West 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 West Simsbury
By decade
- 2020s6
- 2010s11(1 EF3+)
- 2000s5
- 1990s4
- 1980s3
- 1970s16(2 EF3+)
- 1960s8(1 EF3+)
- 1950s12(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3, 1979 | F4 | 10 mi | 11.3 mi | 3 / 500 |
| Jun 1, 2011 | EF3 | 17 mi | 37.58 mi | 3 / 200 |
| May 24, 1962 | F3 | 18 mi | 11.6 mi | 1 / 50 |
| Jul 29, 1971 | F3 | 24 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 2 |
| May 10, 1954 | F3 | 21 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jun 23, 2001 | F2 | 14 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 10, 1989 | F2 | 22 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 70 |
| Jul 10, 1989 | F2 | 21 mi | 10 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Jul 5, 1984 | F2 | 10 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 30, 1976 | F2 | 17 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 24, 1975 | F2 | 19 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 18, 1973 | F2 | 18 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 65, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in West Simsbury
The Storm Prediction Center has 71 hail reports within 10 miles of West Simsbury since 1961, made on 44 separate days. Of these, 29 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. June and July have the most reports, 19 each.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in West Simsbury
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Burlington, CT, 6 miles southwest of West 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%). Barkhamsted, 7 miles northwest, has its own station (Barkhamsted, CT): 51.3 inches a year, 2.2 less than here, and the same July average high, 84°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36 | 17 | 3.7 | 7 | 11.1 |
| Feb | 39 | 18 | 3.4 | 7 | 11.8 |
| Mar | 47 | 26 | 4.2 | 7 | 5.5 |
| Apr | 60 | 36 | 4.3 | 7 | 0.5 |
| May | 70 | 47 | 4.2 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 79 | 57 | 4.8 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 84 | 62 | 4.4 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 82 | 60 | 5.1 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 75 | 53 | 5.0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 63 | 41 | 5.7 | 7 | 0.6 |
| Nov | 52 | 32 | 3.9 | 6 | 0.8 |
| Dec | 41 | 24 | 4.8 | 8 | 8.3 |
| Year | 61 | 39 | 53.5 | 85 | 38.6 |
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.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near West Simsbury
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 198 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of West Simsbury: 135 thunderstorm wind reports, 31 floods, 26 flash floods and 6 lightning strikes. They killed 1 person and injured 8, and the NWS estimated $3.5 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 92 mph, on July 15, 1997. August has had the most flash floods, 12 of 26. Of the 186 Connecticut cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 89 have had fewer than West Simsbury.
October 15, 2005: flood 6 miles from the centre of West Simsbury — 1 killed, $500,000 damage.
June 11, 2000: thunderstorm wind 4 miles from the centre of West Simsbury — 8 injured.
April 15, 2007: flood 6 miles from the centre of West 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
Hartford County, which includes West 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.