Windham County, Vermont
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Windham County, Vermont has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 57% of US counties. It ranks 3rd of 14 counties in Vermont. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $20 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $443 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (17 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2024 (Tropical Depression Debby). About 1 in 77 homes here carry federal flood insurance (269 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $11 million on 312 claims here, including $9.1 million for floods in 2011.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Windham County
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
- Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 71.3 | $15M | ||
| Cold wave | 68.4 | $2M | ||
| Hurricane | 74.6 | $987K | ||
| Tornado | 40.0 | $914K | ||
| Lightning | 61.1 | $369K | ||
| Earthquake | 49.7 | $288K | ||
| Ice storm | 72.2 | $262K | ||
| Strong wind | 23.5 | $230K | ||
| Heat wave | 38.3 | $221K | ||
| Hail | 31.5 | $136K | ||
| Winter weather | 49.2 | $66K | ||
| Landslide | 85.4 | $33K | ||
| Wildfire | 20.9 | $8K | ||
| Avalanche | 46.1 | $417 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Windham County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 22
Vermont also had 2 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1957
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 347 storm reports in Windham County since 1957, with 1 death and 8 injuries and about $9.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on June 5, 2002 near Windham.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 5, 2002 | F2 | Windham | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 21, 2003 | F1 | Stratton | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 21, 2019 | EF1 | Windham | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 14, 1988 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 5, 1957 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 13, 1996 | Flash Flood | Grafton | $1M |
| Jul 29, 2021 | Flash Flood | Newfane | $1M |
| Jul 29, 2021 | Flash Flood | Bellows Falls | $1M |
| Jul 29, 2021 | Flash Flood | Athens | $600K |
| Jul 10, 2023 | Flash Flood | Londonderry | $500K |
| Jul 10, 2023 | Flood | Londonderry | $500K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 15, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1861, 2 hurricanes and 9 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Windham County, 7 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Gloria (1985), with top winds near 80 mph about 39 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 1985 | Gloria | Category 1, 80 mph | 39 mi |
| Aug 24, 1893 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 30, 1874 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 57 mi |
| Aug 29, 1893 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 49 mi |
| Sep 11, 1968 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 46 mi |
| Aug 28, 2011 | Irene | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 62 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 28, 2011 | Irene | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 27, 1985 | Gloria | Category 1, 80 mph | 39 mi |
| Aug 10, 1976 | Belle | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 28, 1971 | Doria | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 34 mi |
| Sep 11, 1968 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 46 mi |
| Jul 30, 1960 | Brenda | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 62 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Windham County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Windham County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 30,183 housing units.
Compare in Vermont
All 14 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Chittenden County | Inland flooding | |
| Rutland County | Inland flooding | |
| Washington County | Inland flooding | |
| Windsor County | Inland flooding | |
| Franklin County | Inland flooding | |
| Windham County | Inland flooding | |
| Bennington County | Inland flooding | |
| Addison County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Cheshire County, NH | 31 | |
| Franklin County, MA | 20 | |
| Windsor County | 25 | |
| Sullivan County, NH | 31 | |
| Bennington County | 19 |
Common questions about Windham County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Windham County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Windham County, about $14.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $2.1 million.
How many federal disasters has Windham County had?
Windham County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 17 major disasters. The most recent was Tropical Depression Debby in August 2024.
Is Windham County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 3rd highest of 14 in Vermont. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Windham County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 77 homes in Windham County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Windham County had?
NOAA records list 5 tornadoes in Windham County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on June 5, 2002 near Windham. The weather service has also logged 34 hail reports and 117 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Windham County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 9 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Windham County. The strongest was Hurricane Gloria (1985), with winds near 80 mph.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.