Tornadoes in Connecticut
The Storm Prediction Center records 127 tornadoes that touched Connecticut between 1950 and 2024, and 125 of them began there. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in every state it touched. They killed 4 people and injured 709. The busiest month is July, with 36 tornadoes.
- 127tornadoes
- 4deaths
- 709injuries
- 262per 10,000 sq mi of land
- 8counties touched
Tornadoes per 10,000 square miles lets you compare states of different sizes. It counts every tornado that touched the state.
How strong were Connecticut's tornadoes?
| Rating | Tornadoes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | 38 | 30% |
| F1 / EF1 | 60 | 47% |
| F2 / EF2 | 22 | 17% |
| F3 / EF3 | 4 | 3% |
| F4 / EF4 | 2 | 2% |
| F5 / EF5 | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown rating | 1 | <1% |
Connecticut tornadoes over time
The 2020s only run to 2024, so that bar is for a shorter period. The record starts in 1950.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 17 |
| 1960s | 9 |
| 1970s | 20 |
| 1980s | 8 |
| 1990s | 15 |
| 2000s | 15 |
| 2010s | 23 |
| 2020s | 20 |
The record has changed over the decades as detection and reporting improved, so more weak tornadoes show up in recent years than in the 1950s. The year with the most in Connecticut was 2018, with 9.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 0 |
| Feb | 0 |
| Mar | 0 |
| Apr | 2 |
| May | 15 |
| Jun | 23 |
| Jul | 36 |
| Aug | 32 |
| Sep | 8 |
| Oct | 7 |
| Nov | 4 |
| Dec | 0 |
Deadliest tornadoes that touched Connecticut
- Thompsonville, Connecticut tornado3 October 1979, F4, 3 deaths, 500 injuries, 11.3 miles long
- Waterbury, Connecticut tornado24 May 1962, F3, 1 death, 50 injuries, 11.6 miles long
Strongest tornadoes that touched Connecticut
- Thompsonville, Connecticut tornado3 October 1979, F4, 3 deaths, 500 injuries, 11.3 miles long
- New Haven, Connecticut tornado10 July 1989, F4, 40 injuries, 3 miles long
- Waterbury, Connecticut tornado24 May 1962, F3, 1 death, 50 injuries, 11.6 miles long
- Connecticut tornado10 May 1954, F3, 2 injuries, 0.3 miles long
- Connecticut tornado29 July 1971, F3, 2 injuries, 0.1 miles long
- Connecticut tornado21 August 1951, F3, 8 injuries, 0.1 miles long
Most recent tornadoes in Connecticut
- Connecticut tornado21 June 2024, EF0, 2 miles long
- Connecticut tornado13 September 2023, EF1, 1.6 miles long
- Connecticut tornado18 August 2023, EF1, 2.7 miles long
- Connecticut tornado12 August 2023, EF0, 0.8 miles long
- Connecticut tornado28 July 2022, EF0, 5 miles long
Notable Connecticut tornadoes with their own pages
- Thompsonville, Connecticut tornado3 October 1979, F4, 3 deaths, 500 injuries, 11.3 miles long
- Waterbury, Connecticut tornado24 May 1962, F3, 1 death, 50 injuries, 11.6 miles long
- New Haven, Connecticut tornado10 July 1989, F4, 40 injuries, 3 miles long
Many of these tornadoes killed or injured people. The numbers are the official record's, and they may be revised.
Connecticut counties
Every county that a tornado has touched is listed, most tornadoes first. 8 of them have at least 3 tornadoes and their own page.
| County | Tornadoes | Strongest |
|---|---|---|
| Litchfield County | 38 | F/EF2 |
| Hartford County | 21 | F/EF4 |
| New Haven County | 20 | F/EF4 |
| Fairfield County | 17 | F/EF2 |
| Tolland County | 16 | F/EF3 |
| Windham County | 11 | F/EF2 |
| Middlesex County | 8 | F/EF3 |
| New London County | 3 | F/EF1 |