Although historically the U.S. state of Connecticut is not typically known to fall casualty to tornadoes, more than 100 of these powerful storms have affected the state in modern history, resulting in at least 48 deaths, 780 injuries, and more than $500 million in damage. Hartford Courant Online. Accessed 2008-05-13. This list of tornadoes in the state is likely incomplete, as official records date back only to 1950 for tornadoes in the United States.
As with most of the northeastern United States, the number of tornadoes peaks in the summer months, normally in July or August. Hartford County has had the most tornadoes in the state, although since 1950 Litchfield County has reported the most tornadoes. Several areas have been struck more than once, and Waterbury has been struck by no less than four tornadoes since 1955.
From 1953 to 1991, Connecticut recorded an average of about 1.3 tornadoes per year, ranked 43rd in the United States.Grazulis, p. 18 Although Connecticut tornadoes are typically weak, isolated events can be violent. Three tornadoes of F4 intensity have affected the state in its history, as well as at least 27 tornadoes of F2 intensity or greater. Outbreaks of three or more tornadoes in a single day occurred in 1786, 1787, 1878, 1973, 1989, 1998, 2001, 2018, 2020, and 2021. The year 1973 was particularly active; eight tornadoes occurred on six separate days. The year 2018 has the highest number of tornadoes recorded in the state in a year, with nine total. The 1878 Wallingford tornado killed at least 29 and likely 34 people in Wallingford, the most by any tornado event in Connecticut history.
Before 1850 June 14, 1648: A "great tempest" downed trees somewhere in present-day Hartford County.Ludlam, pg. 201 June 20, 1682: A violent storm, including one or more likely tornadoes, devastated forests in southern Connecticut, affecting areas north of Fairfield across the Housatonic River before passing out into Long Island Sound between Milford and New Haven. The damage was worst around present-day Shelton, where a path was cut a half-mile wide where there was "scarce a tree left standing".Grazulis, p. 552Ludlam, pp. 4–5 1728 or 1729: A possible tornado passed through New Britain and/or Wethersfield. August 17, 1784: Two tornadoes struck central Connecticut. The first tornado touched down near present-day Roxbury, then known as "Shipague-Neck". It travelled through the village of South Britain, injuring five people, with one man injured so that "his life was in great danger". Ten houses, five barns, and three mills were badly damaged or destroyed. The second tornado injured one person while moving down a hillside west of Southington.Grazulis, p. 553 August 23, 1786: As many as six tornadoes did a great deal of damage in Windham County. Twenty homes and sixty-three barns were destroyed, as well as of dense forest. One woman was killed and five people were injured in Woodstock. Leaves from destroyed trees rained down heavily in Providence, Rhode Island.Ludlam, pp. 11–12 August 15, 1787: The Four-State Tornado Swarm of 1787 was the largest tornado outbreak recorded to date, and affected most of New England. The first in the state touched down around 1:30 PM near New Britain, traveling along nearly the same path as a tornado in 1728 or 1729. This tornado was nearly as violent as the Wallingford Tornado of 1878. A mother and two of her children were killed in Wethersfield, and 10 others were injured before the tornado lifted outside of the town.Tornado Project. "Worst" Tornadoes Retrieved on 2007-07-02. What may have been another tornado caused additional damage as far east as Coventry. Another tornado struck East Windsor, damaging several homes and barns. Yet another touched down near Killingly, moving northeast into Rhode Island and Massachusetts. June 19, 1794: A tornado destroyed several structures in Milford injuring four people, while a separate tornado cut through Branford. A strange incident was recorded where a tree was uprooted and carried, fully upright, along a road in New Milford, along with several other large objects. A barn door was found from its source. Some loss of life likely occurred from one or both tornadoes.Cerveny, p. 317 October 8, 1797: A tornado touched down in North Salem, New York, moving into Fairfield County. Six people were injured in Ridgefield, and possible tornado damage continued as far as Long Island Sound in Branford. August 2, 1799: A tornado destroyed two houses in New London County, affecting the towns of Franklin, Lebanon, and Bozrah.Grazulis, p. 554 June 30, 1808: One or more tornadoes moved from Windsor to Coventry, killing one person. July 22, 1808: Trees and buildings were damaged by a tornado which moved from East Windsor to North Bolton. July 16, 1810: A tornado produced damage in or around Somers. August 1, 1812: A tornado passed from Westchester County, New York into Greenwich.Grazulis, p. 555 July 22, 1817: Tornado produced tree damage from Woodbury to Watertown. August 13, 1817: A tornado destroyed 23 buildings in Wallingford. August 14, 1820: A tornado touched down east of Norwalk.Grazulis, p. 556 June 3, 1836: A long-lived tornado tracked 30 miles (48 km) from Dutchess County, New York to Salisbury, seriously injuring many people.Grazulis, p. 559 July 31, 1839: Six homes were damaged or destroyed on the west side of New Haven. A "heavy rumbling noise" was heard throughout the city.Cerveny, p. 43 August 7, 1839: A possible tornado passed through a then-uninhabited area of Wallingford. August 14, 1840: A possible tornado struck Woodbridge.Ludlam, pg. 203
1850–1949 August 9, 1851: A "tornado" (possibly a squall line) affected New Hartford, Suffield and Windsor. July, 1865: A tornado may have struck Birmingham.Ludlam, pg. 204 August 17, 1872: What may have been a small tornado hit Windsor Locks.Grazulis, p. 577 September 15, 1876: A wide tornado unroofed several homes in northern Bridgeport. August 18, 1877: "Something like a tornado", described as a "whirling mass of black clouds" cut across Hartford, tearing down trees and branches.
August 9, 1878: At least three tornadoes affected the state from a single storm system. The first touched down in South Kent, causing major damage but no injuries. The second, the Wallingford Tornado of 1878, touched down just outside Wallingford. A severe tornado, likely an F4, it smashed through the north side of town, completely destroying dozens of houses. At least 29 people were killed in that town (likely 34), the most by any tornado event in Connecticut history. A third tornado moved through Durham and Killingsworth, unroofing houses but again causing no injuries.Grazulis, p. 596
May 29, 1880: A tornado touched down in Suffield, moving northeast and crossing the Connecticut River. It destroyed 25 buildings in Thompsonville and Enfield.Grazulis, p. 610 July 14, 1881: A "terrific storm" downed trees "in all directions" in Meriden, also damaging a school and several other buildings. September 14, 1882: A tornado touched down outside of Winsted, destroying nine homes and five barns as it moved into town. Twenty people were injured, two of whom may have later died.Grazulis, p. 617 August 25, 1885: A tornado passed through the towns of Bloomfield and Windsor, crossing the Connecticut River before dissipating. Nearly the entire tobacco crop in the area was destroyed, at a loss in the millions of dollars. Another tornado may have struck East Hartford a few weeks earlier. September 12, 1886: A tornado touched down outside of Ellington, Connecticut, destroying barns and downing trees before lifting near Burnside, Connecticut.Grazulis, p. 641 September 27, 1899: A tornado passed from Norwalk to near Ridgefield, causing damage to trees and roofs in a path 50 to 300 feet (15 to 91 m) wide. Some buildings were completely destroyed. September 15, 1901: A damaging tornado swept through the village of Huntington around 7 PM. One man was killed when his house was torn from its foundation. Several barns were destroyed—one "completely disappeared"—and hundreds of trees were leveled on a path from modern-day Shelton to Monroe. August 28, 1911: A tornado cut a path through New Milford, Litchfield County, uprooting trees and damaging roofs. June 12, 1918: A "baby tornado" (possibly a microburst) caused $50,000 in damage, mainly to roofs and windows, in New Britain, Hartford County. August 7, 1918: A possible tornado touched down in Westbrook, causing roof damage and downing trees. A house was moved off its foundation in Fenwick. September 18, 1918: A tornado cut a path 130 to 160 feet (40 to 50 m) wide from Groton, through Mystic, and out into Long Island Sound. Small buildings, roofs, trees and telephone poles were damaged heavily. Several people received minor injuries from flying debris. August 30, 1920: A storm with "tornado features" caused damage on a small line from eastern Hamden to Guilford. A fireworks factory was destroyed, roofs were removed from four warehouses and a house, and hundreds of trees and utility poles were toppled. One boy was killed and thirty-three others were injured. July 13, 1922: A weak tornado tracked across Hartford, downing tree branches and utility poles. July 26, 1937: A tornado produced F2 damage while passing just south of Terryville and just north of Bristol.Grazulis, p. 873 September 24, 1942: A tornado destroyed a church in Plainville and a garage in Bristol along a path.Grazulis, p. 904
1950–1974
July 12, 1950: An F2 tornado tracked 10 miles (16 km) through Middlesex County. July 14, 1950: An F2 tornado touched down in Ridgefield around 7:30 a.m., tearing the roof off the high school and downing trees through the center of town. Three people were injured. August 20, 1951: An F2 tornado briefly touched down in Willington, Tolland County. August 21, 1951: A long-tracked F2 tornado touched down in Southwestern Litchfield County, passing more than 40 miles (64 km) well into Hartford County. Another tornado, which was rated F3 (some sources say F2), touched down in northern Middlesex County, unroofing a factory and causing $100,000 in damage. Nine people were injured in the first tornado, with another eight injured in the second.Grazulis, p. 960 May 10, 1954: An F3 tornado (some sources say F2) hit Windsorville at 9:30 a.m., destroying a house and some sheds, injuring two and causing $30,000 in damage. Additionally, an F2 tornado touched down in Northwestern Hartford County that afternoon.Grazulis, p. 980 October 24, 1955: An F1 tornado touched down in central Hartford County, while an F2 touched down near Waterbury. August 8, 1956: An F0 tornado briefly touched down in East Glastonbury, Hartford County. June 19, 1957: An F1 tornado touched down in central Glastonbury, Hartford County. August 15, 1958: An F1 tornado briefly touched down in Northern Fairfield. August 21, 1958: An F1 tornado briefly touched down in Colebrook in Litchfield County. September 7, 1958: An F2 tornado injured two in Willington, Tolland County. May 12, 1959: An F2 tornado touched down in Salisbury, damaging mostly trees along a one-mile (1.6 km) path. May 30, 1959: An F1 tornado briefly touched down in Bloomfield, damaging a few greenhouses. August 29, 1959: An F0 tornado briefly touched down in southeastern New Haven County. April 26, 1961: An F1 tornado briefly touched down in western Tolland County. May 24, 1962: An F3 tornado tracked through Northern New Haven and Southern Hartford Counties. The tornado produced "near-F4 damage" in parts of Waterbury and Southington with more than 200 buildings destroyed and another 600 damaged. One person was killed, with another fifty injured, and the tornado caused $4,000,000 in damage along its path.Grazulis, p. 1042 June 18, 1962: An F2 tornado briefly touched down in eastern Litchfield County. August 19, 1965: An F2 tornado tracked 6 miles (10 km) through northern Tolland County.