74 flood insurance claims·$1.8M paid·6 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Windham County, Connecticut. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms and general flooding dominate the historical flood events in Windham County, complemented by occasional tropical storms. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 19 flash flood events, 18 general flood events resulting in 1 death, and 2 tropical storm events. Recent events include severe storms in June 2024, when two rounds of thunderstorms brought damaging winds and isolated flash flooding to the area, as well as a frontal system in September 2023 that produced heavy rain, embedded thunderstorms, and flash flooding.
National Flood Insurance Program claims data indicates that property owners should evaluate their specific flood zones carefully. Properties in Zone A experienced 35 claims with an average payout of $10,112 and an average recorded water depth of 9 inches. Meanwhile, properties in Zone X_UNSHADED recorded 15 claims with a higher average payout of $75,124 and an average water depth of 14 inches, and Zone X recorded 13 claims averaging $79,499 with an average depth of 3 inches. Zone X_SHADED recorded 2 claims averaging $7,279 with an average depth of 1 inch, while Zone UNKNOWN recorded 8 claims averaging $654 with an average depth of 3 inches. Homeowners and real estate agents in both designated high-risk zones and unshaded zones should pay close attention to these historical claim patterns and payout amounts.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
32% of Windham County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
53 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 8 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 2005, with 16 claims and $331,850 paid, the year of Hurricane Katrina Evacuation and Severe Storms and Flooding.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
19 NOAA storm reports from Windham County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Connecticut flood stories →
28 federal disaster declarations since 1978, 6 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Henri | Aug 21, 2021 |
| Tropical Storm Isaias | Aug 4, 2020 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Jan 26, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Feb 8, 2013 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Feb 8, 2013 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Oct 27, 2012 |
| Severe Storm | Oct 29, 2011 |
| Tropical Storm Irene | Aug 27, 2011 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
39 since 1996: 19 flash floods and 18 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 21, 2024 | — |
| Flood | Sep 13, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Sep 13, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 17, 2021 | $3,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 17, 2021 | $5,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 17, 2021 | $10,000 |
| Flood | Jul 17, 2021 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 4, 2020 | $562,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jun 21, 2024. Two rounds of thunderstorms brought damaging winds and isolated flash flooding to Connecticut in the afternoon and evening.
Flood · Sep 13, 2023. A frontal system brought a period of heavy rain, flash flooding, and embedded thunderstorms to southern New England from the morning to mid evening. In addition to much tree damage from straight line winds, there was one tornado in Connecticut, 2 in Rhode Island, and 1 in Massachusetts. These all occurred in the afternoon.
Flash Flood · Sep 13, 2023. A frontal system brought a period of heavy rain, flash flooding, and embedded thunderstorms to southern New England from the morning to mid evening. In addition to much tree damage from straight line winds, there was one tornado in Connecticut, 2 in Rhode Island, and 1 in Massachusetts. These all occurred in the afternoon.
Flash Flood · Jul 17, 2021. A relatively stationary front meandered across southern New England on the 17th and 18th while low pressure slowly moved along the front. At upper levels, an upper low was moving slowly eastward from the Great Lakes. With very moisture-laden air in place across the region, the result was heavy rain and flash flooding. In addition, there were rounds of severe thunderstorms and even a weak tornado in northern Conn…
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Windham County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.