History and Genealogy Reference Unit
Many events involve local, state, and federal responses. It might help to check town documents too.
Sometimes a significant storm makes its way to Connecticut, but the impact has lessened by the time it arrives. Events listed here are ones with direct impact on Connecticut, and only the more severe ones.
Sometimes, in current times, television stations may give a storm a local name. The Connecticut State Library does not use those names - only names accepted by the National Weather Service or recorded in historic records and generally agreed upon.
| Name | Place | Date | Sources |
| 1798 New England Blizzard | Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine and New York | Nov. 17-21, 1798 | Natural Disasters [CSL Call Number GB 5014.N373 2001] ; Hartford Courant |
| 1888 Blizzard | Northeast U.S. | March 11, 1888 | Hartford Courant, See CSL Flickr account for images |
| 1978 Blizzard | Northeast U.S. | Feb. 6-7, 1978 | Hartford Courant |
| 1996 Blizzard | East Coast, from Carolinas northward | December 1992 | Hartford Courant, Connecticut's Declared Natural Disasters. |
| October Snowstorm | October, 2011 | ||
| December 1992 | Hartford Courant, Connecticut's Declared Natural Disasters. |
| Name | Place | Date | Sources |
| Park Central Hotel Boiler Explosion | Hartford, CT | February 18, 1889 | "Park Central Hotel Boiler Explosion – Today in History: February 18", ConnecticutHistory.Org, https://connecticuthistory.org/park-central-hotel-boiler-explosion-today-in-history/ (accessed 2 June 2015, updated 9 Sept. 2020) |
| Hartford Civic Center Roof Collapse | Hartford, CT | January 18, 1978 | Hartford Courant |
| L'Ambiance Plaza Collapse | Bridgeport, CT | April 23, 1987 | Hartford Courant |
| Mianus River Bridge Collapse | Greenwich, CT | July 28, 1983 | Hartford Courant ; New York Times |
| Name | Place | Date | Sources |
| British Raid on Essex | Essex, CT | April 1814 | "The British Raid on Essex" By Jerry Roberts for Connecticut Explored. On ConnecticutHistory.Org https://connecticuthistory.org/the-british-raid-on-essex/ (accessed 3 June 2015, updated 16 March 2021) |
| Colt Firearms | Hartford, CT | February 4, 1864 | |
| Downtown Waterbury Fire | Waterbury, CT | February 2, 1902 | "Waterbury Burns – Today in History: February 2" ConnecticutHistory.Org https://connecticuthistory.org/waterbury-burns-today-in-history/(accessed 2 June 2015, updated 9 Sept 2020) |
| Hartford Circus Fire | Hartford, CT | July 6, 1944 | Hartford Courant |
| Name | Place | Date | Sources |
| Danbury Reservoir Dam Burst | Danbury, CT | January 31, 1869, approx. 7 pm | "Frozen Reservoir Destroys Danbury – Today in History: January 31", ConnecticutHistory.Org, https://connecticuthistory.org/frozen-reservoir-destroys-danbury-today-in-history/(Accessed 2 June 2015, Updated 9 Sept. 2020) |
| 1936 Flood | New England | March 12, 1936 | Hartford Courant |
| 1955 Floods (see Hurricanes Connie & Diane) | Connecticut | Mid-August, 1955 | Hartford Courant ; Connecticut State Archives |
| Norwich Dam Breaks | Norwich, CT | March 1963 | |
| June, 1982 | June, 1982 | Hartford Courant, Connecticut's Declared Natural Disasters. | |
| May, 1984 | May, 1984 | Hartford Courant, Connecticut's Declared Natural Disasters. | |
| September, 1999 | Hartford Courant, Connecticut's Declared Natural Disasters. |
| Name | Place | Date | Sources |
| 1804 Snow Hurricane (aka Storm of October 1804) | East Coast, Caribbean to Canada | October 4-11, 1804 | Wikipedia contributors, "1804 Snow hurricane," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1804_Snow_hurricane&oldid=658873423 (accessed May 29, 2015, updated 16 March 2021). |
| Great September Gale of 1815 | Long Island, NY through New Hampshire | September 23-24, 1815 | Wikipedia contributors, "1815 New England hurricane," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1815_New_England_hurricane&oldid=658888168 (accessed May 29, 2015, update 16 March 2021). |
| 1938 Great New England Hurricane (aka Long Island Express) Post-hurricane aerial photos |
Northeastern U.S. | September 21, 1938 | Natural Disasters [CSL Call Number GB 5014.N373 2001] Hartford Courant |
| 1944 Great Atlantic Hurricane | New England | September 15, 1944 | Hartford Courant |
| 1954 Hurricane Carol | New England | August 31, 1954 | Hartford Courant |
| 1955 Hurricanes (Connie & Diane) | North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island & Massachusetts | mid-August 1955 | Natural Disasters [CSL Call Number GB 5014.N373 2001] Hartford Courant |
| Hurricane Gloria | Connecticut | September 27, 1985 | |
| Hurricane Bob | Connecticut | August 30, 1991 | |
| Hurricane Irene | East Coast including Connecticut | August 28, 2011 | |
| Storm Sandy | East Coast | October 2012 | |
| Tropical Storm Isaias | East Coast | August 4, 2020 | FEMA Declared Disasters https://www.fema.gov/disasters/disaster-declarations?field_dv2_state_territory_tribal_value=CT&field_year_value=All&field_dv2_declaration_type_value=All&field_dv2_incident_type_target_id=All |
| Name | Place | Date | Sources |
| www.tornadoproject.com | |||
| Great Wallingford Tornado (and waterspout) | Plains section of Wallingford, CT | August 9, 1878 | "The Great Wallingford Tornado – Today in History: August 9," ConnecticutHistory.Org, https://connecticuthistory.org/the-great-wallingford-tornado/ (accessed 2 June 2015, Updated 9 Sept. 2020) |
| Tornado of 1979 | Windsor Locks | October 4, 1979 | Hartford Courant, Connecticut's Declared Natural Disasters. |
| July 10, 1989 | Cornwall | July 10, 1989 | Hartford Courant, Connecticut's Declared Natural Disasters. |
| Name | Place | Date | Sources | |
| Earthquakes recalled by Wangunk tribe | Moodus | 1570s to 1590s | "The Surprising Prevalence of Earthquake Activity in Connecticut" Connecticut History.Org https://connecticuthistory.org/the-surprising-prevalence-of-earthquake-activity-in-connecticut/ (accessed 2 June 2015, link updated 9 Sept. 2020) | |
| 1663 Charlevoix earthquake |
New France (now the Canadian province of Quebec). Impacted New England and other parts of North America |
January 26, 1663 (Julian Calendar used in New England at the time); February 5, 1663 (Gregorian Calendar) | Wikipedia contributors, "1663 Charlevoix earthquake," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1663_Charlevoix_earthquake&oldid=660487815 (accessed May 29, 2015, updated 16 March 2021) | |
| Earthquake. Largest known in Connecticut History | Moodus, East Haddam, CT | May 16, 1791 and surrounding years | "The Surprising Prevalence of Earthquake Activity in Connecticut" Connecticut History.Org https://connecticuthistory.org/the-surprising-prevalence-of-earthquake-activity-in-connecticut/ (accessed 2 June 2015, link updated 9 Sept. 2020) | |
| Earthquake | Hartford, CT | April 1837 |
"The Surprising Prevalence of Earthquake Activity in Connecticut" Connecticut History.Org https://connecticuthistory.org/the-surprising-prevalence-of-earthquake-activity-in-connecticut/ (accessed 2 June 2015, link updated 9 Sept. 2020) |
|
| Earthquake | New Haven, CT | June 30, 1858, 10:45 pm |
|
|
| Earthquake, second largest measured in Connecticut history | Hartford area, felt throughout the state | November 14, 1925 | "The Surprising Prevalence of Earthquake Activity in Connecticut" Connecticut History.Org https://connecticuthistory.org/the-surprising-prevalence-of-earthquake-activity-in-connecticut/ (accessed 2 June 2015, link updated 9 Sept. 2020) |
| Name | Place | Date | Sources |
| White Mountain Express Derailment (New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad) | Greenwich, CT | July 16, 1908, Approx. 9:20 am | |
| Allegheny Airline Convair prop-jet crash | Tweed-New Haven Airport | June, 1971 | "The White Mountain Express Derails in Greenwich, " ConnecticutHistory.Org https://connecticuthistory.org/the-white-mountain-express-derails-in-greenwich/ (accessed 2 June 2015, updated 16 March 2021) |
| Mianus River Bridge Collapse | Greenwich, CT | July 28, 1983 | Hartford Courant ; New York Times |
Connecticut State Library | 231 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106 | 860-757-6500 * Toll-free 866-886-4478
Disclaimers & Permissions | Privacy Policy | State of Connecticut Home Page
The State of Connecticut is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.