Rutland
Population 15,363 (2025)
4 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Rutland since 1950, 0 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on July 13, 2023.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 19504
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger16
- Major flood years since 1978, Rutland County2
At a glance
Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Rutland County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Rutland County.
Strongest tornado
EF0
July 13, 2023, 11.8 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm (unnamed), 1893, 21.3 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 19 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
July 13, 2023
EF0, 11.8 mile path
20 yards wide.
Most recent
Thursday, July 13, 2023
EF0, 11.8 mile path
3 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Jul 13, 2023 | EF0 | 11.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 8, 1993 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 25, 1972 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 21, 1961 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
- Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
6 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
August 24, 1893
Unnamed storm, Tropical storm
21.3 miles at closest approach, winds near 68 mph.
Most recent
August 4, 2020
Isaias, Tropical storm
24.4 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Isaias | 2020 | 24.4 | Tropical storm |
| Irene | 2011 | 26.1 | Tropical storm |
| Gloria | 1985 | 66.0 | Category 1 |
| David | 1979 | 5.6 | Post-tropical |
| Belle | 1976 | 75.6 | Tropical storm |
| Doria | 1971 | 46.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1968 | 28.1 | Tropical storm |
| Brenda | 1960 | 85.4 | Tropical storm |
| Carol | 1954 | 83.1 | Post-tropical |
| Able | 1952 | 79.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 23.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1938 | 15.7 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1934 | 76.8 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1929 | 35.7 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1924 | 76.7 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1923 | 73.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1899 | 36.2 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1894 | 95.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 50.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 21.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1878 | 58.5 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1874 | 93.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1866 | 21.6 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1861 | 98.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1858 | 99.7 | Tropical storm |
- Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.
National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.
Wildfire and smoke
No large wildfire has been mapped within 25 miles since satellite mapping began in 1984.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 55 days
Heavy smoke on 9 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
15.5 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
22 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 16 so far in 2026.
- A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Floods and flood insurance
284 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $4.8 million paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Rutland County, the county that contains Rutland.
Most claims in one year
2011: 151 claims
$2.9 million paid.
2nd most
2023: 48 claims
$1.2 million paid.
3rd most
2008: 13 claims
$197,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 05701 | 121 | $1.5 million |
| 05773 | 27 | $837,000 |
| 05738 | 25 | $484,000 |
| 05765 | 20 | $267,000 |
| 05733 | 13 | $412,000 |
| 05764 | 11 | $265,000 |
| 05777 | 10 | $72,000 |
| 05743 | 7 | $79,000 |
| 05735 | 6 | $28,000 |
| 05761 | 6 | $160,000 |
| 05762 | 6 | $191,000 |
| 05758 | 5 | $135,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood38
- Flood33
- Heavy Rain4
- Lakeshore Flood3
2 deaths recorded in flood events since 1996.
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.
River crests
River gauges in Rutland County, the county that contains Rutland.
Most severe crest
August 29, 2011
Otter Creek at Center Rutland, 17.21 ft
9.21 feet above the 8.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
December 19, 2023
Otter Creek at Center Rutland, 11.10 ft
Moderate flooding.
River gauges
| Ottauquechee River near West Bridgewater | 6.5 | 14.95 ft | 1 |
| Otter Creek at Center Rutland | 8.0 | 17.21 ft | 8 |
- Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 73 of 1,581 months since 1895 (5%); the longest spell lasted 21 months.
The drought index is for Rutland County, the county that contains Rutland.
73
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
25
Months in extreme drought
5%
Share of all months, severe or worse
Lowest reading
July 1965
−5.80, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
21 months
June 1964 to February 1966.
Latest month
September 2026
−1.57, mild drought
Last severe month: January 2002.
- The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.
NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.
Earthquakes and landslides
2 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.7 in 1931.
2
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
2
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
April 20, 1931
Magnitude 4.7
2 km SSW of Warrensburg, New York; 41.5 miles away, 3.1 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
March 11, 2020
Magnitude 3.1
0 km SSW of South Glens Falls, New York; 39.7 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Apr 10, 1962 | 4.2 | 34.6 |
| Apr 20, 1931 | 4.7 | 41.5 |
- Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
- Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Mapped landslides
Landslides mapped in Rutland County.
108
Landslides mapped, probable or better
107
With a recorded date
3
Source inventories
Mapped by VT GS (106), NASA (1), USGS Conterminous (1).
- Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.
USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
1,048 events in the National Weather Service record for Rutland County, 964 of them since 1996.
50
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
1
Hail, 2 inches or larger
186
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
412
Winter weather events since 1996
13
Heat events since 1996
53
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
August 28, 1988
2.50 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
May 23, 1984
94 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 6 | 0 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 1 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Aug 28, 2011Flash Flood$50.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Devastating flash flooding occurred across much of Rutland county, mainly along and east of Route 7 and especially in the foothills of the western slopes of the Green Mountains, such as Rutland, Killington, Mendon, Wallingford, Brandon, Chittenden and Pittsford. Dozens of roads (state and local), including Routes 4, 7, 103 and 155, as well as several bridges were washed out or suffered severe damage. Several communities between Rutland and Windsor counties were isolated due to loss infrastructure. Dozens of homes and businesses experienced severe flooding and two fatalities occurred in Rutland-Mendon vicinity.
- Aug 28, 2011Flood$5.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Irene caused devastating flooding along Otter Creek and its tributaries. Homes, businesses, and roads were flooded from Wallingford downstream through Rutland, Proctor, Pittsford, and Brandon. Otter Creek at Center Rutland crested at a new record of 17.21 feet, besting the previous record by almost four feet.
- Apr 16, 2007High Wind, Western Rutland$3.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
A powerful Nor'easter moved north along the Eastern seaboard on the 15th to the western tip of Long Island, NY on the morning of the 16th. Very strong east to southeast winds traveled across the peaks of the White Mountains in New Hampshire and the Green Mountains of Vermont during the morning and early afternoon of the 16th. The end result was damaging, channeled downslope winds of 60 to 80 mph in the Upper Connecticut River Valley of northeast Vermont and the southern Green Mountains in Rutland county.|Widespread tree damage in the form of hundreds to thousands of downed (uprooted or snapped) trees, collapsed chimneys, downed power lines and subsequent structural damage to…
- Jun 14, 2008Flash Flood$2.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous Streets (West, Merchants Row, West, Washington, Clover, etc.), businesses, homes and vehicles severely flooded in downtown.
- Jul 1, 2017Flash Flood$1.3 million
National Weather Service narrative
Flash flooding damaged local roads and washed out culverts throughout southwest Rutland County. Flood waters rose into farm fields and rendered vegetable crops unusable.
- Apr 16, 2007High Wind, Eastern Rutland$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A powerful Nor'easter moved north along the Eastern seaboard on the 15th to the western tip of Long Island, NY on the morning of the 16th. Very strong east to southeast winds traveled across the peaks of the White Mountains in New Hampshire and the Green Mountains of Vermont during the morning and early afternoon of the 16th. The end result was damaging, channeled downslope winds of 60 to 80 mph in the Upper Connecticut River Valley of northeast Vermont and the southern Green Mountains in Rutland county.|Widespread tree damage in the form of hundreds to thousands of downed (uprooted or snapped) trees, collapsed chimneys, downed power lines and subsequent structural damage to…
- Apr 15, 2019Flash Flood$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Combination of rapid snow melt and 1-2 in/hour rainfall rates Rutland county caused the Otter Creek to rise out of its banks and caused scattered road washouts across the county. Additionally rising waters trapped a motorist in Killington and swift water rescue was required to save the individual. VEM Sit Rep reported major impacts in Castleton, Chittenden, Poultney, Pittsfield, Poultney Village, Proctor, Rutland, and Wells.
- Jul 1, 2017Flash Flood$700,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Neshobe River was forced out of its banks in Brandon, causing extensive damage. Newton Road was heavily damaged, with much of the road scoured away to a depth of several feet. 16 homes were damaged, and residents were evacuated.
- Aug 25, 2007Thunderstorm Wind$600,000
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous trees and power lines downed by thunderstorm winds throughout the city and immediate suburbs, including Proctor, Wallingford, Pittsford and Clarendon. Trees and large branches fell on homes, decks and vehicles as well as some blown siding and roof shingles.
- Aug 26, 2022Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Barn collapsed due to an apparent microburst with 5 people trapped and around 80 dairy cattle. Injuries were little to minor to people but approximately 30 of the cattle needed to be euthanized. In addition about a dozen trees were downed by thunderstorm winds.
- Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.
Weather records
From Rutland, 1.1 miles from the city centre, with records from 1916.
- All-time high
- 98°F5 times, most recently Aug 2, 1975
- All-time low
- −36°FJan 27, 1994
- Warmest night
- 88°FAug 13, 1947
- Coldest day
- −10°FJan 1, 1918
- Wettest day
- 6.12 inNov 4, 1927
- Snowiest day
- 24.0 inFeb 7, 1978
- Hottest year
- 2006mean 48.9°F
- Coldest year
- 1917mean 42.4°F
- Wettest year
- 201153.34 in
- Driest year
- 196319.04 in
- Snowiest season
- 112.5 in2002-03
Median first snow
November 14
Earliest: October 1, 1946
Median last snow
April 9
Latest: May 11, 1945
0 of 87 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Rutland (USC00436995), 620 ft elevation, 1.1 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1916 to October 28, 2026; 99.1% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.
NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.
Federal disaster declarations
22 since 1953. The most recent: Tropical Depression Debby, August 8, 2024.
Declarations for Rutland County.
| Aug 8, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3609-VT |
| Mar 2, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4762-VT |
| Jul 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4720-VT |
| Jul 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3595-VT |
| Aug 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3567-VT |
| Apr 8, 2020 | Biological | DR-4532-VT |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3437-VT |
| Jun 14, 2019 | Flood | DR-4445-VT |
| Aug 16, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4330-VT |
| Feb 3, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4207-VT |
| Aug 2, 2013 | Flood | DR-4140-VT |
| Sep 1, 2011 | Hurricane | DR-4022-VT |
| Aug 29, 2011 | Hurricane | EM-3338-VT |
| May 4, 2007 | Severe Storm | DR-1698-VT |
| Apr 10, 2001 | Snowstorm | EM-3167-VT |
| Jan 18, 2001 | Severe Storm | DR-1358-VT |
| Jul 27, 2000 | Severe Storm | DR-1336-VT |
| Nov 10, 1999 | Severe Storm | DR-1307-VT |
| Jun 30, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1228-VT |
| Feb 13, 1996 | Flood | DR-1101-VT |
| Aug 5, 1976 | Flood | DR-518-VT |
| Jul 6, 1973 | Flood | DR-397-VT |
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
- Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
- Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
- Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
- Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
- Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USC00436995.
- River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
- Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
- Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.
Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.