Essex County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Essex County: 0.
2. 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.

Every storm within 100 miles

1. 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.

Smoke overhead

1. 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.

Claims by ZIP code

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

1. 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.

1. 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.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

1. 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 county boundary (or inside the county).
2. 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

Mapped by USGS Conterminous (8), NASA (2).

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.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Aug 28, 2011Flash Flood$35.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Tropical Storm Irene deposited 3 to 7+ inches of rainfall to Essex county during the morning and afternoon hours. The greatest rainfall amounts and impact were across central and northern Essex county along the eastern slopes of the Adirondacks. Severe flash flooding occurred within the Keene and AuSable River valleys with numerous roads (local and State including Route 3, 9N, 73, 28N), bridges, homes and businesses washed out in towns like Lake Placid, Jay, Keene, AuSable, Wilmington. Local EMs have determined this is the greatest natural disaster in the county.

2. Nov 9, 1996Flash Flood$9.0 million
3. Jun 27, 1998Flash Flood$5.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   An area of low pressure tracked across New York and New England during the late night of Friday (June 26) and morning of Saturday (June 27). Extensive flooding occurred, especially in the eastern half of the county.Many rivers flooded, especially the, Ausable and Bouquet. A State of Emergency was declared, as numerous roads and bridges were washed out in Keeseville and Chesterfield areas. Additional damage to railroad tracks resulted in Port Douglas and Port Kent areas. A sinkhole developed in the road leading to the Lake Champlain Ferry in Port Kent, NY closing the Ferry down. Most rivers began subsiding during the Saturday morning, June 27th.

4. Aug 28, 2011Flood$5.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Irene caused extensive flooding in the Ausable River basin. For the Ausable River at Ausable Forks, a new record crest was at at 18.43 feet at 22:30 EST August 29. Flood stage is 7.0 feet, and the previous record was 15.22 feet set on November 9 1996.

5. Apr 26, 2011Flood$3.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Runoff from heavy rain and snowmelt caused flooding along the East and West Branches of the Ausable River, as well as the upper reaches of the Boquet River. The West Branch of the Ausable flooded route 86 between Lake Placid and Wilmington Village, and portions of River Road in Lake Placid. The East Branch of the Ausable flooded Route 9N from Jay Village to Ausable Forks, Carey Road, Straight Road, Clark Road, and Stickney Bridge Road. In Ausable Forks village, water flooded the Grand Union parking lot, and approached Garso Lane. The river gage on the East Branch of the Ausable River at Ausable Forks went above its flood stage of 7 feet at 20:57 EST on April 26, and crested at…

6. Dec 18, 2023Flood$2.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Significant headwater flooding across roads, streams within the AuSable basin. The AuSable River at AuSable Forks recorded it's 8th highest crest of record.

7. Nov 1, 2019Flash Flood$2.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A widespread 2 to 4 inches of rain fell across Essex county during the afternoon of October 31st into the early morning hours of November 1st. These rains fell across previously saturated soils. Between 830 pm and 130 am, three convective rounds of heavy rain showers with observed rainfall of 1/2 to 1 inch per hour, traversed the same areas. Flooding developed quickly as the second round of heavy rain moved across between 1030 pm and Midnight. It was exacerbated with the final round just after midnight creating widespread flash flooding during the early morning hours of November 1st. In addition during the early morning hours of November 1st, the Au Sable River and it's watershed…

8. Sep 16, 1999High Wind, Eastern Essex$2.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The remnants of Tropical Storm Floyd moved into southern New England Thursday night (9/16/99) and then across eastern New England Friday, September 17th. Strong winds combined with saturated soils from heavy rain resulted in many trees and power lines being blown down. Approximately 10,000 people were without power. Trees were blown down blocking many area roads, and the Emergency Manager declared a state of emergency in the county Friday with schools closed. Especially hard hit were the towns of Moriah, Ticonderoga, Crown Point, Port Henry, Essex and Westport. Structural damage was reported in Mineville. Boat damage was reported at local marinas. Damage was reported to an apple…

9. Apr 27, 2011Flash Flood$1.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Runoff from heavy rain and snowmelt caused flash flooding in the town of Moriah NY. Numerous roads were closed due to mudslides, and the Broad Street Bridge in Moriah was undermined and collapsed at approximately 03:00 EST. Later in the day, Titus Road Bridge collapsed at approximately 18:00 EST. In the hamlet of Witherbee, homes were flooded with water flowing through them.

10. Jan 19, 1996Flood, Western Essex$1.2 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A strong storm system moved into the Great Lakes Thursday (1/18/96) then into Canada Friday (1/19/96). The associated circulation pattern with this storm system resulted in above normal temperatures, strong winds and flooding due to snow melt, rainfall and icejams.A number of roads were washed out and closed. Essex and Clinton counties were the hardest hit. Numerous reports of power outages.Flooding was reported in Champlain (Clinton County) near Perry's Mills and all along the Great Chazy River. In Essex County flooding was widespread with roads washed out between Jay and Ausable. Flooding was also reported in St Lawrence County...especially in the town of Fine.Clinton and Essex…

1. 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.

All-time high

94°FAug 3, 1988

All-time low

−35°FJan 20, 1994

Warmest night

70°F3 times, most recently Aug 3, 2006

Coldest day

−11°FJan 7, 2018

Wettest day

3.96 inSep 6, 1985

Snowiest day

20.0 inMar 14, 1993

Hottest year

2011mean 44.3°F

Coldest year

1997mean 39.6°F

Wettest year

201957.34 in

Driest year

196530.55 in

Snowiest season

154.0 in1975-76

Station Newcomb (USC00305714), 1,647 ft elevation, 30.3 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1967 to October 26, 2026; 97.3% 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.

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.

Neighbouring counties

• 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 USC00305714.
• 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.