Washington County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot New York Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in Washington County is lower than New York average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Washington County is lower than New York average and is much lower than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #24
| Washington County | 0.28 |
| New York | 0.58 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
| Washington County | 0.0000 |
| New York | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #38
| Washington County | 35.76 |
| New York | 49.25 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 10,622 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Washington County were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 5 | Cold: | 113 | Dense Fog: | 1 | Drought: | 28 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 1,281 | Hail: | 1,966 | Heat: | 44 | Heavy Snow: | 428 |
| High Surf: | 4 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 21 | Landslide: | 1 | Strong Wind: | 284 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 5,222 | Tropical Storm: | 2 | Wildfire: | 3 | Winter Storm: | 317 | Winter Weather: | 166 |
| Other: | 736 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Washington County.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Washington County.
No historical earthquake events found in or near Washington County.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 14 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Washington County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 13.1 | 1976-06-11 | 2 | 43°19'N / 73°43'W | 43°18'N / 73°41'W | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Washington | ||
| 18.7 | 1969-05-29 | 2 | 43°12'N / 73°06'W | 0.50 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Bennington | |
| 24.7 | 1955-03-22 | 2 | 43°00'N / 73°12'W | 0.10 Mile | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Bennington | |
| 26.8 | 1998-05-31 | 2 | 42°55'N / 73°41'W | 42°56'N / 73°16'W | 20.30 Miles | 970 Yards | 0 | 0 | 10.0M | 200K | Rensselaer |
| Brief Description: During the morning hours of May 31, a strong low pressure system over the upper Great Lakes pushed a warm front across eastern New York and western New England. This set the stage for a major severe weather outbreak in eastern New York. In this highly sheared environment several lines of severe thunderstorms formed ahead of an approaching cold front. This resulted in three tornadoes and severe thunderstorm damage in every county. The most significant tornado occurred in Saratoga County and northern Rensselaer County. This tornado touched down at Ushers Road in the Town of Halfmoon and moved due east into the City of Mechanicville. Here, the tornado intensified to an F3 and destroyed the DiSiena Furniture Company. The tornado tracked over Viall Hill where several housing developments were devastated. It continued east into the Riverside area in the Town of Stillwater, where many homes, businesses and several warehouses including De Crescente Distributing Company were destroyed or heavily damaged. The tornado then crossed the Hudson River into Rensselaer County and decreased to an F2. The tornado tracked across the Town of Schaghticoke and just brushed the Village of Schaghticoke to the north. Czub Grain Farm on Verbeck Avenue was heavily damaged. It then followed the Hoosic River as it crossed the Village of Valley Falls and into the northern portion of the Town of Pittstown to Millertown. At this point the track became discontinuous and the intensity decreased to an F1. In the Town of Hoosick the path became continuous again and increased to an F2. Several farms received extensive damage including Lukeland Dairy Farm where a 60 ton silo and barn were leveled. The tornado then tracked from extreme northeast Rensselaer County to Bennington County in southern Vermont where it quickly decreased to an F1 after crossing the border. Governor Pataki declared a State of Emergency in Saratoga and Rensselaer Counties. The National Guard was called in by the Governor to assist in the clean up. In Saratoga County approximately 55 homes were destroyed and 230 were damaged. In Rensselaer County approximately 50 to 60 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. Power was not restored to parts of this region for three to four days. Approximately 70 injuries occurred with this tornado but no one was killed. Another tornado tracked across southern Rensselaer County. This tornado first touched down on Palmer Road about two miles east of Interstate 90 in the Town of Schodack. The tornado moved due east and passed just south of North Schodack then tracked east northeast to Millers Corners on the south shore of Burden Lake. The damage path continued in this direction to Pike Pond before it dissipated at Alps Mountain. This tornado destroyed three barns, damaged several homes and produced extensive tree damage along its path. The last tornado tracked across the Albany International Airport. It began southwest of the airport about one-half mile west of Memory Gardens Cemetery. The damage path continued east northeast to the Albany ASOS unit where an 82 mile an hour gust was reported. Next it tracked near the Air National Guard facility at the Albany Airport before it crossed Interstate 87 and dissipated. The most widespread damage occurred near the Hilton Hotel where several trees were uprooted or sheared off. At Easton in Washington County, a microburst producing winds of 100 miles an hour took the roof off the fire house and leveled a barn after it was carried 60 yards. South of the Village of Herkimer in Herkimer County, a powerful downburst took the roof off a T hangar at a small private airport and damaged two airplanes. A couple of out buildings and a small trailer office were also rolled off their foundations. The severe weather caused widespread power outages across all of eastern New York. The damaging winds downed power lines, power poles and trees in many locations. Structural damage occurred to several homes and garages due to downed trees. Damage to crops was also quite extensive especially in the mid Hudson Valley and Capital District. Resources from the State Department of Agriculture and Markets were made available to many counties in this region. Approximately 25 cows were killed across the area due to either electrocution or collapsed barns. | |||||||||||
| 27.6 | 1998-05-31 | 2 | 42°57'N / 73°17'W | 42°56'N / 73°11'W | 5.50 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 630K | 0 | Bennington |
| Brief Description: During the morning hours of May 31, a strong low pressure system over the upper Great Lakes pushed a warm front across eastern New York and western New England. This set the stage for a major severe weather outbreak in southern Vermont. In this highly sheared environment several lines of severe thunderstorms formed ahead of an approaching cold front, which resulted in one tornado and several severe thunderstorms. The F2 tornado in Bennington County is the continuation of the tornado that crossed Saratoga and Rensselaer Counties in eastern New York. The tornado entered the county as an F2 but quickly weakened to an F1. The tornado followed route 67 from the state line through North Bennington to the South Shaftsbury area. The tornado dissipated approximately two miles east of South Shaftsbury along Lower East Road. This tornado produced extensive damage to many homes in North Bennington and South Shaftsbury. The Bennington College grounds were hard hit with many trees blown over or sheared apart. Approximately 8,000 customers lost power with some locations remaining without power for two to three days. Severe thunderstorms also downed trees, power lines and utility poles at several locations in southern Vermont. A severe thunderstorm at Shaftsbury in Bennington County produced large hail. | |||||||||||
| 28.2 | 1973-08-28 | 2 | 42°54'N / 73°33'W | 42°55'N / 73°29'W | 2.30 Miles | 83 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Rensselaer |
| 30.9 | 1998-05-31 | 3 | 42°55'N / 73°46'W | 42°55'N / 73°41'W | 4.70 Miles | 970 Yards | 0 | 68 | 60.0M | 0 | Saratoga |
| Brief Description: During the morning hours of May 31, a strong low pressure system over the upper Great Lakes pushed a warm front across eastern New York and western New England. This set the stage for a major severe weather outbreak in eastern New York. In this highly sheared environment several lines of severe thunderstorms formed ahead of an approaching cold front. This resulted in three tornadoes and severe thunderstorm damage in every county. The most significant tornado occurred in Saratoga County and northern Rensselaer County. This tornado touched down at Ushers Road in the Town of Halfmoon and moved due east into the City of Mechanicville. Here, the tornado intensified to an F3 and destroyed the DiSiena Furniture Company. The tornado tracked over Viall Hill where several housing developments were devastated. It continued east into the Riverside area in the Town of Stillwater, where many homes, businesses and several warehouses including De Crescente Distributing Company were destroyed or heavily damaged. The tornado then crossed the Hudson River into Rensselaer County and decreased to an F2. The tornado tracked across the Town of Schaghticoke and just brushed the Village of Schaghticoke to the north. Czub Grain Farm on Verbeck Avenue was heavily damaged. It then followed the Hoosic River as it crossed the Village of Valley Falls and into the northern portion of the Town of Pittstown to Millertown. At this point the track became discontinuous and the intensity decreased to an F1. In the Town of Hoosick the path became continuous again and increased to an F2. Several farms received extensive damage including Lukeland Dairy Farm where a 60 ton silo and barn were leveled. The tornado then tracked from extreme northeast Rensselaer County to Bennington County in southern Vermont where it quickly decreased to an F1 after crossing the border. Governor Pataki declared a State of Emergency in Saratoga and Rensselaer Counties. The National Guard was called in by the Governor to assist in the clean up. In Saratoga County approximately 55 homes were destroyed and 230 were damaged. In Rensselaer County approximately 50 to 60 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. Power was not restored to parts of this region for three to four days. Approximately 70 injuries occurred with this tornado but no one was killed. Another tornado tracked across southern Rensselaer County. This tornado first touched down on Palmer Road about two miles east of Interstate 90 in the Town of Schodack. The tornado moved due east and passed just south of North Schodack then tracked east northeast to Millers Corners on the south shore of Burden Lake. The damage path continued in this direction to Pike Pond before it dissipated at Alps Mountain. This tornado destroyed three barns, damaged several homes and produced extensive tree damage along its path. The last tornado tracked across the Albany International Airport. It began southwest of the airport about one-half mile west of Memory Gardens Cemetery. The damage path continued east northeast to the Albany ASOS unit where an 82 mile an hour gust was reported. Next it tracked near the Air National Guard facility at the Albany Airport before it crossed Interstate 87 and dissipated. The most widespread damage occurred near the Hilton Hotel where several trees were uprooted or sheared off. At Easton in Washington County, a microburst producing winds of 100 miles an hour took the roof off the fire house and leveled a barn after it was carried 60 yards. South of the Village of Herkimer in Herkimer County, a powerful downburst took the roof off a T hangar at a small private airport and damaged two airplanes. A couple of out buildings and a small trailer office were also rolled off their foundations. The severe weather caused widespread power outages across all of eastern New York. The damaging winds downed power lines, power poles and trees in many locations. Structural damage occurred to several homes and garages due to downed trees. Damage to crops was also quite extensive especially in the mid Hudson Valley and Capital District. Resources from the State Department of Agriculture and Markets were made available to many counties in this region. Approximately 25 cows were killed across the area due to either electrocution or collapsed barns. | |||||||||||
| 35.2 | 1974-06-16 | 3 | 42°51'N / 73°45'W | 42°55'N / 73°53'W | 7.70 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Saratoga |
| 35.4 | 1968-08-20 | 3 | 43°06'N / 72°48'W | 1.00 Mile | 27 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Hillsborough | |
| 36.5 | 1960-06-24 | 3 | 42°48'N / 73°53'W | 42°55'N / 73°44'W | 10.90 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 9 | 25.0M | 0 | Schenectady |
| 36.6 | 2002-06-05 | 2 | 43°11'N / 72°44'W | 43°11'N / 72°44'W | 0.10 Mile | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 75K | 0 | Windham |
| Brief Description: Thunderstorms, that initially developed in New York, and produced a macroburst in extreme eastern New York, moved into southern Vermont during the evening of the 5th. The storms spawned two tornados, one in Woodford Hollow, Bennington County and the other one near Wilmington, Windham County. The first touchdown, one mile north from Route 9, produced a swath 150 yards wide and a path length of one half mile. Many trees, as large as a foot in diamter, were either knocked over or ripped apart. Trees also fell on three automobiles. This tornado was assesed to be a F1 intensity, with winds estimated between 80 and 100 mph. The second tornado, 4 miles northeast of Wilmington, was even stronger despite a narrower swath of 50 yards. The path length was also about a half mile. This tornado, in addition to blowing some trees down, mostly destroyed a sturdy house on Haynes Road. The garage of the house was blown off its foundation. The family room was ripped off the end of the house, nearly killing the owner. Luckily the owner escaped without any injuries. However, antiques in the attic of the home, as well as numerous other possessions from throughout the house, were spread out for miles downwind, and a propane tanke was missing. The winds with this tornado were estimated between 125 and 150 mph. Non-tornadic thunderstorm winds blew some trees down in the town of Pownal. Lightnting struck a home in North Bennington causing a very small fire with minimal damage to the structure of the house. | |||||||||||
| 41.8 | 1974-06-16 | 3 | 42°40'N / 73°48'W | 42°51'N / 73°45'W | 12.70 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Albany |
| 45.5 | 1962-07-09 | 2 | 43°18'N / 72°36'W | 43°22'N / 72°28'W | 7.60 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Windsor |
| 48.0 | 1966-03-01 | 2 | 42°39'N / 73°09'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Berkshire | |||
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.