51
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$922K
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Washington County, Rhode Island: 51 recorded events between 1959 and 2023. The strongest on record measured 100. That places the county #2,713 nationally and #3 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Washington County, Rhode Island: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Washington County is the 2010s, when 18 of the county's 51 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Washington County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 38.9% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #2,713 for this hazard and #3 within Rhode Island, putting it in the 14.0 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Washington County with 14 recorded events, while Jan is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 29, 2023 | (BID)BLOCK IS ST ARP | 54 | $0 |
| Jul 27, 2023 | WESTERLY | 50 | $800 |
| Jun 27, 2023 | HOPE VLY | 50 | $800 |
| Aug 26, 2022 | RICHMOND | 43 | $2K |
| Aug 26, 2022 | HOPE VLY | 50 | $4K |
| Nov 13, 2021 | ARCADIA | 50 | $800 |
| Sep 28, 2021 | WATCH HILL | 54 | $0 |
| Nov 16, 2020 | INDIAN LAKE SHRS | 55 | $3K |
| Nov 16, 2020 | CHARLESTOWN | 51 | $0 |
| Nov 16, 2020 | HAVERSHAM | 50 | $2K |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
An amateur radio operator recorded an 83 mph wind gust on an anemometer. A few minutes later reports were received of dozens of trees downed in Burlingame State Park. This resulted in minor injuries to ten individuals, two of whom were taken to South County Hospital for treatment. The remainder were treated at the scene by paramedics.
Severe thunderstorms moved across parts of Rhode Island bringing gusty winds and small to dime-size hail as well as briefly heavy rain. Trees were reported blown down in Burrillville, North Smithfield, Providence, Barrington, Warwick, and Hopkinton. Numerous trees were reported down near Ashaway in Hopkinton, and five roads were blocked. Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph were reported in Newport, and a funnel cloud was observed over the coastal waters near Galilee. Almost an inch of rain fell in 15 minutes in Johnston. Lightning struck a fraternity house at the University of Rhode Island in Providence, resulting in a three-alarm fire. Up to 21,000 electric customers lost power statewide.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Washington County, Rhode Island?
51 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Washington County between 1959 and 2023, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Washington County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Washington County measured 100.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Washington County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in Washington County, Rhode Island.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/rhode-island/washington-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.