Flooding in Vermont, January 19 to 20, 1996

Name: Flooding in Vermont, January 19 to 20, 1996
Start: 1996-01-19T09:00
End: 1996-01-20T12:00
Location: Vermont

January 19 to 20, 1996 · NWS BTV · 12 events in 12 counties and zones

A strong storm system moved into the Great Lakes on Thursday (1/18/96) and then moved into Canada thereafter on Friday (1/19/96) and Saturday (1/20/96). Two deaths were attributed to the flooding.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 11 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 2
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $2.8 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 12

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS BTV wrote it up.

A strong storm system moved into the Great Lakes on Thursday (1/18/96) and then moved into Canada thereafter on Friday (1/19/96) and Saturday (1/20/96). The circulation associated with this storm resulted in above normal temperatures, strong winds and flooding due to snow melt and rainfall.Two deaths were attributed to the flooding. A young girl drowned (1/19/96) trying to rescue her father when car was swept by water.The father died 2 days later (1/21/96) from injuries and hypothermia suffered from the accident on 1/19/96.Numerous roads were washed out due to the flooding statewide. Water was reported up to the level of car doors in Berlin (Washington County).Strong winds buffeted the state during Friday and Friday evening (1/19/96). A few of the higher gusts were: 79 mph at Pleasant Valley, 70 mph at Underhill and 63 mph at Jericho all located in Chittenden County. Numerous power outages across the state were reported.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Washington

When: January 19, 9:00 AM EST to January 20, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Property damage: $90,000
Coordinates: 44.273, -72.615 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Western Chittenden

When: January 19, 10:30 AM EST to January 20, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Western Chittenden forecast zone
Property damage: $690,000
Coordinates: 44.461, -73.081 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Lamoille

When: January 19, 10:30 AM EST to January 20, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Lamoille forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 44.606, -72.641 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Western Addison

When: January 19, 1:30 PM EST to January 20, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Western Addison forecast zone
Property damage: $120,000
Coordinates: 44.031, -73.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Windsor

When: January 19, 1:30 PM EST to January 20, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Windsor forecast zone
Property damage: $900,000

Flood, Western Franklin

When: January 19, 4:30 PM EST to January 20, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Western Franklin forecast zone
Deaths: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $410,000
Coordinates: 44.858, -72.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Orleans

When: January 19, 4:30 PM EST to January 20, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Orleans forecast zone
Property damage: $90,000
Coordinates: 44.829, -72.244 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Grand Isle

When: January 19, 5:00 PM EST to January 20, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Grand Isle forecast zone
Property damage: $40,000
Coordinates: 44.797, -73.295 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Orange

When: January 19, 5:30 PM EST to January 20, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Orange forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 44.006, -72.377 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Western Rutland

When: January 19, 5:30 PM EST to January 20, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Western Rutland forecast zone
Property damage: $160,000
Coordinates: 43.580, -73.037 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Essex

When: January 19, 9:00 PM EST to January 20, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Essex forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 44.728, -71.736 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Caledonia

When: January 19, 9:00 PM EST to January 20, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Caledonia forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 44.465, -72.102 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Flood, Western Franklin	1996-01-19	14	Female	Vehicle/Towed Trailer	Direct
Flood, Western Franklin	1996-01-21	50	Male	Vehicle/Towed Trailer	Direct

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Vermont in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in Vermont, January 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5554211, 5554212, 5554213, 5554214, 5554215, 5554216, 5554217, 5554218, 5554219, 5554220, 5554221, 5554222.