Connecticut, 2000

Flash Flooding and Lightning Strike in Connecticut, April 21, 2000

April 21, 2000 · NWS OKX · 5 events in 2 counties and zones

A series of intense thunderstorms moved north to northeast across Southeast Fairfield and New Haven Counties during Friday evening on April 21st. The thunderstorms were accompanied by torrential rainfall that produced widespread flooding of small streams, brooks, rivers, and low-lying and poor drainage areas.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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 OKX wrote it up.

A series of intense thunderstorms moved north to northeast across Southeast Fairfield and New Haven Counties during Friday evening on April 21st. The thunderstorms were accompanied by torrential rainfall that produced widespread flooding of small streams, brooks, rivers, and low-lying and poor drainage areas. They also produced lightning strikes.Rainfall amounts ranged from around 2 to 4 inches. Significant and widespread ponding of water caused road flooding in Stratford and Milford. Brooks and rivers in New Haven County flowed over their banks:The Pardy Brook at Route 10 in Hamden flowed over its' banks around 8:15 pm EDT.The Hockanum Brook near Beacon Falls (between Routes 42 and 8) was about 2 feet over its' banks around 9:00 pm EDT.The Ten Mile River in Cheshire flowed over its' banks around 9:45 pm EDT.The Quinnipiac River in Wallingford was over its' banks around 11:35 pm EDT.Here are selected rainfall amounts for:Southeast Fairfield County: from 2.27 inches at Westport to 3.57 inches at Bridgeport. A spotter from Stratford measured 3.56 inches.New Haven County: from 3.31 inches at Cheshire to 4.04 inches at Milford. Lightning struck a house at 938 Wintergreen Avenue in Hamden. The lightning tore a hole in the roof, streaked down a wall and started a fire in a downstairs bathroom. Cost estimates of property damage were unavailable.

The radar

The Brookhaven radar (KOKX), 55 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:32 UTC.

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Event by event

4 flash flood, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, New Haven

When
April 21, 4:30 PM EST
Where
New Haven County, Hamden
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
41.362, -72.844 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Fairfield

When
April 21, 4:42 PM EST
Where
Fairfield County, Stratford
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.326, -73.447 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, New Haven

When
April 21, 7:00 PM EST
Where
New Haven County, Milford
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.362, -72.844 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, New Haven

When
April 21, 7:15 PM EST to 8:45 PM EST
Where
New Haven County, Hamden
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.362, -72.844 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, New Haven

When
April 21, 10:35 PM EST
Where
New Haven County, Wallingford
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.362, -72.844 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Connecticut in 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in Connecticut, April 2000

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5140844, 5140845, 5140846, 5140848, 5140847.