Connecticut, 2020

Damaging Winds in Connecticut, October 7, 2020

October 7, 2020 · NWS ALY · 3 events in 1 county or zone

A high-end severe weather event unfolded across the Northeast on Wednesday October 7, 2020. A line of thunderstorms originated across New York state and moved eastward into New England during the afternoon hours, producing widespread damage.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
$1,000
Events
3

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 ALY wrote it up.

A high-end severe weather event unfolded across the Northeast on Wednesday October 7, 2020. A line of thunderstorms originated across New York state and moved eastward into New England during the afternoon hours, producing widespread damage. This line brushed northern portions of Connecticut, producing some tree damage across northern Litchfield County. This event was classified as a serial derecho based on the 320 mile long damage swath and distribution of significant wind gusts (75 mph and above).

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Albany, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 7, 3:04 PM EST, 1 hour 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 7, 3:04 PM EST, 1 hour 20 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 7, 3:19 PM EST, 1 hour 5 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, Oct 7, 4:06 PM EST, 18 minutes before
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Local storm report, Oct 7, 4:09 PM EST, 15 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Oct 7, 4:12 PM EST, 12 minutes before
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Local storm report, Oct 7, 4:16 PM EST, 8 minutes before
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Local storm report, Oct 7, 4:18 PM EST, 6 minutes before
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Local storm report, Oct 7, 4:21 PM EST, 3 minutes before
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The radar

The Albany radar (KENX), 104 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:24 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Litchfield

When
October 7, 4:24 PM EST
Where
Litchfield County, 1.72 mi NE of Colebrook
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
42.000, -73.080

Trees were downed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Litchfield

When
October 7, 4:28 PM EST
Where
Litchfield County, 0.51 mi W of Winsted
Measured
45 kt (52 mph) estimated gust
Crop damage
$1,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
41.920, -73.080

A tree was downed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Litchfield

When
October 7, 4:29 PM EST
Where
Litchfield County, Barkhamsted
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
41.930, -72.920

Trees were downed.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Connecticut in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Connecticut, October 2020

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: 923372, 923375, 923379.