Bristol County Tornadoes Caused $2.7M in Damage

NOAA has recorded 200 tornadoes in Massachusetts since 1951. Thirteen twisters occurred in Bristol County, with several reported in New Bedford. TornadoPath.com stated Bristol County tornadoes caused a reported combined $2.7 million in damage.

Massachusetts' Deadliest Tornadoes

Western and Central Massachusetts, including Hampden and Worcester Counties, experience a higher frequency of tornadoes than does the eastern part of the state. Massachusetts can experience between two and five tornadoes annually.

In all, 105 people were killed by tornadoes in Massachusetts. The deadliest storms occurred on June 9, 1953, in Central Massachusetts, including the Worcester area. A cluster of three E-3 and one E-4 tornadoes claimed 90 lives. The storms caused an estimated $260 million in damage.

Tornadoes in Bristol County: A Timeline

The most recent tornadoes recorded in Bristol County occurred in Attleboro and Rehoboth in 2024. North Attleboro and Mansfield experienced tornadoes in 2023. Norton had a small twister in 2018.

Before Norton, it had been 10 years since Bristol County experienced a tornado.

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In 2008, a twister touched down in Bristol, Rhode Island, and passed through neighboring Warren and into Swansea, Massachusetts. Westport recorded a small twister near Route 6 in 1997.

Two tornadoes occurred in New Bedford, the first on August 28, 1970, in the water off East Beach, and the second near MacArthur Drive on September 14, 1972.

Foxboro had tornadoes in 1953 and again in 1970. In 1968, North Attleboro scored a twister as did Acushnet off Main Street on August 9.

TornadoPath.com reported the 13 tornadoes that impacted Bristol County resulted in five injuries, no deaths and an estimated $2.7 million in damage.

The Burlington Free Press lists all Massachusetts tornadoes between 1951 and 2024, death and injury counts, and property damage totals.

America’s First Tornado Was Here

The first tornado recorded in America was in Massachusetts. The first tornado outbreak was in New England.

10 Costliest Tornadoes in US History

When it comes to natural disasters in the United States, tornadoes are pretty spectacular. They're absolutely terrifying, deadlier than hurricanes and wildfires, and completely unpredictable. They're also some of the most awe-inspiring things to see in person. While they don't cost nearly as much as hurricanes and wildfires, they do get expensive in greatly localized areas. Here are the most expensive in US history.

Gallery Credit: Kelso