Alexandria (city), Virginia
City storm and disaster record · FIPS 51510 · population 159,467 · 15 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 533 records for Alexandria (city), Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 456 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (142 records). 364 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the June 8, 2008 excessive heat, filed for the forecast zone Arlington, which covers the county: 1 death. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1972, 20 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on January 23, 2026.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 533on 456 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 268 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $26Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 2strongest EF0
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 2026
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Alexandria (city) most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 142 since 1996. 74% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. Census land area gives no figure for Alexandria (city) under this code, so it carries no per-area rank.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 142 | 140 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $749K | – |
| Floods | 95 | 65 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | – |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 82 | 60 | 1983-2026 | 0 | 0 | $11M | – |
| Heat | 66 | 66 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 39 | – | – |
| High wind and dust storms | 40 | 37 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 3 | $6.1M | – |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 34 | 33 | 2006-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Extreme cold | 33 | 33 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Heavy rain | 12 | 12 | 1996-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Drought | 9 | 9 | 1998-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Hail | 8 | 7 | 1998-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 7 | 7 | 1999-2020 | 0 | 26 | $7.5M | – |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2002-2008 | 0 | 0 | $400K | – |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 2001-2014 | 0 | 0 | $13K | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Alexandria (city) had?
NOAA records 2 tornadoes in Alexandria (city) from 2001 to 2014, the strongest rated EF0, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 2 tornadoes whose track touched Alexandria (city) since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 2, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Alexandria (city) (2)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-10-15 | Belle Haven, Alexandria (city) | EF0 0.75 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-09-24 | Alexandria (city) | F0 3 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Alexandria (city)?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 11, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindPotomac Yard, Alexandria (city) | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindAlexandria (city) | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindAlexandria (city) | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindPotomac Yard, Alexandria (city) | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-02-22 | Winter WeatherArlington County and 2 more · forecast zone Arlington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillArlington County and 2 more · forecast zone Arlington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | High WindArlington County and 2 more · forecast zone Arlington | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillArlington County and 2 more · forecast zone Arlington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormArlington County and 2 more · forecast zone Arlington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillArlington County and 2 more · forecast zone Arlington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-05 | Winter WeatherArlington County and 2 more · forecast zone Arlington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-05 | Winter WeatherArlington County and 2 more · forecast zone Arlington | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-06-08 | Excessive HeatArlington County and 3 more · forecast zone Arlington Alexandria Emergency Management and local newspapers reported that one person died from heat-related complications in Alexandria. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2003-12-14 | Winter WeatherArlington County and 3 more · forecast zone Arlington An area of low pressure developed over the Gulf Coast region and tracked northeast into the Mid Atlantic region. The storm produced a mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain. Snowfall totals across Northeast Virginia averaged 3 to 4 inches. Some light ice accumulations were also reported. One death was reported in ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2003-09-18 | Tropical StormArlington County and 3 more · forecast zone Arlington / Alexandria / Falls Church On September 18, 2003, Hurricane Isabel made landfall on the North Carolina Coast. Its huge wind field was already piling water up into the southern Chesapeake Bay. By the time Isabel moved into central Virginia, it had weakened and was downgraded to a tropical storm. Isabel's eye tracked well west of the bay, but the ... | 0 | 26 | $7.2M | |
| 1999-07-04 | HeatArlington County and 3 more · forecast zone Arlington / Alexandria / Falls Church High pressure sat off the Mid-Atlantic coast from the 4th through the 7th, acting like a heat pump drawing extremely warm and humid air into Northern Virginia. Temperatures on the 4th through early on the 7th were oppressively hot, and extremely humid conditions added to the misery. These conditions continued until a ... | 0 | 21 | – | |
| 1997-08-16 | HeatArlington County and 3 more · forecast zone Arlington West winds circulating around a "Bermuda" high pressure system allowed temperatures to soar over the weekend of the 16th and 17th. Maximum temperatures surpassed the century mark across most of northern Virginia (except in the higher elevations) both days. Heat index values ranged from 105 to 110 each day, but aside ... | 0 | 18 | – | |
| 2018-03-02 | High WindArlington County and 2 more · forecast zone Arlington A wind gust of 62 mph was reported at Reagan National Airport. A tree was down on the George Washington Memorial Parkway near the VA-123 Chain Bridge Road. A tree was blocking the northbound Spout Run Parkway near the George Washington Memorial Parkway. A minor injury occurred when a tree fell onto a house in Falls ... | 54 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2000-01-13 | High WindArlington County and 3 more · forecast zone Arlington 64 MPH gust in Falls Church; construction worker seriously injured by fallen brick wall. | 56 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1997-03-31 | Strong WindArlington County and 3 more · forecast zone Arlington A nor'easter, languishing off the middle Atlantic coast, produced sustained winds between 25 and 40 mph with gusts to 50 mph or higher over much of northern Virginia. The winds caused scattered damage to buildings under construction, roofs, and trees and power lines. In Fairfax Co (VAZ053), damage included a partial ... | 0 | 1 | $184K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-09-18 | Tropical StormArlington County and 3 more · forecast zone Arlington / Alexandria / Falls Church | 0 | 26 | $7.2M | |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindArlington County and 3 more · forecast zone Arlington | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5.8M |
| 2003-02-14 | Winter StormArlington County and 3 more · forecast zone Arlington | 0 | 0 | $642K | |
| 2005-06-06 | LightningAlexandria (city) | 0 | 0 | $378K | |
| 1997-03-31 | Strong WindArlington County and 3 more · forecast zone Arlington | 0 | 1 | $184K | |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindAlexandria (city) | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2010-08-05 | Thunderstorm WindAlexandria (city) | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindAlexandria (city) | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Alexandria (city)'s most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 14 | 39 | 66 | 23 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 12 | 33 | 44 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 26 | 25 | 22 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 8 | 19 | 30 | 9 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 21 | 10 | 3 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 0 | 9 | 18 | 7 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
74% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 85 · Feb 67 · Mar 38 · Apr 23 · May 28 · Jun 43 · Jul 80 · Aug 53 · Sep 35 · Oct 20 · Nov 18 · Dec 43 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Alexandria (city)
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Alexandria (city): 16 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (5) and snowstorm (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-23 | EM-3631 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020-04-02 | DR-4512 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3448 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-09-11 | EM-3403 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2016-03-07 | DR-4262 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3359 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-11-17 | DR-4045 | Severe Storm | The Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 2011-09-03 | DR-4024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-04-27 | DR-1905 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 2010-02-16 | DR-1874 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2006-07-13 | DR-1655 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2005-09-12 | EM-3240 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-09-18 | DR-1491 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 2003-03-27 | DR-1458 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snowfall, Heavy Rain,Floodind, and Mudslide |
| 2000-02-28 | DR-1318 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1086 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-25 | EM-3112 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1985-11-09 | DR-755 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-01-26 | DR-525 | Freezing | Ice Conditions |
| 1972-10-10 | DR-359 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1972-10-07 | DR-358 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1972-06-23 | DR-339 | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Alexandria (city) had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 95 flood or flash flood records for Alexandria (city) from 1996 to 2025, on 65 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Alexandria (city) ranks 596th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Fran | 1996-09-07 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $7.2 million on 404 claims filed in Alexandria (city); the most in one year was 81 in 2019. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 10 · 1979: 7 · 1980: 1 · 1982: 1 · 1983: 2 · 1985: 6 · 1986: 2 · 1987: 1 · 1989: 2 · 1993: 1 · 1996: 17 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 3 · 2000: 2 · 2001: 1 · 2003: 53 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 3 · 2006: 34 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 8 · 2009: 3 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 17 · 2012: 4 · 2013: 8 · 2014: 5 · 2015: 9 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 16 · 2019: 81 · 2020: 65 · 2021: 26 · 2022: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2026: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Alexandria (city)
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Alexandria (city) Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $40.1 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $2.5M | 8 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $3.3M | 6.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $26M | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $961K | 41 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $256K | 9.1 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $2.0M | once in about 948 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $2.1M | once in about 10 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $424K | 3.8 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Alexandria (city)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in VirginiaEvery Virginia tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in VirginiaThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Virginia recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Alexandria (city)The hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Alexandria (city)'s FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis