Appomattox County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51011 · population 16,119 · 334 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 377 records for Appomattox County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 257 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (182 records). The deadliest single record is the February 24, 2016 tornado: 1 death, 7 injuries and $13.8 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 26 declarations naming the county since 1972, 24 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
- 377on 257 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 17 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $18Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 26latest 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 Appomattox County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 182 since 1958. 53% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among Virginia's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 182 | 108 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 0 | $666K | 43 of 96 |
| Winter storms | 56 | 55 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $146K | 70 of 96 |
| Floods | 47 | 33 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | 51 of 96 |
| Hail | 38 | 28 | 1959-2025 | 0 | 0 | $3K | 51 of 96 |
| Drought | 17 | 17 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $543K | 12 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 17 | 17 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $561K | 41 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 6 | 2018-2021 | 0 | 0 | $5K | 66 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 4 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | $47K | 54 of 96 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2013-2019 | 0 | 0 | $21K | 45 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 1951-2016 | 1 | 7 | $14M | 73 of 96 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 2 | 2003-2011 | 0 | 0 | $124K | 34 of 96 |
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 Appomattox County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Appomattox County from 1951 to 2016, the strongest rated EF3, with 1 death and 7 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 3 tornadoes whose track touched Appomattox County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 3, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-02-24 14:28, as SPC files it | Unnamed | EF3 | 16.89 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Appomattox County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-02-24 | Spring Mills, Appomattox County | EF3 16.89 mi x 400 yd | 1 | 7 | $14M |
| 2008-05-08 | Hixburg, Appomattox County | EF1 0.68 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 1951-02-01 | Appomattox County | F1 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
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 Appomattox County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2026 thunderstorm wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindHixburg, Appomattox County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtAppomattox County · forecast zone Appomattox | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindAppomattox County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindEvergreen, Appomattox County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindAppomattox County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindStonewall, Appomattox County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtAppomattox County · forecast zone Appomattox | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | DroughtAppomattox County · forecast zone Appomattox | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindAppomattox County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindAppomattox County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindAppomattox County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormAppomattox County · forecast zone Appomattox | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-02-24 | TornadoSpring Mills, Appomattox County A tornado touched down just outside Appomattox county in Campbell county, then traveled 16 miles northeast across Appomattox county. At its peak, this tornado reached EF-3 intensity, which was the first EF-3 tornado or stronger in the month of February in the NWS Blacksburg forecast area. For Appomattox County, this ... | EF3 16.89 mi x 400 yd | 1 | 7 | $14M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-02-24 | TornadoSpring Mills, Appomattox County | EF3 16.89 mi x 400 yd | 1 | 7 | $14M |
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindSpout Spg, Appomattox County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $193K |
| 2025-02-11 | Winter StormAppomattox County · forecast zone Appomattox | 0 | 0 | $120K | |
| 2008-05-08 | TornadoHixburg, Appomattox County | EF1 0.68 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 2006-04-03 | Thunderstorm WindAppomattox County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2025-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindSpout Spg, Appomattox County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindAppomattox County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-02-16 | High WindAppomattox County · forecast zone Appomattox | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $3K, in the dollars of the day) holds: February 1, 1951 (tornado, Appomattox County).
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 Appomattox County'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 28 | 57 | 84 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 19 | 21 | 8 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 9 | 13 | 17 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 7 | 8 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 6 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 6 | 3 | 7 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 27 · Feb 36 · Mar 20 · Apr 28 · May 35 · Jun 37 · Jul 91 · Aug 35 · Sep 29 · Oct 9 · Nov 14 · Dec 16 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Appomattox County
FEMA's register lists 26 declarations that include Appomattox County: 18 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and hurricane (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-23 | EM-3631 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025-04-04 | DR-4863 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding |
| 2024-10-01 | DR-4831 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2022-03-11 | DR-4644 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2021-05-10 | DR-4602 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2020-04-02 | DR-4512 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3448 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-12-18 | DR-4411 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Michael |
| 2018-09-11 | EM-3403 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3359 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-07-27 | DR-4072 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2010-04-27 | DR-1905 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 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 |
| 1996-09-06 | DR-1135 | Hurricane | Hurricane Fran and Associated Severe Storm Cond |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1086 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1994-04-11 | DR-1021 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 1994-03-10 | DR-1014 | Snowstorm | Severe Ice Storms, Flooding |
| 1993-03-25 | EM-3112 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1985-11-09 | DR-755 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-07-23 | EM-3046 | Drought | Drought |
| 1976-10-15 | EM-3018 | Drought | Drought |
| 1972-10-10 | DR-359 | 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 Appomattox County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 47 flood or flash flood records for Appomattox County from 1996 to 2025, on 33 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Appomattox County ranks 2400th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Fran | 1996-09-06 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $256,000 on 9 claims filed in Appomattox County; the most in one year was 3 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1987: 2 · 1995: 2 · 1996: 3 · 2004: 1 · 2012: 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 Appomattox County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Appomattox County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $236K | once in about 13 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $102K | 7.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $226K | 2.9 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $169K | once in about 568 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $629 | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Very Low | $80K | 42 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $20K | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $47 | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Appomattox County
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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in VirginiaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Appomattox CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Appomattox County's FEMA declarations (CSV)26 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis