Bland County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51021 · population 6,270 · 358 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 238 records for Bland County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 203 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (64 records). 129 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 February 15, 2025 flash flood: 1 death and $20,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1976, 16 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
- 238on 203 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 10 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $15Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- FEMA declarations
- 18latest 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 Bland County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 64 since 1996. 64% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 64 | 64 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $5K | 63 of 96 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 63 | 43 | 1989-2026 | 0 | 0 | $109K | 93 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 36 | 36 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 19 of 96 |
| Floods | 23 | 22 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $1.7M | 73 of 96 |
| Hail | 23 | 19 | 1996-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 79 of 96 |
| Drought | 20 | 20 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $12M | 7 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 6 | 1996-2015 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 41 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2020-2023 | 0 | 0 | $21K | 89 of 96 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 9 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.
When was the last damaging storm in Bland County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 18, 2026 thunderstorm wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindNorth Gap, Bland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtBland County · forecast zone Bland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtBland County · forecast zone Bland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | DroughtBland County · forecast zone Bland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-30 | Winter StormBland County · forecast zone Bland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormBland County · forecast zone Bland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindNiday, Bland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindHolly Brook, Bland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindMechanicsburg, Bland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindPoint Pleasant, Bland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindEffna, Bland County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-02-16 | High WindBland County · forecast zone Bland | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-02-15 | Flash FloodHolly Brook, Bland County A vehicle with a single occupant was pushed off of Kimberling Road into deeper water as Kimberling Creek flooded at least 2 feet over the roadway. The occupant attempted to abandon the vehicle, but was swept away by the flooding and passed away. Nearby, Wesendonck Road was observed flooded and impassible at several ... | 1 | 0 | $20K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-27 | High WindBland County · forecast zone Bland | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $734K |
| 2003-11-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Bland County | 0 | 0 | $561K | |
| 2011-06-09 | Flash FloodCeres, Bland County | 0 | 0 | $328K | |
| 1996-05-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Bland County | 0 | 0 | $282K | |
| 2025-02-15 | Flash FloodHolly Brook, Bland County | 1 | 0 | $20K | |
| 2006-07-04 | Thunderstorm WindRocky Gap, Bland County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindPoint Pleasant, Bland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindNorth Gap, Bland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
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 Bland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 14 | 12 | 29 | 9 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 23 | 19 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 19 | 13 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 8 | 8 | 3 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 0 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 6 | 10 | 1 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
64% 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 29 · Feb 33 · Mar 12 · Apr 21 · May 32 · Jun 29 · Jul 21 · Aug 13 · Sep 4 · Oct 12 · Nov 12 · Dec 20 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Bland County
FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Bland County: 10 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (4) and hurricane (3).
| 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 |
| 2024-09-29 | EM-3621 | Tropical Storm | Post-Tropical Cyclone Helene |
| 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 |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3359 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-07-27 | DR-4072 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2005-09-12 | EM-3240 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-12-09 | DR-1502 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2000-02-28 | DR-1318 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1996-01-27 | DR-1098 | Flood | Flooding, High Winds, and Wind Driven Rain |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1086 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1994-03-10 | DR-1014 | Snowstorm | Severe Ice Storms, Flooding |
| 1993-03-25 | EM-3112 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1977-04-07 | DR-530 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1976-10-15 | EM-3018 | Drought | Drought |
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 Bland County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 23 flood or flash flood records for Bland County from 1996 to 2025, on 22 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Bland County ranks 1660th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $950,000 on 50 claims filed in Bland County; the most in one year was 13 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1991: 1 · 1992: 1 · 1993: 1 · 1995: 2 · 1996: 7 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 2 · 2003: 13 · 2010: 6 · 2015: 4 · 2017: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2025: 2; 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 Bland County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Bland County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $27K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.5M | 4.7 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $140K | 1.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $834 | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $17K | once in about 62 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $3.1M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $52K | once in about 688 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | $10K | 15 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 Bland County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- 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 Bland CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Bland County's FEMA declarations (CSV)18 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis