Buckingham County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51029 · population 16,804 · 580 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 527 records for Buckingham County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 338 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (271 records). The deadliest single record is the March 24, 2012 flash flood: 1 death and $19,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1969, 21 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
- 527on 338 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 27 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $6.6Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 5strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 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 Buckingham County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 271 since 1966. 54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1966 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 | 271 | 157 | 1966-2026 | 1 | 1 | $2.0M | 62 of 96 |
| Hail | 72 | 57 | 1966-2025 | 0 | 0 | $92K | 39 of 96 |
| Floods | 62 | 44 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $1.1M | 64 of 96 |
| Winter storms | 59 | 58 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $65K | 91 of 96 |
| Drought | 20 | 20 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 26 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 16 | 16 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 2 | $415K | 56 of 96 |
| Lightning | 8 | 8 | 2007-2025 | 0 | 4 | $90K | 24 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 6 | 2018-2021 | 0 | 0 | $18K | 83 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 4 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 0 | $33K | 81 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 5 | 1959-2004 | 0 | 0 | $535K | 74 of 96 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 2 | 2003-2011 | 0 | 0 | $803K | 52 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 Buckingham County had?
NOAA records 5 tornadoes in Buckingham County from 1959 to 2004, the strongest rated F3, 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched Buckingham County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 5, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966-06-16 18:45, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 1 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Buckingham County (5)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-09-08 | Gold Hill, Buckingham County | F0 0.8 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-10-02 | Buckingham County | F1 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1966-06-16 | Buckingham County | F3 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1960-09-10 | Buckingham County | F2 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1959-08-23 | Buckingham County | F1 1 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Buckingham County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 14, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindBuckingham County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindMt Rush, Buckingham County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindToga, Buckingham County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtBuckingham County · forecast zone Buckingham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindAlpha, Buckingham County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtBuckingham County · forecast zone Buckingham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | DroughtBuckingham County · forecast zone Buckingham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormBuckingham County · forecast zone Buckingham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-06 | DroughtBuckingham County · forecast zone Buckingham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-08 | Winter StormBuckingham County · forecast zone Buckingham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-05 | Winter StormBuckingham County · forecast zone Buckingham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindMt Rush, Buckingham County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-03-24 | Flash FloodToga, Buckingham County Heavy rainfall of 2 to 4 inches in several hours caused several small streams to flood including Greasy Creek southwest of Buckingham. After the flooding receded, the County Sheriff's Office said deputies found a deceased 61-year-old woman inside a pickup truck several days after she was reported missing. The truck ... | 1 | 0 | $19K | |
| 2003-05-09 | Thunderstorm WindCentenary, Buckingham County Thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours on the 9th produced hail up to golf ball size, damaging winds, and dangerous lightning.A severe thunderstorm during the afternoon of the 9th tracked from about 7 miles northeast of Centenery to 7 miles east northeast of Dillwyn. At times the damage path was 2 miles ... | 80 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $561K |
| 2021-07-26 | LightningCentenary, Buckingham County Lightning strikes an 18 year old individual and a 50 year old individual along Sharps Creek Road. Two injuries were reported as a result with one of the individuals receiving medical attention for burns to the leg. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2018-03-02 | High WindBuckingham County · forecast zone Buckingham Winds downed ten trees in the county. One large tree fell across U.S. Route 60. A motorist ran into this downed tree and was injured. Winds also downed a power line. Damage values are estimated. | 52 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $29K |
| 2014-06-11 | LightningCentenary, Buckingham County Lightning struck a man. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2010-08-04 | Thunderstorm WindCurdsville, Buckingham County A tree was blown down on Evans Mill Road and this caused two accidents, one of which resulted in an injury. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $14K |
| 2009-11-11 | Strong WindBuckingham County · forecast zone Buckingham A four foot diameter tree fell onto Highway 60. A vehicle crashed into it resulting in one person being injured. The extent of the injury was unknown. | 30 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2007-06-11 | LightningCentenary, Buckingham County One injury from a lightning strike. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-10-01 | DroughtBuckingham County · forecast zone Buckingham | 0 | 0 | $814K | |
| 2003-09-18 | Tropical StormBuckingham County · forecast zone Buckingham | 0 | 0 | $802K | |
| 2003-05-09 | Thunderstorm WindCentenary, Buckingham County | 80 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $561K |
| 2025-07-08 | LightningJohnson Station, Buckingham County | 0 | 0 | $40K | |
| 2018-03-02 | High WindBuckingham County · forecast zone Buckingham | 52 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $29K |
| 2012-03-24 | Flash FloodToga, Buckingham County | 1 | 0 | $19K | |
| 2010-08-04 | Thunderstorm WindCurdsville, Buckingham County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $14K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindMt Rush, Buckingham County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: August 23, 1959 (tornado, Buckingham County); September 10, 1960 (tornado, Buckingham 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 Buckingham 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 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 60 | 139 | 55 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 25 | 27 | 6 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 13 | 28 | 12 | 9 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 20 | 22 | 9 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 6 | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 7 | 6 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1966 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 29 · Feb 37 · Mar 26 · Apr 40 · May 53 · Jun 113 · Jul 91 · Aug 51 · Sep 31 · Oct 19 · Nov 15 · Dec 22 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Buckingham County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include Buckingham County: 15 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (6) and severe storm (5).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1969-08-23 | DR-274 | Hurricane | Severe Storms & Flooding |
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 Buckingham County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 62 flood or flash flood records for Buckingham County from 1996 to 2025, on 44 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Buckingham County ranks 2436th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Fran | 1996-09-06 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $58,000 on 8 claims filed in Buckingham County; the most in one year was 3 in 1985. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1985: 3 · 1987: 3 · 1992: 1 · 1996: 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 Buckingham County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Buckingham County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $718K | 8.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $722K | once in about 12 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $368K | once in about 358 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $200K | 41 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $392K | 2.7 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $1K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $82K | 2.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $2.0M | 1.5 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 Buckingham 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 Buckingham CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Buckingham County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis