Carroll County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51035 · population 29,155 · 475 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 589 records for Carroll County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 418 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (147 records). The deadliest single record is the March 31, 2013 dense fog, filed for the forecast zone Carroll, which covers the county: 3 deaths, 25 injuries and $633,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1977, 15 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
- 589on 418 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 639 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $30Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 6strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 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 Carroll County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 147 since 1960. 50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 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 | 147 | 109 | 1960-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 73 of 96 |
| Hail | 125 | 73 | 1984-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 14 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 93 | 89 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 3 | $4.6M | 3 of 96 |
| Winter storms | 84 | 83 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 0 | $268K | 65 of 96 |
| Floods | 79 | 56 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | 40 of 96 |
| Drought | 25 | 25 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $15M | 9 of 96 |
| Lightning | 9 | 9 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 2 | $454K | 21 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 8 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $8K | 40 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 5 | 2017-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 82 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 6 | 6 | 1965-2022 | 0 | 7 | $2.2M | 61 of 96 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 5 | 5 | 1997-2013 | 3 | 25 | $1.8M | 32 of 96 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2020-2020 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 70 of 96 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2006-2006 | 0 | 2 | – | 14 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 Carroll County had?
NOAA records 6 tornadoes in Carroll County from 1965 to 2022, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths 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 6 tornadoes whose track touched Carroll County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 6, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Carroll County (6)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-03-23 | Gladesboro, Carroll County | EF2 1.92 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $403K |
| 2011-09-05 | Cana, Carroll County | EF0 0.01 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 2 | $394K |
| 2009-05-06 | Pipers Gap, Carroll County | EF0 1.39 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 1979-07-04 | Carroll County | F1 1.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1977-08-21 | Carroll County | F2 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1965-08-01 | Carroll County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 5 | $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 Carroll County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 12, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindLaurel Fork, Carroll County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindGladesboro, Carroll County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtCarroll County and Galax (city) · forecast zone Carroll | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtCarroll County and Galax (city) · forecast zone Carroll | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | DroughtCarroll County and Galax (city) · forecast zone Carroll | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-30 | Winter StormCarroll County and Galax (city) · forecast zone Carroll | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormCarroll County and Galax (city) · forecast zone Carroll | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-29 | High WindCarroll County and Galax (city) · forecast zone Carroll | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-19 | High WindCarroll County and Galax (city) · forecast zone Carroll | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2025-12-08 | Winter StormCarroll County and Galax (city) · forecast zone Carroll | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-19 | Flash FloodHilltown, Carroll County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-18 | Flash FloodGalax City, Carroll County | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-03-31 | Dense FogCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll The dense fog, with visibility reported to be near zero, led to a horrific series of accidents around 1:15 PM EDT near mile marker 6 in the southbound (downhill) lanes of I-77. According to newspaper accounts there were 17 separate crashes along a 1-mile stretch involving 95 cars. Three people were killed and 25 taken ... | 3 | 25 | $633K | |
| 2012-03-05 | Strong WindCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll According to newspaper accounts around 4:00 pm a white pine tree tree fell onto a vehicle near the intersection of Virginia 100 and Beaver Dam Road and killed the driver, a 34-year old man. According to police, the driver saw the tree falling and tried to stop, but the car slid 75 to 100 feet and was flattened by the ... | 40 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $2K |
| 2009-12-18 | Heavy SnowCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll From 12 to 14 inches fell across the county making travel extremely hazardous. A snow-related fatality occurred when 68-year old woman was thrown from her 2000 Chevrolet Blazer after driving off a snowy road. | 1 | 0 | $21K | |
| 1996-01-06 | Heavy SnowCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1965-08-01 | TornadoCarroll County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 5 | $25K step |
| 2011-09-05 | TornadoCana, Carroll County The tornado with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph touched down very briefly at a gas station on U.S. 52, Fancy Gap Highway. The tornadic winds blew the roof off the station and into the awning covering the gas pumps. Some of the debris fell on a vehicle parked in the parking lot of the station. No other damage was ... | EF0 0.01 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 2 | $394K |
| 2006-11-12 | High WindCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll High winds channeling through Fancy Gap Mountain, along Interstate 77, caused a few vehicles to overturn. Three tractor-trailers and two pickup trucks were blown over. One tractor-trailer driver was seriously injured. | 55 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $439K |
| 2006-03-02 | WildfireCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll / Galax A presribed burn developed into a wildland fire during the afternoon of March 2nd as west winds gusted as high as 30 mph, near Dugspur, Virginia. The fire burned approximately 40 acres of forest and fields. 2 direct injuries occurred, and one indirect injury. The first injury occurred to a volunteer firefighter when ... | 0 | 2 | – |
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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-27 | High WindCarroll County and Galax (city) · forecast zone Carroll | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.3M |
| 2013-01-30 | FloodByllesby, Carroll County | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2021-03-27 | HailHillsville, Carroll County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 1998-01-08 | Flash FloodCountywide, Carroll County | 0 | 0 | $905K | |
| 2010-09-27 | Dense FogCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll | 0 | 0 | $677K | |
| 2013-03-31 | Dense FogCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll | 3 | 25 | $633K | |
| 2001-05-21 | Dense FogCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll / Galax | 0 | 0 | $500K | |
| 2006-11-12 | High WindCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll | 55 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $439K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: July 4, 1979 (tornado, Carroll 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 Carroll 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 | 17 | 36 | 51 | 38 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 48 | 46 | 12 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 34 | 30 | 23 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 27 | 27 | 13 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 25 | 36 | 12 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 6 | 14 | 0 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 50 · Feb 48 · Mar 51 · Apr 48 · May 74 · Jun 99 · Jul 62 · Aug 51 · Sep 24 · Oct 22 · Nov 17 · Dec 43 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Carroll County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Carroll County: 10 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (3) 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 |
| 2000-02-28 | DR-1318 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 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 |
| 1992-05-19 | DR-944 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-11-12 | DR-543 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-04-07 | DR-530 | Flood | 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 Carroll County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 79 flood or flash flood records for Carroll County from 1996 to 2025, on 56 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Carroll County ranks 2061st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $239,000 on 22 claims filed in Carroll County; the most in one year was 5 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1992: 3 · 2003: 5 · 2004: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2024: 2 · 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 Carroll County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Carroll County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $4.6M | 3.9 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $57K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $232K | 6.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $163K | once in about 40 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $79K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $157K | 48 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $36K | 10 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.7M | 1.9 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 Carroll 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 Carroll CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Carroll County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis