Charles City County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51036 · population 6,773 · 183 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 207 records for Charles City County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 183 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (73 records). The most damaging was the September 1, 1997 drought ($3.9 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1972, 17 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
- 207on 183 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $6.5Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 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 Charles City County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 73 since 1996. 73% 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 | 73 | 73 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $133K | 19 of 96 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 67 | 52 | 1983-2025 | 0 | 0 | $173K | 55 of 96 |
| Floods | 19 | 17 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 54 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 19 | 19 | 1998-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 96 |
| Hail | 10 | 9 | 1981-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 84 of 96 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 2003-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 43 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 1999-2018 | 0 | 0 | $38K | 67 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 1975-2019 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 53 of 96 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 2 | 2003-2011 | 0 | 0 | $958K | 18 of 96 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 2025-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 96 |
| Drought | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | 68 of 96 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 0 | $8K | 59 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 Charles City County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Charles City County from 1975 to 2019, the strongest rated EF2, 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 Charles City County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 3: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Charles City County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-04-19 | Ruthville, Charles City County | EF2 3.1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $144K |
| 1993-08-06 | Roxbury To, Charles City County | F1 6.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1975-03-19 | Charles City County | F1 0.1 mi x 40 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 Charles City County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 27, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-28 | Coastal FloodCharles City County · forecast zone Charles City | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-12 | Coastal FloodCharles City County · forecast zone Charles City | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-21 | Astronomical Low TideCharles City County · forecast zone Charles City | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-27 | Excessive HeatCharles City County · forecast zone Charles City | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindRoxbury, Charles City County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindBarnetts, Charles City County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-19 | Thunderstorm WindRuthville, Charles City County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-23 | Excessive HeatCharles City County · forecast zone Charles City | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-19 | Heavy SnowCharles City County · forecast zone Charles City | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2025-01-10 | Winter StormCharles City County · forecast zone Charles City | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2025-01-05 | Winter WeatherCharles City County · forecast zone Charles City | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2019-04-19 | TornadoRuthville, Charles City County | EF2 3.1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $144K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-09-01 | DroughtCharles City County · forecast zone Charles City | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormCharles City County · forecast zone Charles City | 0 | 0 | $958K | |
| 2019-04-19 | TornadoRuthville, Charles City County | EF2 3.1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $144K |
| 2025-01-05 | Winter WeatherCharles City County · forecast zone Charles City | 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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 19, 1975 (tornado, Charles City 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 Charles City 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 | – | – | – | – | 5 | 25 | 31 | 12 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 16 | 20 | 18 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 11 | 5 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 3 | 4 | 7 | 5 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
73% 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 35 · Feb 23 · Mar 14 · Apr 11 · May 21 · Jun 22 · Jul 15 · Aug 28 · Sep 12 · Oct 8 · Nov 5 · Dec 13 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Charles City County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Charles City County: 12 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (8) and severe storm (3).
| 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 |
| 2018-10-15 | DR-4401 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2018-09-11 | EM-3403 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3359 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-09-03 | DR-4024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2006-09-22 | DR-1661 | Severe Storm | Tropical Depression Ernesto, Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-12 | EM-3240 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-03 | DR-1544 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes Associated W Td Gaston |
| 2003-09-18 | DR-1491 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 2000-02-28 | DR-1318 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1999-09-18 | DR-1293 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 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) |
| 1993-03-25 | EM-3112 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1977-07-23 | EM-3046 | Drought | Drought |
| 1977-01-26 | DR-525 | Freezing | Ice Conditions |
| 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 Charles City County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 19 flood or flash flood records for Charles City County from 2000 to 2025, on 17 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Charles City County ranks 2400th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $61,000 on 9 claims filed in Charles City 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
1998: 1 · 1999: 2 · 2003: 5 · 2020: 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 Charles City County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Charles City County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.4 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 High | $1.6M | 3.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $317K | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | $36K | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $21K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $93K | once in about 587 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $65K | 5.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $6K | once in about 5,054 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Very Low | $50K | 2.2 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 Charles City 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
- 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 Charles City CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Charles City County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis