Chesapeake (city), Virginia
City storm and disaster record · FIPS 51550 · population 249,270 · 338 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 534 records for Chesapeake (city), Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 327 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (146 records). The deadliest single record is the July 15, 2017 lightning: 3 deaths, 6 injuries and $1.2 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1972, 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
- 534on 327 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 311 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $223Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest EF2
- 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 Chesapeake (city) most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 146 since 1984. 41% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1984 fell in May and June. 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 | 146 | 115 | 1984-2026 | 0 | 2 | $536K | 37 of 96 |
| Winter storms | 97 | 55 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 72 of 96 |
| Floods | 75 | 61 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $57M | 18 of 96 |
| Hail | 74 | 50 | 1990-2025 | 0 | 0 | $66K | 18 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 45 | 30 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 36 | 20 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 2 | $1.8M | 37 of 96 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 27 | 16 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 1 | $144M | 6 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 12 | 1969-2019 | 0 | 0 | $18M | 20 of 96 |
| Heat | 8 | 5 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 43 of 96 |
| Lightning | 7 | 7 | 1997-2021 | 3 | 6 | $1.3M | 18 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 2003-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 69 of 96 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2015-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 96 |
| Drought | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 77 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 Chesapeake (city) had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in Chesapeake (city) from 1969 to 2019, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 20th of 96 Virginia counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 13 tornadoes whose track touched Chesapeake (city) since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Chesapeake (city) (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-10-31 | Cornland, Chesapeake (city) | EF1 4.85 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $40K |
| 2017-04-06 | Hickory, Chesapeake (city) | EF0 4.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $120K |
| 2017-03-31 | Oak Grove, Chesapeake (city) | EF2 4.65 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $4.7M |
| 2017-03-31 | Yadkin, Chesapeake (city) | EF1 6.38 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2009-05-04 | Camden Mills, Chesapeake (city) | EF0 3.15 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2004-08-14 | Northwest, Chesapeake (city) | F0 0.1 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 1998-04-09 | Chesapeake (city) | F0 5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $45K |
| 1997-07-24 | Chesapeake (city) | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $735K |
| 1993-08-06 | Se Chesapeake, Chesapeake (city) | F2 2.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $10M |
| 1990-02-09 | Chesapeake (city) | F0 0.2 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-04-04 | Chesapeake (city) | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1971-08-27 | Chesapeake (city) | F1 0.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1969-06-18 | Chesapeake (city) | F1 0.1 mi x 100 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 Chesapeake (city)?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 23, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($3,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodCrestwood, Chesapeake (city) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindPentress, Chesapeake (city) | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindGrassfield, Chesapeake (city) | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindCrestwood, Chesapeake (city) | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-04-05 | Thunderstorm WindGrassfield, Chesapeake (city) | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-02-01 | Heavy SnowChesapeake (city) · forecast zone Chesapeake | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormChesapeake (city) · forecast zone Chesapeake | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-28 | Coastal FloodChesapeake (city) · forecast zone Chesapeake | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-12 | Coastal FloodChesapeake (city) · forecast zone Chesapeake | 0 | 0 | $60K | |
| 2025-09-16 | Coastal FloodChesapeake (city) · forecast zone Chesapeake | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-16 | Flash FloodCamden Mills, Chesapeake (city) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-21 | Coastal FloodChesapeake (city) · forecast zone Chesapeake | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-07-15 | LightningChesapeake (city) Lightning strike caused a deadly fire at the Chesapeake Senior Living Complex. The fire killed three people and injured six others. There were 68 units that were damaged beyond repair. | 3 | 6 | $1.2M | |
| 2000-05-29 | High WindChesapeake (city) and Norfolk (city) · forecast zone Norfolk A powerful storm off the Virginia and North Carolina coast produced high winds and waves over portions of the Hampton Roads metro area. Wind gusts were measured to 45 knots at the Norfolk International Airport, and minor flooding occurred along the southern shores of the Chesapeake Bay due to the strong north winds ... | 45 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $34K |
| 1991-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindChesapeake (city) | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1998-08-26 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Chesapeake (city) · forecast zone Chesapeake Hurricane Bonnie moved just offshore of southeast Virginia on August 27th and 28th. Very strong winds and heavy rains associated with Bonnie's spiral bands hammered the Hampton Roads area Thursday evening into Friday morning. The highest sustained wind speed recorded was 81 mph at Cape Henry (anemometer elevation is ... | 0 | 1 | $4.5M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-09-18 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Chesapeake (city) · forecast zone Chesapeake | 0 | 0 | $48M | |
| 1999-09-15 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Chesapeake (city) and Norfolk (city) · forecast zone Norfolk | 0 | 0 | $41M | |
| 2016-10-08 | FloodBowers Hill, Chesapeake (city) | 0 | 0 | $26M | |
| 2009-11-12 | Coastal FloodChesapeake (city) and Norfolk (city) · forecast zone Norfolk | 0 | 0 | $25M | |
| 1998-08-26 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Chesapeake (city) and Norfolk (city) · forecast zone Norfolk / Hampton / Portsmouth | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 2003-09-18 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Chesapeake (city) and Norfolk (city) · forecast zone Norfolk | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormChesapeake (city) · forecast zone Chesapeake | 0 | 0 | $6.7M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormChesapeake (city) and Norfolk (city) · forecast zone Norfolk | 0 | 0 | $5.9M |
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: August 27, 1971 (tornado, Chesapeake (city)).
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 Chesapeake (city)'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 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 20 | 38 | 44 | 34 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 32 | 47 | 9 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 11 | 15 | 25 | 24 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 30 | 19 | 8 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 29 | 11 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 17 | 7 | 11 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
41% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1984 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 61 · Feb 46 · Mar 32 · Apr 49 · May 61 · Jun 54 · Jul 74 · Aug 53 · Sep 42 · Oct 30 · Nov 17 · Dec 15 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Chesapeake (city)
FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Chesapeake (city): 10 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (10) and biological (2).
| 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 |
| 2018-09-11 | EM-3403 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2016-11-02 | DR-4291 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3359 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-09-03 | DR-4024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-26 | EM-3329 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2009-12-09 | DR-1862 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Ida and A Nor'east |
| 2005-09-12 | EM-3240 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-09-18 | DR-1491 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 1999-09-18 | DR-1293 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1999-09-16 | EM-3147 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations |
| 1998-09-04 | DR-1242 | Hurricane | Hurricane Bonnie |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1086 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-25 | EM-3112 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 Chesapeake (city) had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 75 flood or flash flood records for Chesapeake (city) from 1996 to 2026, on 61 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Chesapeake (city) ranks 149th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016-10-08 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-28 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 2 | 0 |
| Tropical Depression Ida | 2009-11-12 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-15 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Bonnie | 1998-08-26 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $27.3 million on 2,634 claims filed in Chesapeake (city); the most in one year was 602 in 2009. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 10 · 1979: 4 · 1980: 5 · 1981: 3 · 1982: 23 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 2 · 1985: 3 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 5 · 1988: 9 · 1989: 11 · 1990: 11 · 1991: 7 · 1992: 16 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 8 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 8 · 1997: 7 · 1998: 146 · 1999: 211 · 2000: 7 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 4 · 2003: 558 · 2004: 7 · 2005: 8 · 2006: 125 · 2007: 4 · 2008: 11 · 2009: 602 · 2010: 33 · 2011: 363 · 2012: 68 · 2013: 8 · 2014: 19 · 2015: 29 · 2016: 205 · 2017: 8 · 2018: 11 · 2019: 8 · 2020: 20 · 2021: 9 · 2022: 21 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 6 · 2025: 4; 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 Chesapeake (city)
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Chesapeake (city) Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $56.2 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 Moderate | $14M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $3.3M | 6.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $29M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $2.9M | 3.6 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $3.4M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.1M | once in about 1,130 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $168K | once in about 3,168 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $507K | 1.4 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 Chesapeake (city)
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 Chesapeake (city)The hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Chesapeake (city)'s FEMA declarations (CSV)18 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis