Dinwiddie County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51053 · population 27,925 · 504 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 337 records for Dinwiddie County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 256 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (151 records). The deadliest single record is the August 6, 1993 tornado: 4 deaths, 246 injuries and $102 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1972, 20 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
- 337on 256 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 5270 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $137Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 12strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 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 Dinwiddie County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 151 since 1956. 42% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 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 | 151 | 105 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 2 | $870K | 78 of 96 |
| Winter storms | 73 | 73 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $166K | 79 of 96 |
| Floods | 32 | 22 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $5.5M | 85 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 29 | 25 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 42 of 96 |
| Hail | 21 | 19 | 1956-2023 | 0 | 0 | $17K | 94 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 12 | 11 | 1975-2022 | 4 | 268 | $106M | 41 of 96 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 63 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 4 | 4 | 1999-2018 | 0 | 0 | $15K | 84 of 96 |
| Drought | 3 | 3 | 1997-1998 | 0 | 0 | $12M | 67 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 2003-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 87 of 96 |
| Lightning | 3 | 2 | 2006-2019 | 0 | 0 | $33K | 66 of 96 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 2 | 2003-2011 | 0 | 0 | $13M | 44 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 Dinwiddie County had?
NOAA records 12 tornadoes in Dinwiddie County from 1975 to 2022, the strongest rated F4, with 4 deaths and 268 injuries recorded in the county. That is 41st 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 Dinwiddie County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 12: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 4 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-08-06 10:30, as SPC files it | Petersburg to Hopewell | F4 | 1 mi | 4 |
| 1983-05-22 16:30, as SPC files it | Blackstone | F3 | 3.5 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Dinwiddie County (12)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-11-11 | Mc Kenney, Dinwiddie County | EF0 2.09 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2017-05-05 | Church Rd, Dinwiddie County | EF1 2.31 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $46K |
| 2017-05-05 | Mc Kenney, Dinwiddie County | EF1 2.19 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $578K |
| 2011-04-16 | Dewitt, Dinwiddie County | EF1 7.01 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 5 | $2.0M |
| 2004-08-30 | Ford, Dinwiddie County | F0 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 2000-04-17 | Mc Kenney, Dinwiddie County | F1 0.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $26K |
| 1999-03-03 | Jack, Dinwiddie County | F1 0.8 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 17 | $266K |
| 1993-08-06 | Petersburg, Dinwiddie County | F4 12 mi x 250 yd | 4 | 246 | $102M |
| 1983-05-22 | Dinwiddie County | F3 1 mi x 37 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1977-12-05 | Dinwiddie County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1975-06-01 | Dinwiddie County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1975-03-19 | Dinwiddie County | F1 2 mi x 33 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 Dinwiddie County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindMc Kenney, Dinwiddie County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindChurch Rd, Dinwiddie County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindSutherland, Dinwiddie County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-26 | Flash FloodDinwiddie Gardens, Dinwiddie County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindHebron, Dinwiddie County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-09-27 | Flash FloodDinwiddie Gardens, Dinwiddie County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-27 | Flash FloodDinwiddie Gardens, Dinwiddie County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-19 | Thunderstorm WindButterworth, Dinwiddie County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-19 | Thunderstorm WindBaltimore Corner, Dinwiddie County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-19 | Flash FloodMc Kenney, Dinwiddie County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-18 | Thunderstorm WindDewitt, Dinwiddie County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-07-18 | Thunderstorm WindDinwiddie Gardens, Dinwiddie County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-08-06 | TornadoPetersburg, Dinwiddie County The most devastating tornado of the day touched down one mile southwest of Petersburg at approximately 1330 EDT. This tornado rapidly grew in size and strength as it moved northeast into the commercial historic district of Petersburg. Numerous homes and businesses sustained major damage. Damage estimates for the area ... | F4 12 mi x 250 yd | 4 | 246 | $102M |
| 2004-08-30 | Flash FloodCountywide, Dinwiddie County Rainfall amounts between 4 and 8 inches resulted in numerous road closures due to flooding. | 1 | 0 | $3.1M | |
| 1999-03-03 | TornadoJack, Dinwiddie County Initial damage, mainly to trees, began in the Fort Fisher area. The tornado then proceded north-northeast into the Chaparral Steel Construction site, where it destroyed 3 construction trailers/mobile homes and damaged 10 to 12 others. In addition, 2 vehicles were overturned, with several others damaged by debris. An ... | F1 0.8 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 17 | $266K |
| 2011-04-16 | TornadoDewitt, Dinwiddie County Tornado path started on Doyle Road west of Glebe Road and then tracked east-northeast to the Five Forks area of Dinwiddie county. Hundreds of trees were either downed or snapped off. Numerous power lines were also downed, and there were several homes and outbuildings with minor to moderate damage. Most significant ... | EF1 7.01 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 5 | $2.0M |
| 1984-05-08 | Thunderstorm WindDinwiddie County | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-08-06 | TornadoPetersburg, Dinwiddie County | F4 12 mi x 250 yd | 4 | 246 | $102M |
| 2003-09-18 | Tropical StormDinwiddie County · forecast zone Dinwiddie | 0 | 0 | $9.6M | |
| 1997-09-01 | DroughtDinwiddie County · forecast zone Dinwiddie / Petersburg | 0 | 0 | $6.5M | |
| 2004-08-30 | Flash FloodCountywide, Dinwiddie County | 1 | 0 | $3.1M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormDinwiddie County · forecast zone Dinwiddie | 0 | 0 | $2.9M | |
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Dinwiddie County | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | |
| 2011-04-16 | TornadoDewitt, Dinwiddie County | EF1 7.01 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 5 | $2.0M |
| 2017-05-05 | TornadoMc Kenney, Dinwiddie County | EF1 2.19 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $578K |
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: May 22, 1983 (tornado, Dinwiddie 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 Dinwiddie 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 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 22 | 26 | 60 | 37 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 28 | 29 | 11 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 5 | 6 | 19 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 3 | 4 | 11 | 11 |
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 1 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
42% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 38 · Feb 31 · Mar 14 · Apr 19 · May 49 · Jun 35 · Jul 57 · Aug 35 · Sep 20 · Oct 12 · Nov 11 · Dec 16 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Dinwiddie County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Dinwiddie County: 14 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (8) and severe storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-23 | EM-3631 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2021-05-10 | DR-4602 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2020-04-02 | DR-4512 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3448 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-12-18 | DR-4411 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Michael |
| 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 |
| 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) |
| 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 |
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 Dinwiddie County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 32 flood or flash flood records for Dinwiddie County from 1996 to 2026, on 22 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Dinwiddie County ranks 2436th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $85,000 on 8 claims filed in Dinwiddie County; the most in one year was 2 in 1993. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1993: 2 · 1994: 1 · 1996: 2 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 1 · 2024: 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 Dinwiddie County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Dinwiddie County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $7.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively High | $2.3M | 6.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $432K | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $51K | 5.1 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $261K | 5.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $42K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $456K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $89K | 44 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $200K | about once 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 Dinwiddie 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 Dinwiddie CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Dinwiddie County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis