District of Columbia, District of Columbia

Storm and disaster record · FIPS 11001 · population 688,888 · 61 sq mi

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 994 records for District of Columbia, District of Columbia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 672 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (344 records). The deadliest single record is the July 4, 1999 heat, filed for the forecast zone District Of Columbia, which covers the county: 3 deaths and 140 injuries. FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1989, 18 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Snowstorm” on March 4, 2016.

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: 994on 672 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded: 17392 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars: $283Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes: 5strongest EF1
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 District of Columbia most?

The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 344 since 1976. 56% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1976 fell in June and July. Census land area gives no figure for District of Columbia under this code, so it carries no per-area rank.

District of Columbia: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Hazard	Records	Days	First, last	Killed	Injured	Damage	Rank in state
Severe thunderstorm wind	344	197	1976-2026	3	43	$33M	–
Floods	267	169	1996-2025	0	2	$45M	–
Winter storms	129	128	1996-2026	1	0	$97K	–
Heat	70	70	1996-2025	8	317	–	–
High wind and dust storms	43	43	1996-2026	0	13	$809K	–
Hail	38	23	1975-2024	0	0	$1K	–
Fog, smoke and funnel clouds	33	32	1997-2020	0	0	–	–
Extreme cold	27	27	1998-2026	2	0	–	–
Heavy rain	14	14	1997-2003	0	2	$6K	–
Drought	11	11	1998-2007	0	0	$9K	–
Lightning	8	8	1996-2022	3	14	$266K	–
Hurricanes and tropical storms	5	5	1996-2011	0	0	$204M	–
Tornadoes	5	3	2001-2021	0	1	$221K	–

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 District of Columbia had?

NOAA records 5 tornadoes in District of Columbia from 2001 to 2021, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 1 injury 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 District of Columbia since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 5: 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.

Every tornado record filed for District of Columbia (5)

Every tornado recorded in District of Columbia, newest first
Date	Place	Character	Injured	Damage
2021-07-01	Us Capitol, District of Columbia	EF0 0.97 mi x 75 yd	0	$109K
2021-07-01	Lincoln Memorial, District of Columbia	EF1 1.47 mi x 125 yd	0	$109K
2017-04-06	Bolling Afb, District of Columbia	EF0 1.56 mi x 25 yd	1	–
2017-04-06	Bolling Afb, District of Columbia	EF0 2.98 mi x 50 yd	0	–
2001-09-24	Lincoln Memorial, District of Columbia	F0 2 mi x 25 yd	0	$3K

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 District of Columbia?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).

The 12 most recent records kept for District of Columbia
Date	Record	Character	Damage
2026-06-22	Thunderstorm WindAnacostia, District of Columbia	52 kt wind	$1K
2026-06-11	Thunderstorm WindUs Capitol, District of Columbia	52 kt wind	$1K
2026-06-11	Thunderstorm WindAnacostia, District of Columbia	52 kt wind	$1K
2026-06-11	Thunderstorm WindGeorgetown, District of Columbia	53 kt wind	–
2026-06-11	Thunderstorm WindGeorgetown, District of Columbia	52 kt wind	$1K
2026-03-16	Thunderstorm WindGeorgetown, District of Columbia	53 kt wind	–
2026-03-16	Thunderstorm WindDalecarlia Reservoir, District of Columbia	52 kt wind	$2K
2026-03-16	Thunderstorm WindGeorgetown, District of Columbia	52 kt wind	$2K
2026-02-22	Winter WeatherDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia		–
2026-02-07	Extreme Cold/Wind ChillDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia		–
2026-02-07	High WindDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia	50 kt wind	–
2026-02-01	Cold/Wind ChillDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia		–

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

Records with deaths or injuries in District of Columbia, most deaths first
Date	Record	Killed	Injured	Damage
1999-07-04	HeatDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia High pressure sat off the Mid-Atlantic coast from the 4th through the 7th, acting like a heat pump drawing extremely warm and humid air into the region. Temperatures on the 4th through early on the 7th were oppressively hot, and extremely humid conditions added to the misery. These conditions continued until a cold ...	3	140	–
2022-08-04	LightningLincoln Memorial, District of Columbia Three people were killed and another suffered life-threatening injuries when they were struck by lightning in Lafayette Park across the street from The White House. A couple (76-year-old male, 75-year-old female) and an unrelated (29-year-old male) succumbed to their injuries from the lightning strike the next day.	3	0	–
1997-07-13	HeatDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia The combination of antecedent dry weather, a persistent upper-level high pressure area, and the time of year produced a bona-fide heat wave in the District of Columbia during the middle of the month. Unlike events of previous years, the heat index was not quite as oppressive. Nonetheless, daytime high temperatures ...	2	150	–
2006-08-01	HeatDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia Excessive heat conditions occurred on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, August 1-3, in Washington, DC. Afternoon heat index values ranged between 105 to as high as 115 degrees. Two people lost their lives in The District due to the excessive heat conditions during this heat wave.	2	0	–
2002-02-05	Cold/Wind ChillDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia Two homeless men died after being exposed to near zero degree wind chills overnight.	2	0	–
1997-08-16	HeatDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia West winds circulating around a "Bermuda" high pressure system allowed temperatures to soar during the weekend of the 16th and 17th. Record maximum temperatures were achieved on both days. On the 16th, the previous record of 95 degrees was shattered as the mercury soared to 102. On the 17th, a brief shot of ...	1	25	–
1993-05-12	Thunderstorm WindDistrict of Columbia A strong cold front approaching the mid-Atlantic region including the District of Columbia, produced violent thunderstorm winds and damaging lightning. The north part of the district was hardest hit. One woman was killed and another woman and a man were injured when the car they were in was smashed by a tree uprooted ...	1	11	$102K
2002-08-03	Thunderstorm WindSoutheast Portion, District of Columbia A man was killed and two women were injured when a tree fell onto a car. Other trees were also downed nearby.	1	2	$49K

The costliest records in District of Columbia since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
Date	Record	Character	Injured	Damage
2003-09-18	Tropical StormDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia		0	$201M
2023-07-29	Thunderstorm WindGeorgetown, District of Columbia	73 kt wind	2	$19M
1996-01-20	FloodDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia		0	$19M
2006-06-25	Flash FloodCountywide, District of Columbia		0	$15M
2001-08-11	Flash FloodCountywide, District of Columbia		2	$10M
2023-07-29	Thunderstorm WindNational Arboretum, District of Columbia	61 kt wind	0	$4.8M
2011-08-27	Tropical StormDistrict of Columbia · forecast zone District Of Columbia		0	$3.1M
2000-08-07	Thunderstorm WindCountywide, District of Columbia		0	$1.7M

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 District of Columbia'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).

District of Columbia: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020-26
Severe thunderstorm wind	0	0	5	14	35	58	139	93
Floods	–	–	–	–	14	33	144	76
Winter storms	–	–	–	–	12	36	61	20
Heat	–	–	–	–	10	19	31	10
High wind and dust storms	–	–	–	–	8	24	8	3
Hail	0	0	3	4	2	9	19	1

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).

What time of year?

56% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1976 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.

The values, month by month

Jan 82 · Feb 74 · Mar 53 · Apr 45 · May 63 · Jun 136 · Jul 224 · Aug 132 · Sep 88 · Oct 30 · Nov 25 · Dec 42 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.

Federal disaster declarations for District of Columbia

FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include District of Columbia: 14 major disasters, 9 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (8) and hurricane (6).

Declarations including District of Columbia, newest first
Declared	Number	Type	Title
2026-02-20	EM-3643	Other	Sewer Line Collapse
2021-01-11	EM-3553	Other	59th Presidential Inauguration
2020-03-29	DR-4502	Biological	Covid-19 Pandemic
2020-03-13	EM-3447	Biological	Covid-19
2016-03-04	DR-4260	Snowstorm	Snowstorm
2012-12-05	DR-4096	Hurricane	Hurricane Sandy
2012-10-28	EM-3352	Hurricane	Hurricane Sandy
2012-07-31	DR-4073	Severe Storm	Severe Storms
2011-11-08	DR-4044	Earthquake	Earthquake
2011-09-28	DR-4036	Hurricane	Hurricane Irene
2011-08-28	EM-3337	Hurricane	Hurricane Irene
2010-03-24	DR-1890	Severe Storm	Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms
2010-03-03	DR-1882	Snowstorm	Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm
2009-01-13	EM-3300	Other	56th Presidential Inauguration
2005-09-07	EM-3226	Hurricane	Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
2003-09-20	DR-1493	Hurricane	Hurricane Isabel
2003-03-14	EM-3178	Severe Storm	Snow
2001-08-16	DR-1389	Severe Storm	Severe Storms, Flooding and Mudslides
2000-08-17	DR-1338	Severe Storm	Severe Thunderstorms
2000-04-10	DR-1325	Severe Storm	Severe Winter Storm
1994-06-17	DR-1030	Severe Storm	Severe Winter Ice Storm
1993-03-17	EM-3108	Snowstorm	Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm
1989-08-28	DR-838	Severe Storm	Severe Storms & High Winds

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 District of Columbia had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 267 flood or flash flood records for District of Columbia from 1996 to 2025, on 169 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), District of Columbia ranks 501st of 2,942 U.S. counties.

Named storms on District of Columbia's flood and tropical record
Storm	Began	Records	Deaths in the county
Hurricane Irene	2011-08-27	1	0
Hurricane Isabel	2003-09-18	1	0

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $5.5 million on 501 claims filed in District of Columbia; the most in one year was 63 in 2020. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

The values, year by year

1978: 7 · 1979: 13 · 1980: 11 · 1981: 2 · 1983: 6 · 1984: 3 · 1985: 6 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1993: 2 · 1996: 19 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 3 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 8 · 2003: 25 · 2004: 3 · 2005: 2 · 2006: 12 · 2008: 13 · 2009: 9 · 2010: 25 · 2011: 27 · 2012: 19 · 2013: 13 · 2014: 21 · 2015: 17 · 2016: 14 · 2017: 27 · 2018: 41 · 2019: 23 · 2020: 63 · 2021: 18 · 2022: 10 · 2023: 12 · 2024: 8 · 2025: 5 · 2026: 9; 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 District of Columbia

FEMA's National Risk Index rates District of Columbia Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $292 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.

National Risk Index ratings for District of Columbia (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
Hazard	Risk rating	Expected annual loss	Modeled frequency
Strong Wind	Very High	$5.8M	7.9 a year (modeled)
Winter Weather	Very High	$946K	10 a year (modeled)
Lightning	Very High	$2.3M	39 a year (modeled)
Heat Wave	Relatively High	$40M	6.1 modeled event-days a year
Earthquake	Relatively High	$61M	once in about 948 years (modeled)
Riverine Flooding	Relatively High	$130M	4.2 a year (modeled)
Hail	Relatively High	$4.2M	3.5 a year (modeled)
Hurricane	Relatively High	$29M	once in about 11 years (modeled)

Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.

Counties that share a border with District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.