Grayson County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51077 · population 15,333 · 442 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 465 records for Grayson County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 364 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (99 records). 233 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest day on its record was September 27, 2024: flash flood and high wind records filed for Grayson County that day count 2 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1976, 19 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
- 465on 364 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 27 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $147Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 4strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 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 Grayson County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 99 since 1996. 63% 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 | 99 | 99 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $35K | 49 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 96 | 94 | 1999-2025 | 1 | 3 | $72M | 2 of 96 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 84 | 64 | 1962-2025 | 0 | 0 | $321K | 92 of 96 |
| Hail | 80 | 53 | 1984-2024 | 0 | 0 | $10K | 25 of 96 |
| Floods | 53 | 38 | 1996-2024 | 1 | 0 | $61M | 58 of 96 |
| Drought | 26 | 26 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $13M | 3 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 10 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 28 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 5 | 2011-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 81 of 96 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 4 | $2K | 44 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 4 | 1959-2022 | 0 | 0 | $394K | 72 of 96 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2015-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 96 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2001-2001 | 0 | 0 | – | 60 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 Grayson County had?
NOAA records 4 tornadoes in Grayson County from 1959 to 2022, the strongest rated EF1, 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 4 tornadoes whose track touched Grayson County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 4, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Grayson County (4)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-07-05 | Baywood, Grayson County | EF1 2.2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2017-10-23 | Providence, Grayson County | EF1 0.57 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $120K |
| 2009-05-06 | Oldtown, Grayson County | EF0 0.14 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1959-07-10 | Grayson County | F1 | 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 Grayson County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 27, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($6,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtGrayson County · forecast zone Grayson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtGrayson County · forecast zone Grayson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | DroughtGrayson County · forecast zone Grayson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-30 | Winter StormGrayson County · forecast zone Grayson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-27 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillGrayson County · forecast zone Grayson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormGrayson County · forecast zone Grayson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-29 | High WindGrayson County · forecast zone Grayson | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-19 | High WindGrayson County · forecast zone Grayson | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-08 | Winter StormGrayson County · forecast zone Grayson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindFox, Grayson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2025-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindReavistown, Grayson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2025-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindBaywood, Grayson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-27 | High WindGrayson County · forecast zone Grayson Numerous trees were downed countywide by high winds associated with the remnants of Hurricane Helene, many of which fell into fences, structures, and roads, and resulted in several roads being blocked and many power outages. By late morning on Friday, over 10,700 customers were without power in the area. A 65 mph wind ... | 56 kt wind | 1 | 3 | $71M |
| 2024-09-27 | Flash FloodWhitetop, Grayson County Considerable to catastrophic flash flooding occurred across Grayson County. This included at least 200 bridges or culverts that were completely washed out, making the roads impassible. Five large pipes were washed out in the county: three on Route 783 (Helton Creek Lane) and two on Route 749 (Cabin Creek). | 1 | 0 | $57M | |
| 1998-06-24 | LightningWhitetop, Grayson County Isolated thunderstorms on the 24th produced up to dime size hail and damaging winds.Three youths were injured 3.5 miles northeast of Whitetop after being struck by lightning.Thunderstorm winds toppled large trees 1.5 miles southeast of Pilot on Laurel Ridge Mill Road. | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 1996-05-05 | LightningStevens Creek, Grayson County | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-27 | High WindGrayson County · forecast zone Grayson | 56 kt wind | 1 | 3 | $71M |
| 2024-09-27 | Flash FloodWhitetop, Grayson County | 1 | 0 | $57M | |
| 2007-07-10 | DroughtGrayson County · forecast zone Grayson | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | |
| 2024-09-26 | FloodReavistown, Grayson County | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2007-10-01 | DroughtGrayson County · forecast zone Grayson | 0 | 0 | $854K | |
| 2024-09-26 | FloodPeachy Bottom, Grayson County | 0 | 0 | $470K | |
| 2010-05-16 | Flash FloodFallville, Grayson County | 0 | 0 | $406K | |
| 2017-10-23 | TornadoProvidence, Grayson County | EF1 0.57 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $120K |
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: July 10, 1959 (tornado, Grayson 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 Grayson 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 | – | – | – | – | 14 | 32 | 35 | 18 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 47 | 30 | 18 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 24 | 35 | 16 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 32 | 29 | 7 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 10 | 24 | 17 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 6 | 15 | 0 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
63% 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 55 · Feb 53 · Mar 34 · Apr 32 · May 65 · Jun 44 · Jul 49 · Aug 24 · Sep 22 · Oct 20 · Nov 20 · Dec 47 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Grayson County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Grayson County: 12 major disasters, 9 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (5) and snowstorm (4).
| 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 |
| 2018-12-18 | DR-4411 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Michael |
| 2018-10-15 | DR-4401 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2018-09-11 | EM-3403 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3359 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2010-02-16 | DR-1874 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2005-09-12 | EM-3240 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000-02-28 | DR-1318 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1996-01-27 | DR-1098 | Flood | Flooding, High Winds, and Wind Driven Rain |
| 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 |
| 1977-11-12 | DR-543 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-07-23 | EM-3046 | Drought | Drought |
| 1977-04-07 | DR-530 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1976-10-15 | EM-3018 | Drought | Drought |
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 Grayson County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 53 flood or flash flood records for Grayson County from 1996 to 2024, on 38 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Grayson County ranks 2523rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Helene | 2024-09-26 | 3 | 1 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $11,000 on 6 claims filed in Grayson County; the most in one year was 3 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 3 · 2013: 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 Grayson County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Grayson County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $47K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.5M | 4.8 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $208K | 9.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $202K | 48 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $40K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $19K | 19 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $150K | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $80K | once in about 36 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Grayson 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 Grayson CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Grayson County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis