Greene County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51079 · population 20,552 · 156 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 796 records for Greene County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 577 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (267 records). 515 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 single record is the September 30, 1959 tornado: 1 death and 9 injuries. FEMA has issued 26 declarations naming the county since 1972, 24 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
- 796on 577 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 113 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $19Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 5strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 26latest 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 Greene County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 267 since 1996. 58% 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 | 267 | 212 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $140K | 1 of 96 |
| Floods | 139 | 70 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 1 | $6.9M | 3 of 96 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 117 | 86 | 1990-2026 | 0 | 0 | $380K | 11 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 93 | 71 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $184K | 1 of 96 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 75 | 64 | 2005-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 96 |
| Heat | 38 | 38 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 25 | 24 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 6 of 96 |
| Hail | 19 | 16 | 1995-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 36 of 96 |
| Drought | 9 | 9 | 1998-2007 | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | 4 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 6 | 1999-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 49 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 5 | 1959-2004 | 1 | 12 | $5.7M | 24 of 96 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 30 of 96 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2002-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 54 of 96 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 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 Greene County had?
NOAA records 5 tornadoes in Greene County from 1959 to 2004, the strongest rated F3, with 1 death and 12 injuries recorded in the county. That is 24th 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched Greene County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 5, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-09-30 15:00, as SPC files it | Stanardsville | F3 | 2 mi | 1 |
| 1985-07-25 12:14, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 0.2 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Greene County (5)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-09-17 | Standardsville, Greene County | F2 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 3 | $4.7M |
| 2000-05-19 | Dyke, Greene County | F1 9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 1992-11-23 | Greene County | F1 3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1985-07-25 | Greene County | F3 0.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1959-09-30 | Greene County | F3 2 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 9 | $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 Greene County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 12, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindRuckersville, Greene County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindKinderhook, Greene County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-12 | Winter WeatherGreene County and 5 more · forecast zone Northern Virginia Blue Ridge | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-02 | Winter WeatherGreene County and 5 more · forecast zone Northern Virginia Blue Ridge | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-02 | Winter WeatherGreene County · forecast zone Greene | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-02 | Winter WeatherGreene County and 5 more · forecast zone Northern Virginia Blue Ridge | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | Winter StormGreene County and 5 more · forecast zone Northern Virginia Blue Ridge | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Cold/Wind ChillGreene County · forecast zone Greene | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillGreene County and 5 more · forecast zone Northern Virginia Blue Ridge | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | High WindGreene County and 5 more · forecast zone Northern Virginia Blue Ridge | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-01 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillGreene County and 5 more · forecast zone Northern Virginia Blue Ridge | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillGreene County · forecast zone Greene | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-09-30 | TornadoGreene County | F3 2 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 9 | $25K step |
| 2004-09-17 | TornadoStandardsville, Greene County A tornadic thunderstorm touched down near Standardsville. A roof was torn off a building just south of U.S. Highway 33. The roof was also torn off a house just north of U.S. Highway 33. The most extensive damage occurred around Highway 621. Four dwellings and a mobile home were destroyed. Approximately 50 other ... | F2 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 3 | $4.7M |
| 2003-01-01 | FloodGreene County · forecast zone Greene Low pressure moved from southwest Virginia to the southern Delmarva Peninsula on the 1st. The low dropped 1 to 3 inches of rainfall across the region which caused flooding in several locations. In Greene County, a 31 year old woman was injured when her SUV was washed into the Swift Run River. She was washed 30 feet ... | 0 | 1 | – |
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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-05-31 | Flash FloodLydia, Greene County | 0 | 0 | $4.8M | |
| 1999-08-01 | DroughtGreene County · forecast zone Greene | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | |
| 2008-06-16 | HailQuinque, Greene County | 3.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2018-05-30 | Flash FloodMarch, Greene County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2003-09-18 | High WindGreene County · forecast zone Greene | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $963K |
| 1996-09-06 | FloodGreene County · forecast zone Greene | 0 | 0 | $470K | |
| 1996-09-06 | High WindGreene County · forecast zone Greene | 0 | 0 | $292K | |
| 1998-06-16 | HailStandardsville, Greene County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $42K |
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: July 25, 1985 (tornado, Greene 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 Greene 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 | – | – | – | – | 20 | 40 | 120 z | 87 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 15 | 13 | 65 | 46 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 22 | 53 | 29 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 14 | 45 z | 32 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 0 | 12 | 39 z | 24 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 8 | 16 | 12 | 2 |
Winter storms in the 2010s: 120 records against 40 in the decade before, 120 of them forecast-zone records. Extreme cold in the 2010s: 45 records against 14 in the decade before, 45 of them forecast-zone records. Fog, smoke and funnel clouds in the 2010s: 39 records against 12 in the decade before, 39 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Greene County days with a record above.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
58% 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 136 · Feb 99 · Mar 72 · Apr 45 · May 67 · Jun 73 · Jul 62 · Aug 65 · Sep 36 · Oct 34 · Nov 28 · Dec 79 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Greene County
FEMA's register lists 26 declarations that include Greene County: 19 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (6) and severe storm (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-23 | EM-3631 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024-10-01 | DR-4831 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2022-03-11 | DR-4644 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 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 |
| 2016-03-07 | DR-4262 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2012-11-26 | DR-4092 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3359 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-07-27 | DR-4072 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2010-04-27 | DR-1905 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 2010-02-16 | DR-1874 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2005-09-12 | EM-3240 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-09-18 | DR-1491 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 2000-02-28 | DR-1318 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1996-09-06 | DR-1135 | Hurricane | Hurricane Fran and Associated Severe Storm Cond |
| 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) |
| 1995-07-01 | DR-1059 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1994-04-11 | DR-1021 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 1993-03-25 | EM-3112 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1992-05-19 | DR-944 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1985-11-09 | DR-755 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-07-23 | EM-3046 | Drought | Drought |
| 1972-10-10 | DR-359 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 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 Greene County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 139 flood or flash flood records for Greene County from 1996 to 2025, on 70 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Greene County ranks 1944th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Fran | 1996-09-06 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $231,000 on 28 claims filed in Greene County; the most in one year was 7 in 2018. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 2 · 1995: 6 · 1996: 4 · 2009: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 7 · 2020: 1 · 2024: 2; 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 Greene County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Greene County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.7 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 Low | $309K | once in about 15 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $205K | 3.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $376K | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $129K | 40 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $675 | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $1K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $32K | once in about 1,018 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $177K | once in about 533 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Greene 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 Greene CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Greene County's FEMA declarations (CSV)26 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis