Isle of Wight County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51093 · population 38,586 · 316 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 384 records for Isle of Wight County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 279 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (149 records). The deadliest single record is the May 29, 2000 high wind, filed for the forecast zone Isle Of Wight, which covers the county: 1 death and 3 injuries. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1972, 18 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
- 384on 279 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 24 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $52Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 16strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Isle of Wight County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 149 since 1974. 42% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1974 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 | 149 | 109 | 1974-2026 | 0 | 1 | $630K | 35 of 96 |
| Winter storms | 62 | 62 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $52K | 60 of 96 |
| Floods | 55 | 34 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | $8.0M | 45 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 43 | 35 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | $4.4M | 12 of 96 |
| Hail | 34 | 26 | 1974-2022 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 54 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 16 | 14 | 1960-2023 | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | 13 of 96 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 7 | 7 | 1999-2020 | 1 | 0 | $29M | 12 of 96 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 4 | 4 | 2000-2018 | 1 | 3 | $60K | 76 of 96 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $29K | 29 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 2003-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 66 of 96 |
| Drought | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | $7.2M | 76 of 96 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 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 Isle of Wight County had?
NOAA records 16 tornadoes in Isle of Wight County from 1960 to 2023, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 13th 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 16 tornadoes whose track touched Isle of Wight County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 16, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Isle of Wight County (16)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-16 | Smithfield, Isle of Wight County | EF0 8.46 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2021-07-08 | Smithfield, Isle of Wight County | EF0 2.98 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $11K |
| 2021-03-18 | Walters, Isle of Wight County | EF0 4.18 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $109K |
| 2020-09-29 | Windsor, Isle of Wight County | EF0 4.3 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $23K |
| 2019-04-19 | Smithfield, Isle of Wight County | EF0 2.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 2014-01-11 | Isle of Wight County | EF0 1.95 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2014-01-11 | Lawson, Isle of Wight County | EF0 1.36 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2011-04-16 | Ballards Xrds, Isle of Wight County | EF2 22.61 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $394K |
| 2009-04-20 | Raynor, Isle of Wight County | EF0 7.86 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2008-04-28 | Maynards Xrds, Isle of Wight County | EF1 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $252K |
| 1996-07-12 | Smithfield, Isle of Wight County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $47K |
| 1995-10-05 | Isle of Wight County | F0 0.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 1995-10-05 | Isle of Wight County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 1993-08-06 | Isle of Wight County | F0 0.25 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-11-28 | Isle of Wight County | F2 10 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1960-02-18 | Isle of Wight County | F1 1 mi x 50 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 Isle of Wight County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 23, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindCarrollton, Isle of Wight County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindSepta, Isle of Wight County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindWills Corner, Isle of Wight County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindCentral Hill, Isle of Wight County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-04-05 | Thunderstorm WindWindsor, Isle of Wight County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-04-05 | Thunderstorm WindSmithfield, Isle of Wight County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindSepta, Isle of Wight County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindRaynor, Isle of Wight County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-10-28 | Coastal FloodIsle of Wight County · forecast zone Isle Of Wight | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-12 | Coastal FloodIsle of Wight County · forecast zone Isle Of Wight | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-01 | Coastal FloodIsle of Wight County · forecast zone Isle Of Wight | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-27 | LightningSmithfield, Isle of Wight County | 0 | 0 | $20K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-05-29 | High WindIsle of Wight County · forecast zone Isle Of Wight A powerful storm system off the North Carolina and Virginia coast produced high winds and waves over the James River. One man was killed and three others were treated for hypothermia from the still-cold water when their 16 foot fishing boat capsized in the James River. Effects from the high winds did not extend very ... | 40 kt wind | 1 | 3 | – |
| 2003-09-18 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Isle of Wight County · forecast zone Isle Of Wight Hurricane Isabel was a Category 1 hurricane as it crossed the Wakefield WFO county warning area. Sustained tropical storm force winds with frequent gusts to hurricane force occurred over Eastern Virginia, along and near the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Coastal Waters. Isabel made landfall near Ocracoke Inlet in North ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-25 | Thunderstorm WindLawson, Isle of Wight County A tree fell on a UPS Truck near the intersection of Blounts Corner Road and Days Point Road, resulting in an injury. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $10K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-09-15 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Isle of Wight County · forecast zone Isle Of Wight | 0 | 0 | $20M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormIsle of Wight County · forecast zone Isle Of Wight | 0 | 0 | $9.2M | |
| 1997-09-01 | DroughtIsle of Wight County · forecast zone Isle Of Wight | 0 | 0 | $7.2M | |
| 2006-10-07 | Flash FloodWindsor, Isle of Wight County | 0 | 0 | $4.5M | |
| 2006-10-06 | Heavy RainIsle of Wight County | 0 | 0 | $4.4M | |
| 2016-10-08 | FloodRushmere, Isle of Wight County | 0 | 0 | $3.3M | |
| 2011-04-16 | TornadoBallards Xrds, Isle of Wight County | EF2 22.61 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $394K |
| 2008-04-28 | TornadoMaynards Xrds, Isle of Wight County | EF1 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $252K |
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: November 28, 1988 (tornado, Isle of Wight 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 Isle of Wight 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 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 26 | 53 | 39 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 21 | 27 | 9 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 6 | 11 | 36 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 3 | 5 | 22 | 13 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 10 | 3 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
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 1974 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 34 · Feb 27 · Mar 22 · Apr 27 · May 34 · Jun 54 · Jul 50 · Aug 48 · Sep 43 · Oct 21 · Nov 10 · Dec 14 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Isle of Wight County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Isle of Wight County: 13 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (10) and severe storm (3).
| 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 |
| 2018-10-15 | DR-4401 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 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 |
| 2006-09-22 | DR-1661 | Severe Storm | Tropical Depression Ernesto, Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 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) |
| 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 Isle of Wight County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 55 flood or flash flood records for Isle of Wight County from 1999 to 2025, on 34 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Isle of Wight County ranks 991st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 1 |
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016-10-08 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-15 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $5.3 million on 183 claims filed in Isle of Wight County; the most in one year was 47 in 2006. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1982: 5 · 1983: 4 · 1985: 1 · 1988: 1 · 1994: 2 · 1998: 7 · 1999: 14 · 2001: 1 · 2003: 33 · 2004: 3 · 2006: 47 · 2009: 19 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 10 · 2012: 11 · 2013: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 10 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 6 · 2021: 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 Isle of Wight County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Isle of Wight County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $15.0 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 | $2.5M | 2.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $3.6M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $802K | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $101K | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $114K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $462K | 6.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $5.5M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $190K | 2.1 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 Isle of Wight 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 Isle of Wight CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Isle of Wight County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis