King and Queen County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51097 · population 6,602 · 315 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 271 records for King and Queen County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 231 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (99 records). The most damaging was the September 1, 1997 drought ($5.3 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1969, 23 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
- 271on 231 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $18Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 25latest 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 King and Queen County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 99 since 1996. 72% 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 | 83 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $203K | 41 of 96 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 83 | 75 | 1960-2026 | 0 | 0 | $207K | 70 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 25 | 25 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 96 |
| Floods | 17 | 17 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 78 of 96 |
| Hail | 16 | 15 | 1960-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 86 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 8 | 1951-2022 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 35 of 96 |
| Heat | 5 | 4 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 51 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 4 | 3 | 1999-2018 | 0 | 0 | $70K | 81 of 96 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 4 | 2006-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 96 |
| Drought | 3 | 3 | 1997-1998 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 58 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 2 | 2003-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 84 of 96 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 3 | 3 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | $4.2M | 21 of 96 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 0 | $3K | 70 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 King and Queen County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in King and Queen County from 1951 to 2022, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 35th 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 8 tornadoes whose track touched King and Queen County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-02-24 17:34, as SPC files it | Tappahannock | EF3 | 30.34 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for King and Queen County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-11-11 | Salvia, King and Queen County | EF0 1.38 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2016-02-24 | Bruington, King and Queen County | EF1 2.58 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $621K |
| 2014-05-22 | Powcan, King and Queen County | EF0 0.85 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2006-09-28 | Little Plymouth, King and Queen County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $37K |
| 2006-01-14 | Millers Tavern, King and Queen County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $22K |
| 2004-05-02 | King & Queen Church, King and Queen County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 1995-10-05 | West Point, King and Queen County | F1 3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $329K |
| 1951-05-11 | King and Queen 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 King and Queen County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 14, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindKing & Queen Church, King and Queen County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-10-12 | Coastal FloodKing and Queen County · forecast zone Eastern King And Queen | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindSalvia, King and Queen County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-06-23 | Excessive HeatKing and Queen County · forecast zone Western King And Queen | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-23 | Excessive HeatKing and Queen County · forecast zone Eastern King And Queen | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindSt Stephens Church, King and Queen County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-05-14 | Flash FloodKing & Queen Church, King and Queen County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-05 | Funnel CloudLittle Plymouth, King and Queen County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-05 | Thunderstorm WindKing & Queen Church, King and Queen County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-02-19 | Heavy SnowKing and Queen County · forecast zone Eastern King And Queen | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2025-02-16 | Thunderstorm WindKing & Queen Church, King and Queen County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-01-05 | Winter StormKing and Queen County · forecast zone Eastern King And Queen | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-09-01 | DroughtKing and Queen County · forecast zone King And Queen | 0 | 0 | $5.3M | |
| 2003-09-18 | Tropical StormKing and Queen County · forecast zone King And Queen | 0 | 0 | $3.5M | |
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, King and Queen County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormKing and Queen County · forecast zone King And Queen | 0 | 0 | $712K | |
| 2016-02-24 | TornadoBruington, King and Queen County | EF1 2.58 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $621K |
| 1995-10-05 | TornadoWest Point, King and Queen County | F1 3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $329K |
| 2004-05-02 | TornadoKing & Queen Church, King and Queen County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2006-09-28 | TornadoLittle Plymouth, King and Queen County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $37K |
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: May 11, 1951 (tornado, King and Queen 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 King and Queen 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 | – | – | – | – | 8 | 31 | 43 | 17 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 13 | 30 | 15 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 3 | 4 | 8 | 10 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 10 | 2 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
72% 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 47 · Feb 30 · Mar 24 · Apr 12 · May 29 · Jun 30 · Jul 27 · Aug 18 · Sep 20 · Oct 13 · Nov 8 · Dec 13 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for King and Queen County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include King and Queen County: 18 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (12) 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 |
| 2018-10-15 | DR-4401 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2018-09-11 | EM-3403 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2012-11-26 | DR-4092 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3359 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-11-17 | DR-4045 | Severe Storm | The Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee |
| 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) |
| 1994-03-10 | DR-1014 | Snowstorm | Severe Ice Storms, Flooding |
| 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 |
| 1969-08-23 | DR-274 | Hurricane | 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 King and Queen County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 17 flood or flash flood records for King and Queen County from 1996 to 2025, on 17 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), King and Queen County ranks 2061st 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 $645,000 on 22 claims filed in King and Queen County; the most in one year was 14 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1998: 1 · 2003: 14 · 2004: 1 · 2006: 3 · 2011: 2 · 2020: 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 King and Queen County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates King and Queen County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.4 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 | $2.1M | 3.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $365K | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | $107K | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $23K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $456 | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $75K | once in about 587 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $54K | 5.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Very Low | $156K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with King and Queen 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 King and Queen CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download King and Queen County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis