Lancaster County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51103 · population 10,919 · 133 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 292 records for Lancaster County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 225 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (79 records). The most damaging was the September 1, 1997 drought ($3.5 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1972, 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
- 292on 225 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 08 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $27Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 10strongest EF2
- 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 Lancaster County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 79 since 1983. 54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1983 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 | 79 | 61 | 1983-2026 | 0 | 3 | $4.4M | 19 of 96 |
| Winter storms | 74 | 74 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $61K | 10 of 96 |
| Floods | 55 | 37 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | 7 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 35 | 29 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 96 |
| Hail | 15 | 11 | 1955-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 53 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 10 | 1975-2022 | 0 | 5 | $11M | 1 of 96 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 7 | 7 | 1999-2021 | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | 5 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 5 | 5 | 2003-2018 | 0 | 0 | $349K | 50 of 96 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 96 |
| Drought | 3 | 3 | 1997-1998 | 0 | 0 | $7.1M | 44 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 2003-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 49 of 96 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | $171K | 23 of 96 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 35 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 Lancaster County had?
NOAA records 10 tornadoes in Lancaster County from 1975 to 2022, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 5 injuries recorded in the county. That is 1st of 96 Virginia counties and 135th of 3,080 U.S. 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 10 tornadoes whose track touched Lancaster County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 10, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Lancaster County (10)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-07-05 | Monaskon, Lancaster County | EF0 11.49 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2020-08-04 | Palmer, Lancaster County | EF2 14.21 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 5 | $3.4M |
| 2017-08-07 | Weems, Lancaster County | EF0 2.09 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 2017-04-06 | Irvington, Lancaster County | EF1 3.71 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $181K |
| 2016-02-24 | Morattico, Lancaster County | EF1 3.26 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $464K |
| 2015-06-18 | Mollusk, Lancaster County | EF0 3.82 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2004-05-25 | White Stone, Lancaster County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 1993-08-06 | White Stone, Lancaster County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1990-05-10 | Lancaster County | F1 4.1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1975-09-06 | Lancaster County | F1 2.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Lancaster County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindWeems, Lancaster County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindIrvington, Lancaster County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindMerry Pt, Lancaster County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-10-28 | Coastal FloodLancaster County · forecast zone Lancaster | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-12 | Coastal FloodLancaster County · forecast zone Lancaster | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-02 | Coastal FloodLancaster County · forecast zone Lancaster | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-21 | Coastal FloodLancaster County · forecast zone Lancaster | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-19 | Thunderstorm WindLancaster County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2025-07-19 | Flash FloodLively, Lancaster County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-23 | Excessive HeatLancaster County · forecast zone Lancaster | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindMillenbeck, Lancaster County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-03-17 | Flash FloodLively, Lancaster County | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-08-04 | TornadoPalmer, Lancaster County A damage survey conducted by the NWS Wakefield office found a path of storm damage consistent with an EF2 tornado. The tornado touched down near Windmill Point Lane then rapidly intensified as it crossed over Antipoison Creek. Numerous houses in the Antipoison Neck area along Tammy Drive, Clark Point Drive, Deep Water ... | EF2 14.21 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 5 | $3.4M |
| 1989-05-02 | Thunderstorm WindLancaster County | 0 | 3 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-09-01 | DroughtLancaster County · forecast zone Lancaster | 0 | 0 | $3.5M | |
| 2020-08-04 | TornadoPalmer, Lancaster County | EF2 14.21 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 5 | $3.4M |
| 1998-10-01 | DroughtLancaster County · forecast zone Lancaster | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 2009-07-12 | Thunderstorm WindMorattico, Lancaster County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 1993-08-06 | TornadoWhite Stone, Lancaster County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1999-09-15 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Lancaster County · forecast zone Lancaster | 0 | 0 | $992K | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormLancaster County · forecast zone Lancaster | 0 | 0 | $715K | |
| 2016-02-24 | TornadoMorattico, Lancaster County | EF1 3.26 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $464K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 10, 1990 (tornado, Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 19 | 20 | 27 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 26 | 32 | 10 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 4 | 10 | 37 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 11 | 19 |
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 1 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1983 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 34 · Feb 29 · Mar 18 · Apr 22 · May 18 · Jun 29 · Jul 59 · Aug 13 · Sep 27 · Oct 24 · Nov 8 · Dec 11 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lancaster County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Lancaster County: 16 major disasters, 9 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (12) and snowstorm (3).
| 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 |
| 2011-09-03 | DR-4024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-26 | EM-3329 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 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 |
| 1999-09-16 | EM-3147 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency 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 |
| 1985-11-09 | DR-755 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-07-23 | EM-3046 | Drought | Drought |
| 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 Lancaster County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 55 flood or flash flood records for Lancaster County from 1996 to 2025, on 37 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lancaster County ranks 608th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-28 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Depression Ida | 2009-11-12 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-15 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $5.8 million on 396 claims filed in Lancaster County; the most in one year was 154 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1985: 12 · 1994: 1 · 1996: 5 · 1998: 10 · 1999: 5 · 2003: 154 · 2004: 1 · 2006: 137 · 2009: 22 · 2010: 7 · 2011: 18 · 2012: 5 · 2013: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2018: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2023: 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 Lancaster County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lancaster County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $7.5 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 | $2.0M | 3.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $2.9M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $394K | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $51K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $221K | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $224K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $132K | once in about 829 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $96K | 5.1 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Lancaster 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 Lancaster CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lancaster County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis