Loudoun County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51107 · population 418,601 · 516 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,709 records for Loudoun County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 885 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (687 records). The deadliest single record is the January 26, 2004 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Loudoun, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1972, 14 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
- 1,709on 885 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 729 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $84Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 28strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 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 Loudoun County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 687 since 1960. 59% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 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 | 687 | 299 | 1960-2026 | 2 | 6 | $5.6M | 7 of 96 |
| Winter storms | 284 | 213 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 0 | $400K | 17 of 96 |
| Floods | 196 | 98 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $4.2M | 15 of 96 |
| Hail | 170 | 88 | 1961-2025 | 0 | 0 | $13M | 12 of 96 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 110 | 83 | 2000-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 77 | 57 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 16 of 96 |
| Heat | 58 | 46 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 15 | – | 15 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 52 | 47 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 3 | $1.6M | 23 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 28 | 21 | 1954-2024 | 0 | 2 | $17M | 16 of 96 |
| Lightning | 17 | 17 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 3 | $1.5M | 8 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 16 | 16 | 1998-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 52 of 96 |
| Drought | 12 | 12 | 1997-2007 | 0 | 0 | $39M | 43 of 96 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 2 | 2008-2011 | 0 | 0 | $7K | 45 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 Loudoun County had?
NOAA records 28 tornadoes in Loudoun County from 1954 to 2024, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries recorded in the county. That is 16th 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 30 tornadoes whose track touched Loudoun County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 28: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Loudoun County (28)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-08 | Bloomfield, Loudoun County | EF1 4.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $235K |
| 2024-06-05 | Waterford, Loudoun County | EF0 1.05 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $235K |
| 2020-02-07 | Woodburn, Loudoun County | EF0 3.36 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $6.6M |
| 2017-04-06 | Sterling, Loudoun County | EF0 1.29 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-05-16 | Sunny Bank, Loudoun County | EF0 0.4 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2011-04-16 | Woodburn, Loudoun County | EF0 4.08 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2008-06-04 | Sunny Bank, Loudoun County | EF0 5.42 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $21K |
| 2004-09-17 | Dulles International Airport, Loudoun County | F2 8 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $4.7M |
| 2004-09-17 | Hamilton, Loudoun County | F1 12 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $781K |
| 2004-05-25 | Lovettsville, Loudoun County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2003-11-05 | Leesburg, Loudoun County | F0 4 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $321K |
| 2003-11-05 | Leesburg, Loudoun County | F0 5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $321K |
| 2003-07-09 | Ashburn, Loudoun County | F0 0.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-07-09 | Round Hill, Loudoun County | F1 10 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-06-16 | Lovettsville, Loudoun County | F0 0.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $45K |
| 1998-06-02 | Bluemont, Loudoun County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 1997-06-18 | Mountville, Loudoun County | F0 4 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 1996-07-19 | Sterling/Ne Portion, Loudoun County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 1996-07-19 | Lovettsville, Loudoun County | F1 4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $113K |
| 1996-06-24 | Extreme Se Portion, Loudoun County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $28K |
| 1996-06-24 | Middleburg, Loudoun County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 1993-04-16 | Loudoun County | F1 1.7 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1993-04-16 | Bluemont, Loudoun County | F0 0.7 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1987-07-12 | Loudoun County | F1 1.3 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1980-06-03 | Loudoun County | F2 2.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1979-09-05 | Loudoun County | F2 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1979-09-05 | Loudoun County | F2 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1954-05-03 | Loudoun County | F0 2.3 mi x 33 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 Loudoun County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 12, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindSunny Bank, Loudoun County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindNorth Fork, Loudoun County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindLeesburg, Loudoun County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindLucketts, Loudoun County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindBloomfield, Loudoun County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindLucketts, Loudoun County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindNorth Fork, Loudoun County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindPurcellville, Loudoun County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindBluemont, Loudoun County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindRyan, Loudoun County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindWaterford, Loudoun County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindLucketts, Loudoun County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-01-26 | Winter WeatherLoudoun County · forecast zone Loudoun An area of low pressure moved across the area on the 26th and 27th. This low produced a second round of freezing rain and snow across the region. Due to the inclement weather Federal agencies in the Washington DC Metropolitan area closed three hours early on the 27th. Two fatalities were reported in Loudoun County ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-02-14 | Strong WindLoudoun County · forecast zone Loudoun The Washington Post reported that a 15 year old girl in Bluemont, VA., was killed when a strong wind gust sent portions of a large old tree fell. Wind gusts around the region ranged from 20 to 25 mph with gusts as high as 35 mph. | 30 kt wind | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2019-02-10 | Winter WeatherLoudoun County · forecast zone Western Loudoun Snowfall amounts of 0.5 to 1.5 inches and ice accumulations of up to 0.20 inches were observed across western Loudoun County, mainly across the higher elevations. There was one direct fatality when a 52-year old woman in northeastern Loudoun County was killed from a falling branch outside of her home due to weight ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-07-03 | Thunderstorm WindLeesburg, Loudoun County A fatality occurred when a tree fell onto a cyclist along the C and O Canal Towpath. The location along the Towpath was south of Whites Ferry along mile marker 33. | 56 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2010-07-25 | Thunderstorm WindSterling, Loudoun County A large tree fell onto a child walking in Claude Moore Park. The child was pronounced dead at 3:45 PM EDT. | 61 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2008-12-31 | High WindLoudoun County · forecast zone Loudoun A wind gust of 59 mph was measured near Sterling Park. One fatality occurred in Purcellville when a tree fell on a man as he was clearing the roadway from previous debris (indirect fatality). Wind gusts around the Purcellville area were between 50 and 55 mph. | 51 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 1997-08-16 | HeatLoudoun County · forecast zone Loudoun West winds circulating around a "Bermuda" high pressure system allowed temperatures to soar over the weekend of the 16th and 17th. Maximum temperatures surpassed the century mark across most of northern Virginia (except in the higher elevations) both days. Heat index values ranged from 105 to 110 each day, but aside ... | 0 | 8 | – | |
| 1999-07-04 | HeatLoudoun County · forecast zone Loudoun High pressure sat off the Mid-Atlantic coast from the 4th through the 7th, acting like a heat pump drawing extremely warm and humid air into Northern Virginia. Temperatures on the 4th through early on the 7th were oppressively hot, and extremely humid conditions added to the misery. These conditions continued until a ... | 0 | 7 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-07-01 | DroughtLoudoun County · forecast zone Loudoun | 0 | 0 | $27M | |
| 1999-09-01 | DroughtLoudoun County · forecast zone Loudoun | 0 | 0 | $8.9M | |
| 2020-02-07 | TornadoWoodburn, Loudoun County | EF0 3.36 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $6.6M |
| 2004-09-17 | TornadoDulles International Airport, Loudoun County | F2 8 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $4.7M |
| 1999-04-23 | HailMiddleburg, Loudoun County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $3.5M |
| 1996-01-19 | Flash FloodAll, Loudoun County | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 1997-04-10 | Frost/FreezeLoudoun County · forecast zone Loudoun | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2003-09-18 | High WindLoudoun County · forecast zone Loudoun | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $882K |
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: September 5, 1979 (tornado, Loudoun County); September 5, 1979 (tornado, Loudoun 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 Loudoun 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 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 64 | 114 | 292 | 195 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 21 | 60 | 130 | 73 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 12 | 45 | 104 | 35 |
| Hail | 0 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 27 | 46 | 43 | 37 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 0 | 21 | 58 | 31 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 22 | 37 | 16 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
59% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 156 · Feb 131 · Mar 96 · Apr 99 · May 132 · Jun 335 · Jul 280 · Aug 198 · Sep 95 · Oct 48 · Nov 34 · Dec 105 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Loudoun County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Loudoun County: 10 major disasters, 6 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 |
| 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 |
| 2010-04-27 | DR-1905 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 2005-09-12 | EM-3240 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-09-18 | DR-1491 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 2003-03-27 | DR-1458 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snowfall, Heavy Rain,Floodind, and Mudslide |
| 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) |
| 1993-03-25 | EM-3112 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 Loudoun County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 196 flood or flash flood records for Loudoun County from 1996 to 2025, on 98 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Loudoun County ranks 1036th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-23 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.0 million on 168 claims filed in Loudoun County; the most in one year was 32 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 5 · 1980: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 5 · 1985: 9 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 2 · 1988: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1991: 1 · 1992: 3 · 1993: 2 · 1996: 32 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 4 · 1999: 1 · 2001: 3 · 2003: 9 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 2 · 2006: 2 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 3 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 19 · 2012: 8 · 2013: 5 · 2014: 5 · 2015: 6 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 14 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 5 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2023: 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 Loudoun County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Loudoun County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $60.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $655K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.7M | 38 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $2.8M | 7.7 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.2M | 4.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $37M | 3 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.2M | 3.9 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $4.8M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $1.0M | 4.1 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 Loudoun 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 Loudoun CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Loudoun County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis