Mathews County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51115 · population 8,533 · 86 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 225 records for Mathews County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 195 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (66 records). The most damaging was the September 18, 2003 hurricane ($35.3 million in 2025 dollars). 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
- 225on 195 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $51Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest EF3
- 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 Mathews County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 66 since 1996. 74% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. Census land area gives no figure for Mathews County under this code, so it carries no per-area rank.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 66 | 66 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $24K | – |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 57 | 48 | 1976-2025 | 0 | 0 | $223K | – |
| Heavy rain | 32 | 28 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Floods | 26 | 25 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $9.6M | – |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 9 | 9 | 1999-2021 | 0 | 0 | $36M | – |
| Hail | 8 | 7 | 1957-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| High wind and dust storms | 7 | 7 | 2003-2026 | 0 | 0 | $4.5M | – |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 6 | 1975-2012 | 0 | 0 | $706K | – |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 5 | 3 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 2003-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2000-2003 | 0 | 0 | $169K | – |
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 Mathews County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Mathews County from 1975 to 2012, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. 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 6 tornadoes whose track touched Mathews County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7: 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 Mathews County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-02-24 | Motorun, Mathews County | EF0 0.75 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $26K |
| 2011-04-16 | North, Mathews County | EF3 1.25 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2008-04-28 | North, Mathews County | EF0 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2008-04-28 | Mobjack, Mathews County | EF1 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 2000-07-14 | Gwynn, Mathews County | F0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 1989-03-30 | Mathews County | F1 3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1975-04-25 | Mathews County | F1 1.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Mathews County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 19, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-01 | High WindMathews County · forecast zone Mathews | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-10-28 | Coastal FloodMathews County · forecast zone Mathews | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-12 | Coastal FloodMathews County · forecast zone Mathews | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-02 | Coastal FloodMathews County · forecast zone Mathews | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-21 | Coastal FloodMathews County · forecast zone Mathews | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-23 | Excessive HeatMathews County · forecast zone Mathews | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindHudgins, Mathews County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindGwynn, Mathews County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-05-30 | Thunderstorm WindGwynn, Mathews County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2025-03-05 | Thunderstorm WindCobbs Creek, Mathews County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2025-03-05 | Thunderstorm WindCobbs Creek, Mathews County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-03-05 | Thunderstorm WindSoles, Mathews County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-09-18 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Mathews County · forecast zone Mathews | 0 | 0 | $35M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormMathews County · forecast zone Mathews | 0 | 0 | $552K | |
| 2008-04-28 | TornadoMobjack, Mathews County | EF1 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 2012-02-24 | TornadoMotorun, Mathews County | EF0 0.75 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $26K |
| 2025-03-05 | Thunderstorm WindCobbs Creek, Mathews County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2025-05-30 | Thunderstorm WindGwynn, Mathews County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2008-04-28 | TornadoNorth, Mathews County | EF0 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2011-04-16 | TornadoNorth, Mathews County | EF3 1.25 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
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: March 30, 1989 (tornado, Mathews 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 Mathews 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 | – | – | – | – | 5 | 21 | 30 | 10 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 19 | 9 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 12 | 15 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 7 | 6 | 9 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
74% 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 34 · Feb 26 · Mar 16 · Apr 16 · May 13 · Jun 14 · Jul 26 · Aug 29 · Sep 17 · Oct 16 · Nov 7 · Dec 11 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Mathews County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Mathews County: 12 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (11) and biological (2).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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) |
| 1993-03-25 | EM-3112 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1985-11-09 | DR-755 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 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 Mathews County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 26 flood or flash flood records for Mathews County from 1996 to 2025, on 25 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Mathews County ranks 296th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Depression Ida | 2009-11-12 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Depression Ernesto | 2006-09-01 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $20.5 million on 1,162 claims filed in Mathews County; the most in one year was 638 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 7 · 1980: 1 · 1982: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1985: 8 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 3 · 1991: 1 · 1992: 2 · 1993: 1 · 1996: 8 · 1998: 34 · 1999: 18 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 638 · 2004: 5 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 201 · 2007: 2 · 2008: 5 · 2009: 112 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 53 · 2012: 15 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 15 · 2016: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2019: 12 · 2020: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2025: 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 Mathews County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Mathews County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $1.6M | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $462K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $100K | 2.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $26K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $190K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $20K | once in about 3,362 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $74K | once in about 987 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $73K | 5.4 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 Mathews 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 Mathews CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Mathews County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis