Mecklenburg County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51117 · population 30,027 · 625 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 447 records for Mecklenburg County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 303 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (210 records). The deadliest single record is the January 9, 2024 flash flood: 1 death and $4,704 in damage 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
- 447on 303 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 13 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $20Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest F2
- 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 Mecklenburg County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 210 since 1960. 47% 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 | 210 | 146 | 1960-2026 | 0 | 2 | $787K | 72 of 96 |
| Winter storms | 73 | 73 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $132K | 88 of 96 |
| Hail | 50 | 28 | 1984-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 87 of 96 |
| Floods | 46 | 30 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $307K | 83 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 39 | 28 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 45 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 11 | 1978-2019 | 0 | 1 | $7.1M | 51 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 5 | 3 | 2008-2024 | 0 | 0 | $16K | 90 of 96 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 66 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 2003-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 91 of 96 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2000-2024 | 0 | 0 | $21K | 62 of 96 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2017-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 55 of 96 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 74 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 Mecklenburg County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Mecklenburg County from 1978 to 2019, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury 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 11 tornadoes whose track touched Mecklenburg County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 11, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Mecklenburg County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-10-31 | White House, Mecklenburg County | EF1 4.47 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $46K |
| 2018-09-17 | Skipwith, Mecklenburg County | EF0 9.15 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2017-05-05 | Blanks, Mecklenburg County | EF1 14.79 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $241K |
| 2016-02-24 | Redlawn, Mecklenburg County | EF1 5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $381K |
| 2010-10-27 | Orgainville, Mecklenburg County | EF0 1.25 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2005-07-07 | South Hill, Mecklenburg County | F1 4.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2005-01-14 | South Hill, Mecklenburg County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 1990-07-11 | Mecklenburg County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1990-07-10 | Mecklenburg County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-08-29 | Mecklenburg County | F2 4 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1978-01-26 | Mecklenburg County | F1 0.1 mi x 17 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 Mecklenburg County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 23, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindPalmer Spgs, Mecklenburg County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindSpanish Grove, Mecklenburg County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindClarksville, Mecklenburg County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindAntlers, Mecklenburg County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-02-01 | Heavy SnowMecklenburg County · forecast zone Mecklenburg | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormMecklenburg County · forecast zone Mecklenburg | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-04 | Thunderstorm WindClarksville Marks Ar, Mecklenburg County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-08-06 | Flash FloodSouth Hill Airport, Mecklenburg County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-31 | Thunderstorm WindOrgainville, Mecklenburg County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-15 | Flash FloodSouth Hill, Mecklenburg County | 0 | 0 | $500 | |
| 2025-07-15 | Flash FloodSouth Hill, Mecklenburg County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-15 | Flash FloodSouth Hill, Mecklenburg 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-01-09 | Flash FloodBlackridge, Mecklenburg County Law Enforcement reported a death in the vicinity of the Tanglewood Shores recreation and boat ramp on the night of January 9, 2024. News articles about the event mention that the individual was driving his golf cart during the heavy rain and was washed away by the rushing creek water. The road where this individual ... | 1 | 0 | $5K | |
| 1989-06-15 | Thunderstorm WindMecklenburg County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1988-08-29 | TornadoMecklenburg County | F2 4 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-09-18 | Tropical StormMecklenburg County · forecast zone Mecklenburg | 0 | 0 | $11M | |
| 2016-02-24 | TornadoRedlawn, Mecklenburg County | EF1 5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $381K |
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Mecklenburg County | 0 | 0 | $271K | |
| 2017-05-05 | TornadoBlanks, Mecklenburg County | EF1 14.79 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $241K |
| 2019-10-31 | TornadoWhite House, Mecklenburg County | EF1 4.47 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $46K |
| 2010-10-27 | TornadoOrgainville, Mecklenburg County | EF0 1.25 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2018-09-17 | TornadoSkipwith, Mecklenburg County | EF0 9.15 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2005-01-14 | TornadoSouth Hill, Mecklenburg County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
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: August 29, 1988 (tornado, Mecklenburg 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 Mecklenburg 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 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 28 | 37 | 84 | 45 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 25 | 30 | 13 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 18 | 15 | 4 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 11 | 22 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 3 | 4 | 15 | 17 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
47% 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 41 · Feb 33 · Mar 22 · Apr 29 · May 70 · Jun 51 · Jul 93 · Aug 36 · Sep 31 · Oct 20 · Nov 7 · Dec 14 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Mecklenburg County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Mecklenburg County: 12 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (8) 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 |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3359 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2006-07-13 | DR-1655 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, 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 |
| 1977-07-23 | EM-3046 | Drought | Drought |
| 1976-10-15 | EM-3018 | Drought | Drought |
| 1972-10-10 | DR-359 | Flood | 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 Mecklenburg County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 46 flood or flash flood records for Mecklenburg County from 1996 to 2025, on 30 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Mecklenburg County ranks 2436th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $72,000 on 8 claims filed in Mecklenburg County; the most in one year was 3 in 1987. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 3 · 1996: 1 · 2017: 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 Mecklenburg County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Mecklenburg County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $13.0 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 | $2.2M | 10 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $2.8M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $435K | once in about 730 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $62K | 4.9 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $5.8M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $292K | 4.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $59K | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $156K | 3.2 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 Mecklenburg 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 Mecklenburg CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Mecklenburg County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis