Norfolk (city), Virginia
City storm and disaster record · FIPS 51710 · population 237,884 · 53 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 454 records for Norfolk (city), Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 319 days; the most frequent are floods and flash floods (122 records). NOAA records 122 flood or flash floods there since 1996, with 0 deaths; its 6,019 flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA) rank 83rd of 2,942 U.S. counties; the deadliest named storm on its flood record is Hurricane Matthew (2016). The deadliest single record is the May 24, 2011 thunderstorm wind: 1 death and $2,624 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1972, 16 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
- 454on 319 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 314 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $214Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 12strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 18latest 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 Norfolk (city) most?
The most frequent records are floods and flash floods: 122 since 1996. 42% of its floods and flash floods since 1996 fell in July and August. Census land area gives no figure for Norfolk (city) under this code, so it carries no per-area rank.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | 122 | 87 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $53M | – |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 107 | 86 | 1960-2026 | 1 | 2 | $51M | – |
| Heavy rain | 52 | 37 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | $25K | – |
| Winter storms | 51 | 50 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1K | – |
| Hail | 41 | 28 | 1977-2024 | 0 | 2 | $18M | – |
| High wind and dust storms | 30 | 24 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 2 | $1.7M | – |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 17 | 17 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | $80M | – |
| Tornadoes | 12 | 11 | 1957-2014 | 1 | 4 | $9.3M | – |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 10 | 10 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Lightning | 5 | 5 | 1996-2012 | 1 | 4 | $81K | – |
| Drought | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 2026-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
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 Norfolk (city) had?
NOAA records 12 tornadoes in Norfolk (city) from 1957 to 2014, the strongest rated EF1, with 1 death and 4 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 13 tornadoes whose track touched Norfolk (city) since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 12: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962-04-08 09:50, as SPC files it | Chesapeake to Virginia Beach | F1 | 11.5 mi | 1 |
| 2008-04-28 14:05, as SPC files it | Suffolk | EF3 | 24 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Norfolk (city) (12)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-07-04 | Nas Norfolk, Norfolk (city) | EF0 0.25 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2008-04-28 | Hampton Rds, Norfolk (city) | EF1 4 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $137K |
| 2003-09-18 | Ocean View, Norfolk (city) | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-07-24 | Norfolk (city) | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $735K |
| 1997-07-24 | Norfolk (city) | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $184K |
| 1980-04-04 | Norfolk (city) | F1 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1977-06-06 | Norfolk (city) | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1968-08-10 | Norfolk (city) | F1 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1968-04-30 | Norfolk (city) | F1 22.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1962-04-11 | Norfolk (city) | F0 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | $3K step |
| 1962-04-08 | Norfolk (city) | F1 11.5 mi x 33 yd | 1 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1957-04-08 | Norfolk (city) | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K 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 Norfolk (city)?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 12, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodNorfolk (city) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodNorfolk (city) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodNorfolk (city) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindOcean View, Norfolk (city) | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-05 | Thunderstorm WindNas Norfolk, Norfolk (city) | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Flash FloodNorfolk (city) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillNorfolk (city) and Portsmouth (city) · forecast zone Norfolk | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | High WindNorfolk (city) and Portsmouth (city) · forecast zone Norfolk | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-10-28 | Strong WindNorfolk (city) and Portsmouth (city) · forecast zone Norfolk | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-10-28 | Coastal FloodNorfolk (city) and Portsmouth (city) · forecast zone Norfolk | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-12 | Strong WindNorfolk (city) and Portsmouth (city) · forecast zone Norfolk | 42 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-10-12 | Coastal FloodNorfolk (city) and Portsmouth (city) · forecast zone Norfolk | 0 | 0 | $100K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-05-24 | Thunderstorm WindNas Norfolk, Norfolk (city) Wind gust pushed a crane against a building pinning a shipyard employee. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $3K |
| 2001-08-11 | LightningOcean View, Norfolk (city) Woman struck by lightning while on boat. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1962-04-08 | TornadoNorfolk (city) | F1 11.5 mi x 33 yd | 1 | 0 | $250K step |
| 2012-02-11 | LightningNorfolk (city) Two sailors were injured at Piers 10 and 11 on Norfolk Naval Base. The lightning strikes occurred on separate ships while the individuals were outdoors lowering the flags to their ships. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2000-05-29 | High WindChesapeake (city) and Norfolk (city) · forecast zone Norfolk A powerful storm off the Virginia and North Carolina coast produced high winds and waves over portions of the Hampton Roads metro area. Wind gusts were measured to 45 knots at the Norfolk International Airport, and minor flooding occurred along the southern shores of the Chesapeake Bay due to the strong north winds ... | 45 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $34K |
| 1997-05-01 | HailNorfolk (city) Hail caused widespread damage to homes, businesses and vehicles. | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 2 | $18M |
| 1996-08-26 | LightningNorfolk (city) Lightning strike seriously injured 2 boys who were sitting on the bench of a picnic table beneath a tree. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1957-04-08 | TornadoNorfolk (city) | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-07-26 | Thunderstorm WindHampton Rds, Norfolk (city) | 80 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50M |
| 1999-09-15 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Chesapeake (city) and Norfolk (city) · forecast zone Norfolk | 0 | 0 | $41M | |
| 2009-11-12 | Coastal FloodChesapeake (city) and Norfolk (city) · forecast zone Norfolk | 0 | 0 | $25M | |
| 2016-10-08 | FloodNorfolk (city) | 0 | 0 | $23M | |
| 1997-05-01 | HailNorfolk (city) | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 2 | $18M |
| 1998-08-26 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Chesapeake (city) and Norfolk (city) · forecast zone Norfolk / Hampton / Portsmouth | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 2003-09-18 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Chesapeake (city) and Norfolk (city) · forecast zone Norfolk | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormChesapeake (city) and Norfolk (city) · forecast zone Norfolk | 0 | 0 | $5.9M |
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: April 8, 1962 (tornado, Norfolk (city), 1 killed); April 8, 1957 (tornado, Norfolk (city)); April 4, 1980 (tornado, Norfolk (city)).
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 Norfolk (city)'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 13 | 23 | 27 | 59 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 31 | 29 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 2 | 4 | 39 | 7 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 17 | 23 | 6 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 20 | 4 | 9 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 13 | 5 | 11 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
42% of its floods and flash floods since 1996 fell in July and August. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 34 · Feb 33 · Mar 18 · Apr 33 · May 43 · Jun 61 · Jul 81 · Aug 56 · Sep 44 · Oct 26 · Nov 12 · Dec 13 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Norfolk (city)
FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Norfolk (city): 10 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (10) 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 |
| 2018-09-11 | EM-3403 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2016-11-02 | DR-4291 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3359 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1998-09-04 | DR-1242 | Hurricane | Hurricane Bonnie |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1086 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 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 |
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 Norfolk (city) had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 122 flood or flash flood records for Norfolk (city) from 1996 to 2026, on 87 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Norfolk (city) ranks 83rd of 2,942 U.S. counties. The 100 counties with the most claims
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016-10-08 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-28 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Depression Ida | 2009-11-12 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-15 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Bonnie | 1998-08-26 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $69.1 million on 6,019 claims filed in Norfolk (city); the most in one year was 1,504 in 2009. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 91 · 1979: 15 · 1980: 12 · 1981: 6 · 1982: 70 · 1983: 11 · 1984: 4 · 1985: 10 · 1986: 4 · 1987: 13 · 1988: 7 · 1989: 12 · 1990: 30 · 1991: 16 · 1992: 28 · 1993: 5 · 1994: 19 · 1995: 3 · 1996: 13 · 1997: 11 · 1998: 421 · 1999: 409 · 2000: 18 · 2001: 6 · 2002: 13 · 2003: 1,315 · 2004: 39 · 2005: 7 · 2006: 232 · 2007: 5 · 2008: 15 · 2009: 1,504 · 2010: 72 · 2011: 770 · 2012: 210 · 2013: 16 · 2014: 19 · 2015: 62 · 2016: 374 · 2017: 15 · 2018: 16 · 2019: 16 · 2020: 22 · 2021: 6 · 2022: 18 · 2023: 11 · 2024: 6 · 2025: 10 · 2026: 12.
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 Norfolk (city)
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Norfolk (city) Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $45.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.1M | 41 a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | $3.0M | 3.6 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $13M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.7M | 6.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $17M | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $3.1M | once in about 27 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.0M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.2M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Norfolk (city)
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
- Floods in VirginiaThe state's floods and flash floods, 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 Norfolk (city)The hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Norfolk (city)'s FEMA declarations (CSV)18 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis