Norton (city), Virginia

What hazards hit Norton (city) most?

The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 23 since 1982. 61% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1982 fell in May and June. Census land area gives no figure for Norton (city) under this code, so it carries no per-area rank.

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 Norton (city) had?

NOAA records 1 tornado in Norton (city) from 2011 to 2011, the strongest rated EF0, 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 1 tornado whose track touched Norton (city) since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 1, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.

Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.

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 Norton (city)?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 9, 2011 tornado ($66,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).

An EF-0 tornado with maximum winds at 80 mph, downed several trees and moderately damaged two old buildings in Norton, Virginia. The damage to the buildings consisted of a partial roof and wall collapsed along with a chimney collapsing.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 303795)

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

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 Norton (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).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).

What time of year?

61% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1982 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.

Federal disaster declarations for Norton (city)

FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Norton (city): 8 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (3) and snowstorm (3).

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 Norton (city) had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 9 flood or flash flood records for Norton (city) from 2001 to 2024, on 8 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Norton (city) ranks 1694th of 2,942 U.S. counties.

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $303,000 on 46 claims filed in Norton (city); the most in one year was 14 in 1982. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

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 Norton (city)

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Norton (city) Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $1.1 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.

Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.

Counties that share a border with Norton (city)

1. Wise County 423
2. Norton (city) 55

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 Norton (city)The hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
• Download Norton (city)'s FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis