Orange County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51137 · population 36,205 · 341 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 857 records for Orange County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 603 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (284 records). The most damaging was the August 1, 1999 drought ($17.7 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1972, 20 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
- 857on 603 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 05 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $36Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 14strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 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 Orange County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 284 since 1968. 55% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1968 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 | 284 | 162 | 1968-2026 | 0 | 2 | $1.3M | 17 of 96 |
| Winter storms | 134 | 133 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $810K | 20 of 96 |
| Floods | 133 | 61 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | 20 of 96 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 99 | 95 | 2005-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 96 |
| Heat | 54 | 54 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 96 |
| Hail | 53 | 37 | 1971-2024 | 0 | 0 | $5K | 34 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 49 | 46 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $156K | 11 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 16 | 16 | 1996-2018 | 0 | 1 | $3.4M | 44 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 14 | 13 | 1965-2017 | 0 | 2 | $8.7M | 18 of 96 |
| Drought | 11 | 11 | 1998-2007 | 0 | 0 | $18M | 29 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 7 | 1999-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 62 of 96 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2002-2021 | 0 | 0 | $110K | 57 of 96 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | $3K | 60 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 Orange County had?
NOAA records 14 tornadoes in Orange County from 1965 to 2017, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries recorded in the county. That is 18th 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 14 tornadoes whose track touched Orange County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 14, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990-10-18 10:15, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 3.5 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Orange County (14)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-05-05 | Burr Hill, Orange County | EF1 0.87 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-04-06 | Unionville, Orange County | EF0 2.63 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-10-13 | Nasons, Orange County | EF0 1.35 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2004-09-17 | Rhoadesville, Orange County | F2 7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $117K |
| 2004-09-17 | Lahore, Orange County | F1 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $234K |
| 2004-09-08 | Montpelier, Orange County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2002-06-06 | Orange County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 2001-09-24 | Gordonsville, Orange County | F1 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 1999-07-24 | Flatrun, Orange County | F1 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $89K |
| 1997-09-10 | Orange County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-07-21 | Gordonsville, Orange County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $155K |
| 1990-10-18 | Orange County | F3 3.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1977-07-19 | Orange County | 0 | 1 | $25K step | |
| 1965-08-17 | Orange County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $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 Orange County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 16, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindLahore, Orange County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-02 | Winter WeatherOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Cold/Wind ChillOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-05 | Winter WeatherOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-05 | Winter WeatherOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-02 | Winter WeatherOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindMadison Run, Orange County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindNasons, Orange County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-07-19 | Flash FloodEheart, Orange 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-12-31 | Thunderstorm WindThornhill, Orange County A large tree blew down onto an occupied vehicle in the 17000 block of VA-669 Marquis Road. | 52 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $9K |
| 2003-09-18 | High WindOrange County · forecast zone Orange By 9 pm on September 18, a rain band associated with Isabel had set up over the Shenandoah Valley and showers were training southward into the Blue Ridge Mountains on the east side of Augusta County. The rain gauge located at Upper Sherando had recorded over 6 inches of rain and more was to come. County officials ... | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $2.7M |
| 2002-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindFlatrun, Orange County Numerous trees and power lines were downed onto roads and houses. One person was injured when a tree fell onto their Lake of the Woods home. | 0 | 1 | $328K | |
| 1990-10-18 | TornadoOrange County | F3 3.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1977-07-19 | TornadoOrange County | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-08-01 | DroughtOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | $18M | |
| 1996-09-06 | FloodOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | |
| 1996-09-06 | Flash FloodCountywide, Orange County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 1996-09-06 | High WindOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | $668K | |
| 1996-01-12 | Heavy SnowOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | $470K | |
| 2002-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindFlatrun, Orange County | 0 | 1 | $328K | |
| 2003-02-14 | Winter StormOrange County · forecast zone Orange | 0 | 0 | $321K | |
| 1995-07-21 | TornadoGordonsville, Orange County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $155K |
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: October 18, 1990 (tornado, Orange 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 Orange 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 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 41 | 130 | 91 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 16 | 39 | 51 | 28 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 13 | 17 | 48 | 55 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 0 | 22 | 59 | 18 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 8 | 19 | 22 | 5 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 20 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
55% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1968 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 82 · Feb 62 · Mar 46 · Apr 51 · May 56 · Jun 149 · Jul 124 · Aug 101 · Sep 47 · Oct 44 · Nov 20 · Dec 75 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Orange County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Orange County: 15 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and hurricane (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-23 | EM-3631 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2022-03-11 | DR-4644 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 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 |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3359 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-07-27 | DR-4072 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2011-11-04 | DR-4042 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 2010-04-27 | DR-1905 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 2010-02-16 | DR-1874 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 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 |
| 1996-09-06 | DR-1135 | Hurricane | Hurricane Fran and Associated Severe Storm Cond |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1086 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1995-07-01 | DR-1059 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1994-04-11 | DR-1021 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 1993-03-25 | EM-3112 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1977-07-23 | EM-3046 | Drought | Drought |
| 1972-10-10 | DR-359 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 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 Orange County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 133 flood or flash flood records for Orange County from 1996 to 2025, on 61 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Orange County ranks 2085th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Fran | 1996-09-06 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $279,000 on 20 claims filed in Orange County; the most in one year was 5 in 2025. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1995: 1 · 1996: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2011: 3 · 2012: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 5; 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 Orange County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Orange County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $11.1 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.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | 3.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $1.7M | once in about 12 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $661K | once in about 466 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $636K | 4.7 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $337K | 4.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $207K | 41 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $215K | 3.2 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $5.4M | 1.9 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 Orange 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 Orange CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Orange County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis