Powhatan County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51145 · population 30,304 · 260 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 296 records for Powhatan County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 233 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (119 records). The most damaging was the September 18, 2003 tropical storm ($7.0 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 24 declarations naming the county since 1969, 22 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
- 296on 233 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $19Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 4strongest EF0
- FEMA declarations
- 24latest 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 Powhatan County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 119 since 1956. 50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 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 | 119 | 84 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $500K | 44 of 96 |
| Winter storms | 89 | 89 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $224K | 28 of 96 |
| Hail | 29 | 21 | 1980-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 56 of 96 |
| Floods | 21 | 16 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 74 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 20 | 20 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 96 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 42 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 4 | 1987-2022 | 0 | 0 | $134K | 55 of 96 |
| Drought | 3 | 3 | 1997-1998 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 52 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 2003-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 56 of 96 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 47 of 96 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | $7.0M | 46 of 96 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2014-2014 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 67 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 Powhatan County had?
NOAA records 4 tornadoes in Powhatan County from 1987 to 2022, 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched Powhatan County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 4: 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, 0 of them in Powhatan County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962-05-08 16:30, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F2 | 0.1 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Powhatan County (4)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-06-16 | Michaux, Powhatan County | EF0 4.13 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2018-09-17 | Pilkinton, Powhatan County | EF0 0.69 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2017-05-05 | Moseley, Powhatan County | EF0 0.38 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $120K |
| 1987-07-26 | Powhatan County | F0 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Powhatan County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 14, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindFlat Rock, Powhatan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindFlat Rock, Powhatan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $28K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindSubletts, Powhatan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindFlat Rock, Powhatan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $21K |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindBallsville, Powhatan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindMoseley, Powhatan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-09 | Thunderstorm WindTobaccoville, Powhatan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-09 | Thunderstorm WindPowhatan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-09 | Thunderstorm WindTobaccoville, Powhatan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-09 | Thunderstorm WindTrenholm, Powhatan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-01 | Flash FloodFine Greek Mills, Powhatan County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindDorset, Powhatan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
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 | Tropical StormPowhatan County · forecast zone Powhatan | 0 | 0 | $7.0M | |
| 1997-09-01 | DroughtPowhatan County · forecast zone Powhatan | 0 | 0 | $5.8M | |
| 2017-05-05 | TornadoMoseley, Powhatan County | EF0 0.38 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $120K |
| 2025-02-11 | Winter StormPowhatan County · forecast zone Powhatan | 0 | 0 | $50K | |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindFlat Rock, Powhatan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $28K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindFlat Rock, Powhatan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $21K |
| 2022-06-16 | TornadoMichaux, Powhatan County | EF0 4.13 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2018-09-17 | TornadoPilkinton, Powhatan County | EF0 0.69 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $4K |
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 Powhatan 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 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 23 | 40 | 33 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 35 | 35 | 11 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 12 | 1 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 9 | 3 | 8 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 45 · Feb 28 · Mar 18 · Apr 29 · May 21 · Jun 41 · Jul 41 · Aug 27 · Sep 14 · Oct 8 · Nov 7 · Dec 17 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Powhatan County
FEMA's register lists 24 declarations that include Powhatan County: 16 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (8) and severe storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-23 | EM-3631 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025-04-04 | DR-4863 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding |
| 2022-03-11 | DR-4644 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 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 |
| 2018-09-11 | 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 |
| 2011-09-03 | DR-4024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1985-11-09 | DR-755 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-07-23 | EM-3046 | Drought | Drought |
| 1976-10-15 | EM-3018 | Drought | Drought |
| 1972-10-10 | DR-359 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1972-06-23 | DR-339 | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes |
| 1969-08-23 | DR-274 | Hurricane | 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 Powhatan County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 21 flood or flash flood records for Powhatan County from 1996 to 2025, on 16 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Powhatan County ranks 2830th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $4,867 on 1 claim filed in Powhatan County; the most in one year was 1 in 2014. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2014: 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 Powhatan County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Powhatan County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.6 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 | $2.4M | 6.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.2M | once in about 341 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $307K | once in about 10 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $52K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $132K | 42 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $287K | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $207K | 4.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $4.4M | 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 Powhatan 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 Powhatan CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Powhatan County's FEMA declarations (CSV)24 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis