Prince Edward County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51147 · population 21,274 · 350 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 391 records for Prince Edward County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 265 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (187 records). The most damaging was the October 1, 1998 drought ($5.4 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
- 391on 265 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 02 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $13Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 2strongest EF1
- 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 Prince Edward County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 187 since 1957. 55% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 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 | 187 | 102 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | $815K | 53 of 96 |
| Winter storms | 96 | 96 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $185K | 37 of 96 |
| Hail | 35 | 25 | 1977-2026 | 0 | 0 | $5K | 66 of 96 |
| Floods | 27 | 18 | 2003-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 79 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 25 | 23 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 4 | 2003-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 of 96 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 54 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 4 | 4 | 2008-2025 | 0 | 0 | $15K | 78 of 96 |
| Drought | 3 | 3 | 1997-1998 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 61 of 96 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2000-2016 | 0 | 2 | $26K | 46 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 1983-2011 | 0 | 0 | $747K | 84 of 96 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 62 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 Prince Edward County had?
NOAA records 2 tornadoes in Prince Edward County from 1983 to 2011, the strongest rated EF1, 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 2 tornadoes whose track touched Prince Edward County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 2, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Prince Edward County (2)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 | Rice, Prince Edward County | EF1 1.22 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 1983-10-13 | Prince Edward County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 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 Prince Edward County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 27, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindDarlington Hgts, Prince Edward County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindMoran, Prince Edward County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindMeherrin, Prince Edward County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-27 | HailGreen Bay, Prince Edward County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-25 | Flash FloodMeherrin, Prince Edward County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindFarmville Municipal Airport, Prince Edward County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindFarmville, Prince Edward County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-09 | Flash FloodFarmville Municipal Airport, Prince Edward County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-09 | Thunderstorm WindWorsham, Prince Edward County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindMoran, Prince Edward County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindFarmville Municipal Airport, Prince Edward County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-06-23 | Excessive HeatPrince Edward County · forecast zone Prince Edward | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-03-31 | LightningFarmville, Prince Edward County Lightning bolt injured a baseball player and a spectator at a baseball game. | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-10-01 | DroughtPrince Edward County · forecast zone Prince Edward | 0 | 0 | $5.4M | |
| 1997-09-01 | DroughtPrince Edward County · forecast zone Prince Edward | 0 | 0 | $4.2M | |
| 2025-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindRice, Prince Edward County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2025-02-16 | Strong WindPrince Edward County · forecast zone Prince Edward | 39 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $11K |
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoRice, Prince Edward County | EF1 1.22 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2025-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindElam, Prince Edward County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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: October 13, 1983 (tornado, Prince Edward 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 Prince Edward 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 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 21 | 18 | 49 | 84 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 13 | 36 | 37 | 10 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 11 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 6 | 18 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 3 | 4 | 7 | 11 |
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 1957 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 46 · Feb 36 · Mar 22 · Apr 34 · May 48 · Jun 64 · Jul 56 · Aug 31 · Sep 15 · Oct 13 · Nov 7 · Dec 19 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Prince Edward County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Prince Edward County: 14 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and hurricane (6).
| 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 |
| 2005-09-12 | EM-3240 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-09-18 | DR-1491 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 2002-05-05 | DR-1411 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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) |
| 1994-04-11 | DR-1021 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Ice 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 |
| 1972-06-23 | 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 Prince Edward County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 27 flood or flash flood records for Prince Edward County from 2003 to 2026, on 18 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Prince Edward County ranks 1766th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $461,000 on 40 claims filed in Prince Edward County; the most in one year was 10 in 1978. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 10 · 1979: 9 · 1983: 2 · 1985: 1 · 1993: 2 · 1996: 5 · 2003: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2018: 4 · 2020: 3; 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 Prince Edward County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Prince Edward County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $7.1 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 High | $2.8M | 8.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $817K | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $415K | once in about 498 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $102K | 42 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $24K | 5.5 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $22K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $196K | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $274K | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Prince Edward 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 Prince Edward CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Prince Edward County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis