Richmond (city), Virginia
City storm and disaster record · FIPS 51760 · population 226,269 · 60 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 364 records for Richmond (city), Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 253 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (95 records). The deadliest single record is the August 30, 2004 flash flood: 3 deaths and $31.2 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1972, 18 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
- 364on 253 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 517 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $57Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 14strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Richmond (city) most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 95 since 1996. 67% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. Census land area gives no figure for Richmond (city) under this code, so it carries no per-area rank.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 95 | 95 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 2 | $220K | – |
| Floods | 86 | 46 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 0 | $32M | – |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 86 | 54 | 1979-2026 | 0 | 0 | $364K | – |
| Heavy rain | 35 | 29 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Hail | 25 | 22 | 1977-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Tornadoes | 14 | 9 | 1951-2018 | 0 | 14 | $6.2M | – |
| High wind and dust storms | 9 | 7 | 1996-2018 | 0 | 0 | $49K | – |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Drought | 3 | 3 | 1998-2000 | 0 | 0 | $3.6M | – |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 2003-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 2 | 2003-2011 | 2 | 0 | $15M | – |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2015-2024 | 0 | 1 | $16K | – |
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 Richmond (city) had?
NOAA records 14 tornadoes in Richmond (city) from 1951 to 2018, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 14 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 14 tornadoes whose track touched Richmond (city) since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 14, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Richmond (city) (14)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-09-17 | Richmond (city) | EF0 1.05 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2018-09-17 | Richmond (city) | EF0 1.38 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2018-09-17 | Richmond (city) | EF0 1.3 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2018-09-17 | Richmond (city) | EF0 0.25 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2018-09-17 | Richmond (city) | EF1 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2010-10-27 | Richmond (city) | EF1 2.36 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 1 | $677K |
| 2004-09-08 | Richmond (city) | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2004-08-30 | Richmond (city) | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 2003-09-23 | Richmond (city) | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $40K |
| 1980-04-27 | Richmond (city) | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1969-03-24 | Richmond (city) | F2 0.3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1956-07-20 | Richmond (city) | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1956-07-20 | Richmond (city) | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1951-06-13 | Richmond (city) | F2 4.1 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 12 | $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 Richmond (city)?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 28, 2026 flash flood ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-28 | Flash FloodRichmond (city) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-28 | Flash FloodRichmond (city) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-28 | Flash FloodRichmond (city) | 0 | 0 | $10K | |
| 2026-06-28 | Flash FloodRichmond (city) | 0 | 0 | $30K | |
| 2026-06-28 | Flash FloodRichmond (city) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-28 | Flash FloodRichmond (city) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-28 | Flash FloodRichmond (city) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-28 | Flash FloodRichmond (city) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-28 | Flash FloodRichmond (city) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindRichmond (city) | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindWellford, Richmond (city) | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindWellford, Richmond (city) | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-08-30 | Flash FloodRichmond (city) Rainfall amounts between 5 and 12 inches resulted in numerous road closures due to flooding. In addition, about 20 blocks of downtown Richmond were condemned due to the floodwaters. A brick building collapsed in the city's historic and low-lying Shockoe Bottom area, and several dozen buildings had extensive water ... | 3 | 0 | $31M | |
| 2003-09-18 | Tropical StormHenrico County and Richmond (city) · forecast zone Henrico Tropical Storm Isabel produced tropical storm force sustained winds and wind gusts over the piedmont of central and south central Virginia, as it crossed the Wakefield WFO county warning area. Isabel made landfall near Ocracoke Inlet in North Carolina, tracked northwest into central Virginia just west of Richmond, ... | 2 | 0 | $14M | |
| 1951-06-13 | TornadoRichmond (city) | F2 4.1 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 12 | $250K step |
| 2000-01-30 | Ice StormHenrico County and Richmond (city) · forecast zone Henrico An ice storm affected a large portion of central and eastern Virginia with ice accumulations of up to one-half inch. Freezing rain mixed with sleet and snow spread over the area during the morning hours. Freezing rain then mixed with rain during the afternoon and evening along the eastern counties of Prince George, ... | 0 | 2 | $86K | |
| 2015-06-01 | LightningRichmond (city) Lightning strike caused a transformer fire and injured a teenager near the intersection of Winnetka Avenue and Edgefield Street off Chamberlayne Avenue. | 0 | 1 | $6K | |
| 2010-10-27 | TornadoRichmond (city) Tornado downed trees and power lines, and produced some siding and roof damage to homes. Many structures sustained damage from the tornado, with the most significant damage occurring as a result of trees and/or large branches falling on homes. Several homes were declared uninhabitable as a result. Most of the damage ... | EF1 2.36 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 1 | $677K |
| 1969-03-24 | TornadoRichmond (city) | F2 0.3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 1 | $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-08-30 | Flash FloodRichmond (city) | 3 | 0 | $31M | |
| 2003-09-18 | Tropical StormHenrico County and Richmond (city) · forecast zone Henrico | 2 | 0 | $14M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormHenrico County and Richmond (city) · forecast zone Henrico | 0 | 0 | $773K | |
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodRichmond (city) | 0 | 0 | $312K | |
| 2000-01-30 | Ice StormHenrico County and Richmond (city) · forecast zone Henrico | 0 | 2 | $86K | |
| 2026-06-28 | Flash FloodRichmond (city) | 0 | 0 | $30K | |
| 2025-07-12 | Flash FloodRichmond (city) | 0 | 0 | $15K | |
| 2015-06-01 | LightningRichmond (city) | 0 | 1 | $6K |
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: June 13, 1951 (tornado, Richmond (city)); March 24, 1969 (tornado, Richmond (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 Richmond (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 36 | 41 | 11 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 11 | 3 | 69 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 15 | 21 | 3 | 34 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 3 | 4 | 10 | 18 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 3 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
67% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 41 · Feb 33 · Mar 26 · Apr 15 · May 22 · Jun 43 · Jul 60 · Aug 38 · Sep 53 · Oct 9 · Nov 7 · Dec 17 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Richmond (city)
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Richmond (city): 13 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (8) and severe storm (3).
| 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 |
| 2018-10-15 | DR-4401 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2018-09-11 | EM-3403 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3359 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-09-03 | DR-4024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-26 | EM-3329 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2006-09-22 | DR-1661 | Severe Storm | Tropical Depression Ernesto, Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-12 | EM-3240 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-03 | DR-1544 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes Associated W Td Gaston |
| 2003-09-18 | DR-1491 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 2000-02-28 | DR-1318 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1999-09-18 | DR-1293 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 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 |
| 1977-01-26 | 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 Richmond (city) had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 86 flood or flash flood records for Richmond (city) from 1996 to 2026, on 46 days, with 3 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Richmond (city) ranks 470th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 2 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $11.8 million on 547 claims filed in Richmond (city); the most in one year was 171 in 1985. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 16 · 1979: 47 · 1980: 10 · 1981: 9 · 1982: 4 · 1983: 2 · 1984: 2 · 1985: 171 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 148 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 3 · 1990: 3 · 1991: 1 · 1992: 4 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 2 · 1996: 5 · 1999: 2 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 3 · 2003: 8 · 2004: 30 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 11 · 2007: 3 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 7 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 4 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 15 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 11 · 2021: 9 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 2; 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 Richmond (city)
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Richmond (city) Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $39.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $8.2M | once in about 453 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.7M | 5.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $22M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.3M | once in about 29 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $308K | 43 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $1.8M | once in about 10 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $132K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $370K | 2.4 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 Richmond (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
- Winter storms in VirginiaThe state's winter storm records, 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 Richmond (city)The hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Richmond (city)'s FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis