Virginia Beach (city), Virginia
City storm and disaster record · FIPS 51810 · population 458,853 · 245 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 595 records for Virginia Beach (city), Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 385 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (199 records). NOAA records 116 flood or flash floods there since 1996, with 0 deaths; its 6,260 flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA) rank 77th of 2,942 U.S. counties; the deadliest named storm on its flood record is Hurricane Irene (2011). The deadliest single record is the January 29, 2005 high surf, filed for the forecast zone Virginia Beach, which covers the county: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1972, 16 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
- 595on 385 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1041 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $149Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 15strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 18latest 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 Virginia Beach (city) most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 199 since 1956. 41% 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 | 199 | 139 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 24 | $942K | 9 of 96 |
| Floods | 116 | 79 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $14M | 6 of 96 |
| Hail | 72 | 54 | 1957-2025 | 0 | 0 | $9.2M | 5 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 68 | 37 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 96 |
| Winter storms | 48 | 48 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $87K | 61 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 26 | 22 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | $544K | 25 of 96 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 18 | 18 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 3 | $98M | 2 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 15 | 1967-2023 | 0 | 12 | $26M | 4 of 96 |
| Lightning | 14 | 14 | 1996-2025 | 3 | 1 | $537K | 1 of 96 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 8 | 8 | 2005-2025 | 7 | 1 | – | 1 of 96 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 7 | 7 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 96 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 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 Virginia Beach (city) had?
NOAA records 15 tornadoes in Virginia Beach (city) from 1967 to 2023, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 12 injuries recorded in the county. That is 4th of 96 Virginia counties and 304th of 3,080 U.S. 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 16 tornadoes whose track touched Virginia Beach (city) since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 15: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-30 15:48, as SPC files it | Virginia Beach | EF3 | 4.5 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Virginia Beach (city) (15)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-30 | Ocean Park, Virginia Beach (city) | EF3 4.5 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $19M |
| 2017-03-31 | Woods Corner, Virginia Beach (city) | EF2 4.21 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $4.8M |
| 2014-07-10 | Virginia Beach (city) | EF0 0.34 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 10 | $374K |
| 2014-07-04 | Ocean Park, Virginia Beach (city) | EF0 0.31 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2011-08-27 | Sigma, Virginia Beach (city) | EF0 0.14 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $197K |
| 2005-07-14 | Nas Oceana, Virginia Beach (city) | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2003-08-08 | Kempsville, Virginia Beach (city) | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2000-07-24 | Back Bay, Virginia Beach (city) | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 1993-08-06 | Se Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach (city) | F1 1.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 1992-08-15 | Virginia Beach (city) | F0 0.3 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-08-03 | Virginia Beach (city) | F2 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1981-07-04 | Virginia Beach (city) | F1 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1977-10-02 | Virginia Beach (city) | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1972-07-27 | Virginia Beach (city) | F1 | 0 | 2 | $25K step |
| 1967-10-25 | Virginia Beach (city) | F1 2 mi x 333 yd | 0 | 0 | $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.
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 Virginia Beach (city)?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 23, 2026 thunderstorm wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindOcean Park, Virginia Beach (city) | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodWoods Corner, Virginia Beach (city) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Flash FloodLynnhaven, Virginia Beach (city) | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindEuclid, Virginia Beach (city) | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindOcean Park, Virginia Beach (city) | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-02-07 | High WindVirginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-01 | Heavy SnowVirginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | High WindVirginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormVirginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-28 | Strong WindVirginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach | 44 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-10-28 | Coastal FloodVirginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-12 | Strong WindVirginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach | 44 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-01-29 | High SurfVirginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach A small boat with 2 men on board was heading out of Rudee Inlet. They made it through the first set of breakers then stopped the boat. A wave overtook them and flipped the boat. One man climbed onto and stayed with the overturned boat, and was rescued. He was treated for mild hypothermia and later released. The other ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2000-07-30 | LightningNorth Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach (city) Lightning struck and killed a man doing yardwork near a tree in the Great Neck Point section of Virginia Beach. Witnesses said there was no rain falling in the area at the time, and described the bolt as coming out of clear skies. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2025-10-05 | Rip CurrentVirginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach A 23 year old male was swimming with friends when he began signaling for help. A bystander tried to rescue him but was unsuccessful. Virginia Beach Police responded but were unable to locate the swimmer until his body was recovered the following day. While the exact cause of drowning is unclear, there was a high risk ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-09-11 | Rip CurrentVirginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach A man died while swimming at Dam Neck Beach due to a rip current. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-07-09 | Rip CurrentVirginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach A 35 year old male drowned after being caught in a rip current while trying to save a child at False Cape State Park. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-06-16 | Rip CurrentVirginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach A man was caught up in a rip current and drowned in Virginia Beach. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-08-25 | Rip CurrentVirginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach A surfer who got caught in a rip current drowned near Croatan. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-05-23 | Rip CurrentVirginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach A man body boarding was caught up in a rip current and pulled offshore. Officials performed CPR, but it failed to revive the man. The man died near 130 pm. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-09-18 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Virginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach | 0 | 0 | $63M | |
| 1998-08-26 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Virginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach | 0 | 3 | $24M | |
| 2023-04-30 | TornadoOcean Park, Virginia Beach (city) | EF3 4.5 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $19M |
| 1997-05-01 | HailVirginia Beach (city) | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $9.2M |
| 2009-11-12 | Coastal FloodVirginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach | 0 | 0 | $6.9M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormVirginia Beach (city) · forecast zone Virginia Beach | 0 | 0 | $6.6M | |
| 2016-10-08 | FloodCape Henry, Virginia Beach (city) | 0 | 0 | $6.1M | |
| 2017-03-31 | TornadoWoods Corner, Virginia Beach (city) | EF2 4.21 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $4.8M |
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: August 3, 1988 (tornado, Virginia Beach (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 Virginia Beach (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 4 | 5 | 12 | 18 | 32 | 35 | 56 | 37 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 12 | 10 | 29 | 65 |
| Hail | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 21 | 20 | 11 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 46 | 17 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 14 | 22 | 8 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 8 | 5 | 13 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
41% 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 39 · Feb 28 · Mar 27 · Apr 43 · May 73 · Jun 70 · Jul 126 · Aug 74 · Sep 60 · Oct 31 · Nov 14 · Dec 10 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Virginia Beach (city)
FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Virginia Beach (city): 10 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (10) and biological (2).
| 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 |
| 2018-09-11 | EM-3403 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2016-11-02 | DR-4291 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3359 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-09-03 | DR-4024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-26 | EM-3329 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2009-12-09 | DR-1862 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Ida and A Nor'east |
| 2005-09-12 | EM-3240 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-09-18 | DR-1491 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 1999-09-18 | DR-1293 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1999-09-16 | EM-3147 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations |
| 1998-09-04 | DR-1242 | Hurricane | Hurricane Bonnie |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1086 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-25 | EM-3112 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 Virginia Beach (city) had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 116 flood or flash flood records for Virginia Beach (city) from 1996 to 2026, on 79 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Virginia Beach (city) ranks 77th of 2,942 U.S. counties. The 100 counties with the most claims
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-25 | 2 | 1 |
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016-10-08 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-28 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Depression Ida | 2009-11-12 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-15 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Bonnie | 1998-08-26 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $104 million on 6,260 claims filed in Virginia Beach (city); the most in one year was 1,494 in 2016. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 61 · 1979: 10 · 1980: 16 · 1981: 9 · 1982: 68 · 1983: 17 · 1984: 12 · 1985: 54 · 1986: 12 · 1987: 37 · 1988: 91 · 1989: 93 · 1990: 82 · 1991: 96 · 1992: 75 · 1993: 27 · 1994: 56 · 1995: 23 · 1996: 57 · 1997: 19 · 1998: 613 · 1999: 331 · 2000: 60 · 2001: 12 · 2002: 38 · 2003: 643 · 2004: 27 · 2005: 11 · 2006: 224 · 2007: 3 · 2008: 31 · 2009: 866 · 2010: 61 · 2011: 328 · 2012: 216 · 2013: 8 · 2014: 31 · 2015: 51 · 2016: 1,494 · 2017: 24 · 2018: 56 · 2019: 36 · 2020: 56 · 2021: 10 · 2022: 21 · 2023: 30 · 2024: 23 · 2025: 34 · 2026: 7.
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 Virginia Beach (city)
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Virginia Beach (city) Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $30.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.5M | 40 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.4M | 6.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $9.8M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $3.5M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.1M | once in about 1,205 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.9M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $495K | 1.4 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 Virginia Beach (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
- 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 Virginia Beach (city)The hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Virginia Beach (city)'s FEMA declarations (CSV)18 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis