Williamsburg (city), Virginia
City storm and disaster record · FIPS 51830 · population 15,425 · 9 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 154 records for Williamsburg (city), Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 141 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (47 records). The deadliest single record is the August 10, 2022 thunderstorm wind: 1 death, 1 injury and $5,042 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1972, 14 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
- 154on 141 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 23 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $102Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 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 Williamsburg (city) most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 47 since 1996. 66% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. Census land area gives no figure for Williamsburg (city) under this code, so it carries no per-area rank.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 47 | 47 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2K | – |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 37 | 32 | 1977-2024 | 1 | 2 | $132K | – |
| Heavy rain | 33 | 29 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Floods | 10 | 10 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | $58K | – |
| Hail | 8 | 8 | 1997-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 5 | 5 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | $100M | – |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 2000-2011 | 1 | 1 | $16K | – |
| Rip currents and high surf | 2 | 2 | 2025-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1996-2017 | 0 | 0 | $40K | – |
| Drought | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | – |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
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.
When was the last damaging storm in Williamsburg (city)?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 19, 2025 heavy snow ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-28 | Astronomical Low TideJames City County and Williamsburg (city) · forecast zone James City | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-12 | Coastal FloodJames City County and Williamsburg (city) · forecast zone James City | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-01 | Coastal FloodJames City County and Williamsburg (city) · forecast zone James City | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-21 | Astronomical Low TideJames City County and Williamsburg (city) · forecast zone James City | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-27 | Excessive HeatJames City County and Williamsburg (city) · forecast zone James City | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-23 | Excessive HeatJames City County and Williamsburg (city) · forecast zone James City | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-19 | Heavy SnowJames City County and Williamsburg (city) · forecast zone James City | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2025-01-10 | Winter StormJames City County and Williamsburg (city) · forecast zone James City | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2022-08-10 | Thunderstorm WindWilliamsburg (city) | 50 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $5K |
| 2011-02-19 | Strong WindWilliamsburg (city) · forecast zone James City | 40 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $7K |
| 2010-09-30 | Thunderstorm WindWilliamsburg (city) | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $4K |
| 2003-09-18 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Williamsburg (city) · forecast zone James City | 0 | 0 | $72M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-08-10 | Thunderstorm WindWilliamsburg (city) Local media reported a tree branch fell onto a moving car causing one fatality and one injury. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $5K |
| 2011-02-19 | Strong WindWilliamsburg (city) · forecast zone James City Strong gradient wind caused a tree to be blown down across the Colonial Parkway in Jamestown. The falling tree struck a vehicle and killed the woman passenger of the vehicle. | 40 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $7K |
| 2010-09-30 | Thunderstorm WindWilliamsburg (city) Large tree was downed in downtown Colonial Williamsburg. The tree fell on a car with a possible injury. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $4K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-09-18 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Williamsburg (city) · forecast zone James City | 0 | 0 | $72M | |
| 1999-09-15 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Williamsburg (city) · forecast zone James City | 0 | 0 | $28M | |
| 1997-09-01 | DroughtWilliamsburg (city) · forecast zone James City / Williamsburg | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2011-02-19 | Strong WindWilliamsburg (city) · forecast zone James City | 40 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $7K |
| 2022-08-10 | Thunderstorm WindWilliamsburg (city) | 50 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $5K |
| 2010-09-30 | Thunderstorm WindWilliamsburg (city) | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $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 Williamsburg (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 | – | – | – | – | 5 | 23 | 17 | 2 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 2 | 4 | 12 | 15 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
66% 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 23 · Feb 16 · Mar 12 · Apr 5 · May 18 · Jun 9 · Jul 15 · Aug 13 · Sep 16 · Oct 11 · Nov 6 · Dec 10 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Williamsburg (city)
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Williamsburg (city): 9 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (9) 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 |
| 2018-10-15 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 1999-09-18 | DR-1293 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 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) |
| 1993-03-25 | EM-3112 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 Williamsburg (city) had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 10 flood or flash flood records for Williamsburg (city) from 1999 to 2025, on 10 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Williamsburg (city) ranks 2128th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-15 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $84,000 on 18 claims filed in Williamsburg (city); the most in one year was 5 in 1989. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 2 · 1979: 3 · 1981: 2 · 1982: 1 · 1985: 1 · 1989: 5 · 2003: 2 · 2009: 1 · 2012: 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 Williamsburg (city)
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Williamsburg (city) Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $695K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $54K | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $335K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $249K | once in about 870 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | $19K | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $151K | 6.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Very Low | $342K | once in about 202 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | $23K | 4.4 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 Williamsburg (city)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- 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 Williamsburg (city)The hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Williamsburg (city)'s FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis