York County, Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 51199 · population 70,026 · 105 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 349 records for York County, Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 261 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (118 records). The most damaging was the September 18, 2003 hurricane ($214 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1972, 17 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
- 349on 261 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 06 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $423Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 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 York County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 118 since 1973. 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 | 118 | 85 | 1973-2026 | 0 | 4 | $22M | 1 of 96 |
| Winter storms | 60 | 60 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $36M | 9 of 96 |
| Floods | 53 | 48 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $141M | 2 of 96 |
| Heavy rain | 49 | 37 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 96 |
| Hail | 27 | 20 | 1957-2022 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 7 of 96 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 13 | 13 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | $222M | 1 of 96 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 6 | 1951-2019 | 0 | 0 | $321K | 5 of 96 |
| High wind and dust storms | 7 | 7 | 2003-2018 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | 35 of 96 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 96 |
| Lightning | 5 | 5 | 2000-2013 | 0 | 2 | $62K | 3 of 96 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 2003-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 96 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2013-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 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 York County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in York County from 1951 to 2019, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 5th of 96 Virginia 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 9 tornadoes whose track touched York County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 0 of them in York County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-16 16:45, as SPC files it | Gloucester Courthouse | EF3 | 26.47 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for York County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-04-19 | Magruder, York County | EF0 1.8 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $173K |
| 2011-04-16 | Lackey, York County | EF3 5 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2004-08-30 | Poquoson, York County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2004-08-30 | Seaford, York County | F0 0.1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 2004-08-30 | Tabb, York County | F0 1.7 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 2003-08-07 | Tabb, York County | F1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $32K |
| 1996-07-12 | Yorktown, York County | F1 2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $28K |
| 1951-11-01 | York County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 York County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 23, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($3,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindHarris Grove, York County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindTabb, York County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindMagruder, York County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindHarris Grove, York County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-25 | Flash FloodHornsbyville, York County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-09 | Thunderstorm WindMagruder, York County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-10-12 | Coastal FloodYork County and Poquoson (city) · forecast zone York | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-27 | Flash FloodMagruder, York County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-18 | Flash FloodLackey, York County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-14 | Flash FloodHornsbyville, York County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-31 | Flash FloodMagruder, York County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-27 | Excessive HeatYork County and Poquoson (city) · forecast zone York | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-05-26 | Thunderstorm WindHampton City, York County A severe thunderstorm produced extensive damage in the Hampton Roads area. The heaviest damage was suffered when straight-line winds flattened a six-unit condominium under construction at Southall Landings Condominium. Three men on the construction crew were injured when the building collapsed. Thunderstorm winds also ... | 0 | 3 | $10.0M | |
| 2011-03-21 | LightningMagruder, York County Lightning strike caused damage to a house. One person was injured. | 0 | 1 | $13K | |
| 2002-05-02 | Thunderstorm WindYorktown, York County Several trees and power lines down. Structural damage to several homes and trailers. A portion of Route 64 closed. | 0 | 1 | $16K | |
| 2000-07-15 | LightningGrafton, York County Lightning struck a house on Wolf Trap Road and started a fire. The occupant of the house was taken to the hospital as a precaution. | 0 | 1 | $34K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-09-18 | Hurricane (Typhoon)York County and Poquoson (city) · forecast zone York | 0 | 0 | $214M | |
| 1998-02-04 | Coastal FloodYork County and Poquoson (city) · forecast zone York / Poquoson | 0 | 0 | $136M | |
| 1998-12-23 | Ice StormYork County and Poquoson (city) · forecast zone York / Poquoson | 0 | 0 | $36M | |
| 1993-09-04 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, York County | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 1994-05-26 | Thunderstorm WindHampton City, York County | 0 | 3 | $10.0M | |
| 1999-09-15 | Hurricane (Typhoon)York County and Poquoson (city) · forecast zone York | 0 | 0 | $6.7M | |
| 2006-09-01 | Coastal FloodYork County and Poquoson (city) · forecast zone York / Poquoson | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormYork County and Poquoson (city) · forecast zone York | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
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 $3K, in the dollars of the day) holds: November 1, 1951 (tornado, York 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 York 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 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 24 | 29 | 29 | 24 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 19 | 28 | 9 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 10 | 13 | 24 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 27 | 17 |
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 4 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in York County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 36 · Feb 22 · Mar 19 · Apr 19 · May 40 · Jun 33 · Jul 49 · Aug 44 · Sep 32 · Oct 27 · Nov 16 · Dec 12 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for York County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include York County: 11 major disasters, 8 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 |
| 2018-09-11 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 1999-09-16 | EM-3147 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency 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 |
| 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 York County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 53 flood or flash flood records for York County from 1997 to 2026, on 48 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), York County ranks 234th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-28 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Depression Ida | 2009-11-12 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Depression Ernesto | 2006-09-01 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-15 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $34.0 million on 1,569 claims filed in York County; the most in one year was 938 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 18 · 1979: 1 · 1982: 8 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 3 · 1989: 1 · 1991: 2 · 1992: 2 · 1994: 4 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 2 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 53 · 1999: 49 · 2000: 1 · 2002: 3 · 2003: 938 · 2004: 3 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 73 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 301 · 2010: 3 · 2011: 65 · 2012: 11 · 2013: 2 · 2015: 9 · 2016: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 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 York County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates York County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $24.1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $4.0M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $309K | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $14M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | $650K | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $702K | 6.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $104K | 3.9 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.6M | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $279K | 42 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 York 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 York CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download York County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis