Virginia tornadoes
Every recorded tornado since 1950 · 114 counties with a record
Virginia has recorded 835 tornadoes from 1950 through 2025, about 19 a year since 2000, with 37 rated F3/EF3 or stronger (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). The deadliest was the September 30, 1959 tornado through Albemarle (11 deaths in Virginia). Virginia ranks 27th of 52 states and territories by count and 31st of 51 per square mile.
Tornadoes in Virginia, 1950 to 2025
Tornadoes per year (SPC; a tornado that crossed a state line counts in each state it touched).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $1 million
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1996: tornado reports rose with NEXRAD Doppler radar, mid-1990s (SPC)
- Tornadoes
- 8351950 to 2025
- A year since 2000
- 19average
- Deaths
- 38953 injuries
- F3/EF3 or stronger
- 374% of tornadoes
- Busiest year
- 200483 tornadoes
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025 (state segments). SPC severe weather database.
Are tornadoes common in Virginia?
Virginia averages about 19 tornadoes a year since 2000, 27th of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2004 (83). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Virginia records 211 tornadoes since 1950, 31st of 51 states and territories by that measure.
Source: NOAA SPC, tornadoes 1950-2025, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.
Which counties in Virginia have the most tornadoes?
Per square mile, Lancaster County leads Virginia: 10 days with a tornado record since 1950, 75.0 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Fauquier County has the most tornado records (28 since 1950); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1950 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.
When is tornado season in Virginia?
Virginia's tornadoes by month. The busiest month is April (140 tornadoes).
The values, month by month
Jan 18 · Feb 26 · Mar 31 · Apr 140 · May 113 · Jun 91 · Jul 109 · Aug 103 · Sep 119 · Oct 60 · Nov 21 · Dec 4 (records).
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, state segments by the month they began, 1950-2025.
What were the deadliest tornadoes in Virginia?
| Date | Counties | Rating | Path in state | Killed | Injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-09-30 | Albemarle | F3 | 0.8 mi | 11 | 4 |
| 1993-08-06 | Petersburg to Hopewell · Dinwiddie, Petersburg (city), Chesterfield, Prince George | F4 | 1 mi | 4 | 246 |
| 2011-04-27 | Glade Spring to Chilhowie · Washington, Smyth | EF3 | 19.63 mi | 3 | 50 |
| 2016-02-24 | Waverly · Sussex, Surry | EF1 | 8.86 mi | 3 | 8 |
| 2011-04-16 | Gloucester Courthouse · Surry, James City, York, Gloucester | EF3 | 26.47 mi | 2 | 24 |
| 1990-05-04 | Craigsville · Augusta | F2 | 7 mi | 2 | 10 |
| 1998-04-01 | Hanover | F3 | 5 mi | 2 | 0 |
| 1978-01-26 | Quantico · Prince William | F3 | 0.7 mi | 1 | 10 |
| 1959-09-30 | Stanardsville · Greene | F3 | 2 mi | 1 | 9 |
| 2016-02-24 | Appomattox | EF3 | 16.89 mi | 1 | 7 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (state segments: deaths and path inside Virginia), 1950-2025; counties are the first four the SPC lists for the segment. SPC severe weather database.
Where have the strongest tornadoes tracked in Virginia?
- F2/EF2
- F3/EF3
- F4/EF4
- F5/EF5
- no end point filed
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, start and end points of each track; county lines: Census Bureau cartographic boundaries (2017), via us-atlas. SPC severe weather database. Census cartographic boundary files.
The strongest tornadoes in Virginia
| Date | Counties | Rating | Path in state | Width | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-08-06 | Petersburg to Hopewell · Dinwiddie, Petersburg (city), Chesterfield, Prince George | F4 | 1 mi | 250 yd | 4 |
| 2001-09-24 | Warrenton · Culpeper, Fauquier | F4 | 10 mi | 75 yd | 0 |
| 1959-09-30 | Albemarle | F3 | 0.8 mi | 200 yd | 11 |
| 2011-04-27 | Glade Spring to Chilhowie · Washington, Smyth | EF3 | 19.63 mi | 1,320 yd | 3 |
| 2011-04-16 | Gloucester Courthouse · Surry, James City, York, Gloucester | EF3 | 26.47 mi | 800 yd | 2 |
| 1998-04-01 | Hanover | F3 | 5 mi | 400 yd | 2 |
| 1979-09-05 | Alexandria · Fairfax | F3 | 17.9 mi | 300 yd | 1 |
| 2016-02-24 | Appomattox | EF3 | 16.89 mi | 400 yd | 1 |
| 1974-04-04 | Saltville · Washington, Smyth | F3 | 8.4 mi | 177 yd | 1 |
| 1990-10-18 | King William · King William | F3 | 5 mi | 430 yd | 1 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database; F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after.
The longest tornado paths in Virginia
| Date | Tornado and counties | Rating | Path in state | Width | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-08-06 | Kenbridge · Lunenburg, Nottoway, Dinwiddie, Chesterfield | F2 | 38 mi | 173 yd | 0 |
| 1978-04-19 | Waverly · Sussex, Surry | F3 | 35.6 mi | 100 yd | 0 |
| 2011-04-28 | Basye · Rockingham, Shenandoah | EF2 | 33.51 mi | 400 yd | 0 |
| 2016-02-24 | Tappahannock · King and Queen, Essex, Richmond, Westmoreland | EF3 | 30.34 mi | 500 yd | 0 |
| 2011-04-16 | Gloucester Courthouse · Surry, James City, York, Gloucester | EF3 | 26.47 mi | 800 yd | 2 |
| 2008-04-28 | Suffolk · Suffolk (city), Portsmouth (city), Norfolk (city) | EF3 | 24 mi | 400 yd | 0 |
| 2022-06-16 | Fluvanna, Goochland, Powhatan | EF0 | 23.5 mi | 75 yd | 0 |
| 2011-04-16 | Suffolk · Isle of Wight | EF2 | 22.61 mi | 400 yd | 0 |
| 1968-04-30 | Norfolk (city), Virginia Beach (city) | F1 | 22.5 mi | 200 yd | 0 |
| 1962-08-09 | Lake of the Woods · Louisa, Spotsylvania | F2 | 22.2 mi | 10 yd | 0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, state segments: path length and width inside the state. SPC severe weather database.
Tornadoes in every Virginia county
All 114 counties: tornadoes whose track touched each, and the strongest
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database: whole tornadoes whose track touched the county (any state segment listing it). SPC severe weather database.
The costliest tornadoes in Virginia
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-08-06 | TornadoPetersburg, Dinwiddie County The most devastating tornado of the day touched down one mile southwest of Petersburg at approximately 1330 EDT. This tornado rapidly grew in size and strength as it moved northeast into the commercial historic district of Petersburg. Numerous homes and businesses sustained major damage. Damage estimates for the area ... | F4 12 mi x 250 yd | 4 | 246 | $102M |
| 1994-08-17 | TornadoMartinsville, Henry County A tornado touched down just north of Ridgeway and moved to one and a half miles south of Martinsville. The path length was 4.25 miles long and averaged about 200 yards wide. Ten people were injured, 100 homes and 30 businesses were damaged. Total damages came to $8.7 million. The thunderstorm that produced the tornado ... | F2 4.25 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 10 | $100M |
| 2004-09-17 | TornadoFieldale, Henry County A tornado touched down near Fieldale at 1104 EST. The F1 tornado crossed U.S. Highway 220 turning over 2 tractor-trailer trucks and 2 passenger vehicles. All 4 drivers suffered minor injuries. The tornado damage patch widened to a quarter mile, and strengthened to F2 as it approached and struck a factory. At this ... | F2 7.1 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 4 | $84M |
| 2008-04-28 | TornadoLummis, Suffolk (city) A tornado touched down with damage first noted about 2 miles northeast of Lummis. The tornado crossed Route 58, downing trees as it moved northeast. The tornado strengthened just south of the intersection of Route 10 AND Route 58, where it damaged several homes and an elementary school as well as downing numerous ... | EF3 16 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 200 | $41M |
| 2023-04-30 | TornadoOcean Park, Virginia Beach (city) A tornado formed over the eastern branch of Lynnhaven River in the City of Virginia Beach. The tornado progressed up River Road as an EF1, passing by the Great Neck Recreation Center. It increased to an EF2 intensity, as it moved into the Chelsea neighborhood. The tornado continued onto Haversham Close with EF3 ... | EF3 4.5 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $19M |
| 2016-02-24 | TornadoSpring Mills, Appomattox County A tornado touched down just outside Appomattox county in Campbell county, then traveled 16 miles northeast across Appomattox county. At its peak, this tornado reached EF-3 intensity, which was the first EF-3 tornado or stronger in the month of February in the NWS Blacksburg forecast area. For Appomattox County, this ... | EF3 16.89 mi x 400 yd | 1 | 7 | $14M |
| 2008-05-08 | TornadoBerea, Stafford County An NWS Storm Survey determined that a low-end EF2 tornado struck the England Run North subdivision in Berea. The tornado damage began just south of Route 17 in Berea. There were 160 home damaged and nearly destroyed in the England Run subdivision, with 25 categorized as uninhabitable. The storm continued northeast, ... | EF2 3.42 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $14M |
| 1999-09-04 | TornadoHampton (city) Tornado touchdown in the city of Hampton. Extensive structural damage in a 3 block area. Numerous minor injuries, with 6 people transported to the hospital. Three apartment complexes and an assisted living facility condemned. Two additional apartment complexes partially condemned. There were 300 persons from apartment ... | F2 1 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 6 | $14M |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 1, 1973 (tornado, Fairfax County); May 8, 1984 (tornado, Petersburg (city)).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.
Are tornadoes becoming more frequent in Virginia?
Virginia's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. The Storm Prediction Center notes that tornado reports rose especially around the installation of the NEXRAD Doppler radar network in the mid-1990s, so a rising count is partly better detection; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.
| Decade | Virginia | United States | Virginia's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 41 | 4,837 | 0.8% |
| 1960s | 41 | 6,863 | 0.6% |
| 1970s | 82 | 8,633 | 0.9% |
| 1980s | 55 | 8,250 | 0.7% |
| 1990s | 128 | 12,205 | 1.0% |
| 2000s | 243 | 12,892 | 1.9% |
| 2010s | 181 | 12,232 | 1.5% |
| 2020-25 | 64 | 8,234 | 0.8% |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, state segments.
The most recent tornadoes in Virginia
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-09 | TornadoRuark, Middlesex County | EF0 0.46 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $35K |
| 2025-05-30 | TornadoKimball, Page County | EF0 0.83 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2025-03-05 | TornadoCapahosic, Gloucester County | EF0 0.35 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2024-09-27 | TornadoBedford City, Bedford County | EF1 1.24 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $107K |
| 2024-09-27 | TornadoPickaway, Pittsylvania County | EF1 0.15 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2024-09-27 | TornadoDry Fork, Pittsylvania County | EF2 6.85 mi x 225 yd | 0 | 1 | $790K |
| 2024-08-08 | TornadoGolansville, Caroline County | EF1 1.72 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $188K |
| 2024-08-08 | TornadoClaytonville, Clarke County | EF0 0.46 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2024-08-08 | TornadoBloomfield, Loudoun County | EF1 4.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $235K |
| 2024-08-08 | TornadoGlendia, Stafford County | EF1 6.92 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $235K |
| 2024-07-24 | TornadoSign Rock, Halifax County | EF1 9.3 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $71K |
| 2024-06-05 | TornadoWaterford, Loudoun County | EF0 1.05 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $235K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.
Federal disaster declarations for tornadoes in Virginia
FEMA has declared 5 disasters in Virginia for tornadoes, counting its incident type and declarations that name tornado in the title (FEMA files most storm disasters under Severe Storm); 5 were major disasters, the latest on July 13, 2006.
| Declared | Number | Title | Areas named |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-07-13 | DR-1655 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding | 16 |
| 2004-09-03 | DR-1544 | Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes Associated W Td Gaston | 12 |
| 2004-06-15 | DR-1525 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding | 4 |
| 2002-05-05 | DR-1411 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding | 15 |
| 1993-12-22 | DR-1007 | Severe Storms and Tornadoes | 1 |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), through October 2, 2026. OpenFEMA dataset page.
Next
- Lancaster County: the county's whole recordThe Virginia county with the most tornadoes per square mile
- Tornadoes across the United StatesEvery state ranked, by year and month
- Every natural hazard in VirginiaTornadoes, floods, storms, heat and the federal declarations
- Severe thunderstorm wind in Virginia20,677 records
- Winter storms in Virginia10,408 records
- Floods in Virginia8,165 records