Buchanan County, Virginia: hazard risk
FEMA rates Buchanan County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 50.6 of 100, higher than 50% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 366 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 96.0 | $112K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 70.3 | $1.4M |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 74.3 | $8K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 72.0 | $133K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 70.2 | $8.5M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 28.0 | $174K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 27.4 | $17K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 24.5 | $56K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 48.1 | $162K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 46.1 | $33K |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 12.4 | $4K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 11.2 | $14K |
| Hail | Very Low | 10.4 | $21K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 9.9 | $41K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 102 | 0 | $732K | 91st of 96 | 1882nd of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 85 | 0 | $3.1M | 69th of 96 | 873rd of 3,077 |
| Floods | 65 | 7 | $63M | 42nd of 96 | 581st of 3,080 |
| Hail | 35 | 0 | $83K | 81st of 96 | 2444th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 26 | 0 | $107K | 24th of 96 | 467th of 3,076 |
| Drought | 17 | 0 | – | 28th of 96 | 1263rd of 3,063 |
| Heat | 15 | 0 | – | 26th of 96 | 780th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 13 | 0 | $75K | 59th of 96 | 1550th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 0 | – | 76th of 96 | 664th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $3K | 73rd of 96 | 1911th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Buchanan County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.