Chesapeake (city), Virginia: hazard risk
FEMA rates Chesapeake (city)'s overall risk Relatively Low (score 80.9 of 100, higher than 80% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 534 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 92.0 | $14M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88.1 | $3.3M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 82.9 | $29M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 80.6 | $2.9M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 71.8 | $3.4M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 71.1 | $1.1M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 66.4 | $168K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 61.4 | $507K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 53.8 | $345K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 46.5 | $94K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 45.6 | $1.0M |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 40.3 | $87K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 36.1 | $49K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 29.6 | $384 |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 9.5 | $87K |
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 | 146 | 0 | $536K | 37th of 96 | 557th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 97 | 0 | $1K | 72nd of 96 | 903rd of 3,077 |
| Floods | 75 | 0 | $57M | 18th of 96 | 266th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 74 | 0 | $66K | 18th of 96 | 935th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 45 | 0 | – | 20th of 96 | 76th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 36 | 0 | $1.8M | 37th of 96 | 720th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 27 | 0 | $144M | 6th of 96 | 121st of 1,849 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 0 | $18M | 20th of 96 | 1275th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 8 | 0 | – | 43rd of 96 | 1174th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 7 | 3 | $1.3M | 18th of 96 | 351st of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 0 | – | 69th of 96 | 1879th of 3,076 |
| Drought | 1 | 0 | – | 77th of 96 | 2330th of 3,063 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Chesapeake (city) record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.