Roanoke County, Virginia: hazard risk
FEMA rates Roanoke County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 52.2 of 100, higher than 52% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 646 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 | 88.4 | $55K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 81.2 | $1.6M |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 68.8 | $553K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 63.2 | $118K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 69.2 | $15M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 68.5 | $602K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 47.4 | $998K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 34.4 | $165K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 28.2 | $33K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 59.9 | $2K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 57.9 | $477K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 32.3 | $19K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 24.6 | $409K |
| Drought | Very Low | 24.0 | $12K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 24.0 | $104K |
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 | 213 | 0 | $3.7M | 12th of 96 | 137th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 138 | 0 | $1.6M | 1st of 96 | 63rd of 3,080 |
| Floods | 95 | 0 | $8.6M | 11th of 96 | 141st of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 76 | 0 | $770K | 1st of 96 | 70th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 73 | 0 | $735K | 34th of 96 | 371st of 3,077 |
| Heavy rain | 16 | 0 | $871K | 44th of 96 | 192nd of 3,080 |
| Drought | 13 | 0 | $398K | 10th of 96 | 907th of 3,063 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 0 | $184K | 26th of 96 | 717th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 7 | 0 | $129K | 11th of 96 | 238th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 0 | $15M | 63rd of 96 | 2341st of 3,080 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | – | 67th of 96 | 1982nd of 3,076 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 0 | – | 43rd of 96 | 766th of 1,849 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Roanoke County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.