Virginia Beach (city), Virginia: hazard risk
FEMA rates Virginia Beach (city)'s overall risk Relatively Low (score 57.9 of 100, higher than 57% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by lightning. Its storm record holds 595 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | 86.5 | $1.5M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 91.7 | $5.4M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 88.9 | $9.8M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 67.4 | $1.4M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 66.7 | $3.5M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 67.5 | $1.1M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 56.1 | $1.9M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 54.7 | $495K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 43.1 | $95K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 37.3 | $63K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 55.8 | $102K |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | 27.9 | $5.0M |
| Drought | Very Low | 22.0 | $10K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 15.7 | $108 |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 14.2 | $179K |
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 | 199 | 0 | $942K | 9th of 96 | 110th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 116 | 0 | $14M | 6th of 96 | 60th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 72 | 0 | $9.2M | 5th of 96 | 352nd of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 68 | 0 | – | 7th of 96 | 28th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 48 | 0 | $87K | 61st of 96 | 718th of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 26 | 0 | $544K | 25th of 96 | 392nd of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 18 | 0 | $98M | 2nd of 96 | 47th of 1,849 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 0 | $26M | 4th of 96 | 304th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 14 | 3 | $537K | 1st of 96 | 83rd of 3,080 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 8 | 7 | – | 1st of 96 | 52nd of 2,080 |
| Heat | 4 | 0 | – | 39th of 96 | 1109th of 3,076 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Virginia Beach (city) record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.