203
Recorded events
2
Direct deaths
4
Direct injuries
$1.2M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Washington County, Virginia: 203 recorded events between 1956 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 65. That places the county #1,008 nationally and #30 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Washington County, Virginia: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Washington County is the 2000s, when 90 of the county's 203 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Washington County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 67.9% of all recorded severe weather across 6 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #1,008 for this hazard and #30 within Virginia, putting it in the 68.0 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Washington County with 47 recorded events, while Sep is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 7, 1996 | BRISTOL | 45 | 1 | 1 | $5K |
| Jun 19, 2014 | ABINGDON | 50 | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Nov 26, 1998 | DAMASCUS | 0 | 0 | 1 | $30K |
| Jun 27, 1995 | Bristol | 0 | 0 | 1 | $50K |
| Jul 10, 1985 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 19, 2025 | GLADE SPG | 52 | $0 |
| Dec 19, 2025 | ABINGDON | 52 | $0 |
| Jul 18, 2025 | GREENDALE | 52 | $0 |
| Jun 26, 2025 | YELLOW SPGS | 52 | $0 |
| May 20, 2025 | FRACTIONVILLE | 52 | $0 |
| May 17, 2025 | WYNDALE | 52 | $0 |
| Aug 2, 2024 | GREENFIELD | 52 | $0 |
| May 26, 2024 | ABINGDON ARPT | 52 | $0 |
| May 26, 2024 | GLADE SPG | 52 | $0 |
| May 26, 2024 | HAYTER | 52 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Washington County
- Hail 42
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Broadcast media personnel reported a pedestrian was struck by a falling tree in the 100 block of West Main street in Abingdon. The victim was a 56 year old at the time of the event. At the time of the event the peak wind gusts were only recorded at 24 mph via the CWOP station 1 mile south of Abingdon.
A severe thunderstorm uprooted several trees and downed power lines in Bristol. A large locust tree fell on a 9-year-old girl viewing a softball game, causing critical injuries. Power was knocked out to 1,500 customers in Bristol alone.
Straight line winds produced several areas of damage over a roughly three-quarters-mile wide by six-mile long path in western and central parts of Portsmouth. More than 150 buildings damaged, numerous trees and power lines down, and more than 40 vehicles damaged.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Washington County, Virginia?
203 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Washington County between 1956 and 2025, causing 2 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Washington County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Washington County measured 65.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Washington County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in Washington County, Virginia.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/virginia/washington-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.