913
Recorded events
114
Counties affected
38
Direct deaths
$554.7M
Property damage
Virginia tornado history: 913 recorded events across 114 counties between 1951 and 2025.
Decade by decade
Virginia tornado history by decade
The 2000s are the busiest decade on record with 272 reported tornado events across Virginia. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most tornado events in Virginia
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Fauquier County | 28 | 0 | $5.2M | 1953–2017 |
| #2 | Loudoun County | 28 | 0 | $11.3M | 1954–2024 |
| #3 | Pittsylvania County | 24 | 0 | $4.4M | 1953–2024 |
| #4 | Fairfax County | 22 | 1 | $34.6M | 1952–2022 |
| #5 | Suffolk city | 22 | 0 | $35.5M | 1959–2021 |
| #6 | Southampton County | 18 | 0 | $9.0M | 1961–2023 |
| #7 | Halifax County | 17 | 2 | $2.5M | 1954–2024 |
| #8 | Hanover County | 17 | 2 | $1.4M | 1959–2022 |
| #9 | Gloucester County | 17 | 2 | $8.4M | 1975–2025 |
| #10 | Chesterfield County | 17 | 1 | $7.1M | 1961–2018 |
| #11 | Isle of Wight County | 16 | 0 | $1.0M | 1960–2023 |
| #12 | Prince William County | 15 | 1 | $3.9M | 1978–2015 |
| #13 | Caroline County | 15 | 0 | $657K | 1975–2024 |
| #14 | Virginia Beach city | 15 | 0 | $24.9M | 1967–2023 |
| #15 | Stafford County | 15 | 0 | $10.4M | 1960–2024 |
| #16 | Louisa County | 15 | 0 | $1.3M | 1962–2022 |
| #17 | Orange County | 14 | 0 | $3.2M | 1965–2017 |
| #18 | Richmond city | 14 | 0 | $1.1M | 1951–2018 |
| #19 | Brunswick County | 13 | 0 | $3.5M | 1954–2019 |
| #20 | Nottoway County | 13 | 0 | $1.0M | 1966–2018 |
| #21 | Chesapeake city | 13 | 0 | $9.8M | 1969–2019 |
| #22 | Augusta County | 13 | 2 | $9.7M | 1952–2022 |
| #23 | Bedford County | 12 | 0 | $5.8M | 1996–2024 |
| #24 | Dinwiddie County | 12 | 4 | $52.5M | 1975–2022 |
| #25 | Spotsylvania County | 12 | 0 | $512K | 1995–2013 |
Significant events
Deadliest tornado events in Virginia
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 30, 1959 | Albemarle County | F3 | 11 | 4 |
| Aug 6, 1993 | Dinwiddie County | F4 | 4 | 246 |
| Feb 24, 2016 | Sussex County | EF1 | 3 | 8 |
| Apr 28, 2011 | Washington County | EF3 | 3 | 50 |
| Apr 16, 2011 | Gloucester County | EF3 | 2 | 24 |
| May 4, 1990 | Augusta County | F2 | 2 | 10 |
| Apr 2, 1998 | Hanover County | F3 | 2 | 0 |
| Apr 4, 1974 | Washington County | F3 | 1 | 1 |
| May 8, 1962 | Goochland County | F2 | 1 | 2 |
| Sep 30, 1959 | Greene County | F3 | 1 | 9 |