Live
Active alerts for this county
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
District of Columbia, DC; Allegany, MD; Anne Arundel, MD; Baltimore, MD; Calvert, MD; Carroll, MD; Cecil, MD; Charles, MD; Frederick, MD; Harford, MD; Howard, MD; Montgomery, MD; Prince Georges, MD; St. Marys, MD; Washington, MD; Baltimore City, MD; Arlington, VA; Clarke, VA; Culpeper, VA; Fairfax, VA; Fauquier, VA; Frederick, VA; Greene, VA; King George, VA; Loudoun, VA; Madison, VA; Orange, VA; Page, VA; Prince William, VA; Rappahannock, VA; Shenandoah, VA; Spotsylvania, VA; Stafford, VA; Warren, VA; City of Alexandria, VA; City of Fairfax, VA; City of Falls Church, VA; City of Fredericksburg, VA; City of Manassas, VA; City of Manassas Park, VA; City of Winchester, VA; Berkeley, WV; Hampshire, WV; Hardy, WV; Jefferson, WV; Mineral, WV; Morgan, WV
Fairfax County, Virginia severe weather history spans 1,489 recorded events between 1952 and 2026. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 48.8% of all recorded events. It ranks #37 nationally and #1 in Virginia.
1,489
Recorded events
8
Direct deaths
63
Direct injuries
$76.6M
Property damage
The record
What the Fairfax County, Virginia severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Fairfax County, Virginia severe weather history averages 20.1 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2010s, with 618 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 59 events fall before 1990 and 1,430 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Fairfax County, Virginia record is thunderstorm wind, responsible for 5 direct deaths. The costliest is tornado, with $34.6M in reported property damage. In total, 10 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Fairfax County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 727 | 5 | $12.8M | 78 | 1956–2026 |
| Flood | 279 | 0 | $51K | 0 | 2006–2026 |
| Flash Flood | 238 | 2 | $11.4M | 0 | 1996–2025 |
| Hail | 182 | 0 | $15.0M | 3 | 1961–2026 |
| Tornado | 22 | 1 | $34.6M | F3 | 1952–2022 |
| Heavy Rain | 17 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 1999–2002 |
| Lightning | 15 | 0 | $2.4M | 0 | 1997–2008 |
| Funnel Cloud | 7 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 1999–2021 |
| Storm Surge/Tide | 1 | 0 | $250K | 0 | 1996–1996 |
| Strong Wind | 1 | 0 | $2K | 0 | 2000–2000 |
Decade by decade
Fairfax County, Virginia severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
22 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 21 touched down inside it and 1 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979-09-05 | EF3 | 1 | 6 | 17.9 mi | Touched down here |
| 1973-04-01 | EF3 | 0 | 37 | 9.8 mi | Touched down here |
| 2004-09-17 | EF2 | 0 | 1 | 15.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1996-06-24 | EF2 | 0 | 1 | 20.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1983-10-13 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1981-07-28 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 1969-08-09 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 2001-09-24 | EF1 | 0 | 2 | 14.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1992-08-04 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1987-07-12 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 1.5 mi | Crossed in |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Fairfax County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 1979 | Tornado | 1 | 6 | $2.5M | |
| May 16, 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | WELLINGTON | 1 | 0 | $250K |
| May 16, 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | GUM SPGS | 1 | 0 | $25K |
| Jun 30, 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | BURKE | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 30, 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | FAIRFAX PARK | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Sep 8, 2011 | Flash Flood | FT BELVOIR | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Sep 8, 2011 | Flash Flood | GREAT FALLS | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 4, 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | LAKE BARCROFT | 1 | 0 | $10K |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Flash flooding occurred when Cameron Run came out of its banks. 158 homes were declared uninhabitable by building inspectors due to contamination and/or lack of utilities. Another two homes and one business were condemned. Estimated damage $11 million.
NWS Storm Survey indicated a wet microburst produced near 70 mph winds. A dozen homes were damaged near Woodland Road in Annandale. According to newspaper accounts, three of the homes were evacuated due to structural damages and gas leaks. The extensive tree damage was likely exacerbated by weakened tree roots from the significant rains that occurred just a week earlier in late June.
A tornadic thunderstorm entered western Fairfax County from Prince William County. The storm had a path of about 7 miles. Beginning on Old Centerville Road, the storm produced scattered tree damage along its path and minor roofing damage to structures in the London Town Area. A line of damage was carved from Lee Highway northward into the Centerville and Chantilly areas.The tornado destroyed one estate and damaged about 50 other dwellings. The storm was also responsible for downed trees and power lines. The tornado lifted as it crossed Route 50.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively High
FEMA NRI risk rating
1,147,837
Population (ACS)
$733K
Median home value
19
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM |
| Apr 2, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Sep 11, 2018 | Hurricane | HURRICANE FLORENCE | EM |
| Mar 7, 2016 | Snowstorm | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM | DR |
| Oct 29, 2012 | Hurricane | HURRICANE SANDY | EM |
Within the county
Most affected places
- Tremont 332
- Clarks Crossing 199
- Crowells Corner 136
- Kenmore 121
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Fairfax County, Virginia?
1,489 events are on record between 1952 and 2026, causing 8 direct deaths and $76.6M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Fairfax County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 727 recorded events — 48.8% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Fairfax County?
22 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 21 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Fairfax County?
19 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Fairfax County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Fairfax County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Fairfax County as relatively high risk, placing it in the 95 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Fairfax County, Virginia severe weather history data come from?
Every figure is drawn from United States federal public-domain records: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events for the event archive, NOAA SPC SVRGIS for mapped tornado paths, FEMA for disaster declarations and risk ratings, and the U.S. Census for population context. Dates are shown in UTC and recent entries may still be revised by NOAA.
Nearby
Neighbouring counties
- Essex County 170
- Fauquier County 787
- Floyd County 207
- Dinwiddie County 244
- Fluvanna County 189
- Dickenson County 192
Cite this page
“Fairfax County, Virginia.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/virginia/fairfax-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.