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Highland County, Virginia severe weather history spans 110 recorded events between 1959 and 2025. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 40.9% of all recorded events. It ranks #2,851 nationally and #106 in Virginia.
110
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$1.5M
Property damage
The record
What the Highland County, Virginia severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Highland County, Virginia severe weather history averages 1.7 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2010s, with 33 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 5 events fall before 1990 and 105 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Highland County, Virginia record is flash flood, responsible for 1 direct deaths. The costliest is flash flood, with $1.2M in reported property damage. In total, 7 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Highland County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 45 | 0 | $286K | 65 | 1974–2025 |
| Hail | 25 | 0 | $0 | 2.5 | 1998–2023 |
| Flash Flood | 18 | 1 | $1.2M | 0 | 1996–2011 |
| Flood | 10 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2020–2025 |
| Heavy Rain | 9 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 1999–2003 |
| Lightning | 2 | 0 | $11K | 0 | 1996–2000 |
| Tornado | 1 | 0 | $3K | 0 | 1959–1959 |
Decade by decade
Highland County, Virginia severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
1 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 1 touched down inside it and 0 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-04-28 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Highland County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 6, 1996 | Flash Flood | COUNTYWIDE | 1 | 0 | $1.0M |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A local severe thunderstorm knocked large trees and limbs onto federal highway 220 near Monterey. Additional limb and line damage was noted near the intersection of federal highway 250 and local road 600, with more damage seen across the southern portion of the county. Neighboring Bath Co. had more substantial damage.
Broadcast media sent in a video of flooding in Mustoe, VA. Video shows water from the Jackson River flowing over the intersection of Big Valley Road and US-220. Water appears to be deeper than 6 inches per the video. Water also noted in and around Victory Chapel Advent Christian Church with a depth closer to 12 inches.
Slow-moving thunderstorms along a warm front moving through central Virginia caused heavy rains over the western highlands. Rainfall of at least one inch on top of saturated soil produced flash flooding in Monterey which closed two roads.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Very Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
2,296
Population (ACS)
$200K
Median home value
22
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 |
| Nov 26, 2012 | Hurricane | HURRICANE SANDY | DR |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Highland County, Virginia?
110 events are on record between 1959 and 2025, causing 1 direct deaths and $1.5M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Highland County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 45 recorded events — 40.9% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Highland County?
1 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 1 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Highland County?
22 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Highland County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Highland County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Highland County as very low risk, placing it in the 3 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Highland 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
- Henry County 639
- Isle of Wight County 288
- Henrico County 547
- James City County 240
- Hanover County 409
- King and Queen County 150
Cite this page
“Highland County, Virginia.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/virginia/highland-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.