106
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
2
Direct injuries
$50.4M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Norfolk city, Virginia: 106 recorded events between 1960 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 85. That places the county #2,137 nationally and #76 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Norfolk city, Virginia: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Norfolk city is the 2010s, when 31 of the county's 106 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 Norfolk city archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 33.2% of all recorded severe weather across 9 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #2,137 for this hazard and #76 within Virginia, putting it in the 32.0 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Norfolk city with 28 recorded events, while Oct 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2011 | (NGU)NAS NORFOLK | 50 | 1 | 0 | $2K |
| Sep 9, 2018 | OCEAN VIEW | 50 | 0 | 1 | $2K |
| May 4, 2009 | NORFOLK | 65 | 0 | 1 | $20K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 5, 2026 | (NGU)NAS NORFOLK | 53 | $0 |
| Sep 1, 2024 | OCEAN VIEW | 50 | $2K |
| Jul 20, 2024 | (NGU)NAS NORFOLK | 50 | $15K |
| Jul 20, 2024 | NORFOLK | 50 | $22K |
| Jun 30, 2024 | NORFOLK | 50 | $1K |
| May 27, 2024 | (NGU)NAS NORFOLK | 62 | $2K |
| May 27, 2024 | (NGU)NAS NORFOLK | 50 | $1K |
| Jan 10, 2024 | (NGU)NAS NORFOLK | 52 | $1K |
| Jun 27, 2023 | OCEAN VIEW | 50 | $1K |
| Jun 27, 2023 | (NGU)NAS NORFOLK | 50 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Norfolk city
- Flash Flood 82
- Heavy Rain 52
- Hail 41
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A severe thunderstorm hit downtown Norfolk and Portsmouth as the OpSail 2000 Festival was ending, sending vendors scurrying to fold tents and spectators running for cover. Several tall ships broke free of their moorings and several sailors were knocked into the Elizabeth River. Part of a brick wall was knocked down at Bute and Botetourt Streets, and another wall partially collapsed at a building on Front Street in Norfolk. A large tree fell into the Painted Lady Restaurant at 17th and Monticello Avenue in Norfolk. Winds at Nauticus – The National Maritime Museum at Waterside in Downtown Norfolk, were measured at 77 mph.
NWS storm survey crew found damage consistent with 70-80 mph straight line winds in the Willoughby Spit area near Ocean View. Brick siding was torn off the side of an apartment building. Several large tree limbs were downed.
Microburst from a severe thunderstorm downed numerous trees and power lines in the Oceanview section of Norfolk. One tree fell on a home causing substantial damage and injuring the homeowner. Significant power outage to this portion of Norfolk due to downed power lines and power poles. In addition, Ocean Air Elementary School sustained minor roof damage. The closest measured wind was at Norfolk Naval Air Station where a 55 mph wind gust was reported at 205 pm edt. This was to the west of the core of the severe thunderstorm.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Norfolk city, Virginia?
106 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Norfolk city between 1960 and 2026, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Norfolk city?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Norfolk city measured 85.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Norfolk city 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 Norfolk city, Virginia.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/virginia/norfolk-city/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.