Salem city, Virginia severe weather history spans 76 recorded events between 1978 and 2025. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 36.8% of all recorded events. It ranks #2,977 nationally and #116 in Virginia.
76
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$3.0M
Property damage
The record
What the Salem city, Virginia severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Salem city, Virginia severe weather history averages 1.6 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2010s, with 32 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 3 events fall before 1990 and 73 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Salem city, Virginia record is flood, responsible for 1 direct deaths. The costliest is tornado, 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 Salem city
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 28 | 0 | $603K | 69 | 1980–2025 |
| Hail | 22 | 0 | $551K | 1.75 | 1978–2019 |
| Flood | 11 | 1 | $250K | 0 | 2013–2024 |
| Flash Flood | 10 | 0 | $320K | 0 | 1997–2025 |
| Lightning | 2 | 0 | $150K | 0 | 2008–2013 |
| Heavy Rain | 2 | 0 | $5K | 0 | 2013–2020 |
| Tornado | 1 | 0 | $1.2M | EF1 | 2024–2024 |
Decade by decade
Salem city, Virginia severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
2 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-04-04 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 6.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 2024-05-26 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Salem city
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 4, 2013 | Flood | SALEM (C) | 1 | 0 | $0 |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Widespread flooding occurred across the City of Salem as several rounds of heavy rainfall occurred over several days. 48-hour rainfall amounts ending 12Z on the 4th ranged from 4 to 6 inches with isolated 8-inch totals. Two mobile home parks in Salem were evacuated due to high water along Mason Creek and the Salem swift water rescue team performed 12 boat rescues. The Roanoke River through Salem was above flood stage at the Salem Pump Station IFLOWS gage (SPSV2) from the late evening hours of the 3rd through much of July 4th. The gage crested at 9.9 feet (Flood Stage is 7.0 feet) on the afternoon of the 4th. Numerous smaller streams also flooded including Dry Creek and Mason Creek. A person was apparently swept or fell into Dry Creek in Salem during the late afternoon or evening of the 4th when creeks were near their peak stages.
An EF-1 tornado touched down near the intersection of Karen Drive and Joan Circle, where several tree trunks were snapped. Additional trees were snapped and uprooted as the tornado moved east-northeast, with loss of roofing material noted at several homes and apartment buildings just south of the Roanoke River. The tornado lifted just east of Electric Road near the intersection of Midland and Easton Roads. The estimated peak wind speeds were 100 to 105 mph. Damage was estimated to be 1.17 million dollars.
The Salem Fire Department observed quarter-sized hail on Electric Road, which is approximately four miles west-northwest of Roanoke. A car dealership in Salem reported $1,500 to $2,200 dollars damage to each of their 300 cars from the large hail.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Very Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
25,618
Population (ACS)
$259K
Median home value
14
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 |
| Oct 29, 2012 | Hurricane | HURRICANE SANDY | EM |
| Jul 27, 2012 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR |
Within the county
Most affected places
- Salem (c) 142
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Salem city, Virginia?
76 events are on record between 1978 and 2025, causing 1 direct deaths and $3.0M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Salem city?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 28 recorded events — 36.8% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Salem city?
2 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 2 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Salem city?
14 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Salem city, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Salem city compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Salem city as very low risk, placing it in the 19 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Salem city, 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
- Roanoke city 176
- Richmond city 232
- Staunton city 60
- Radford city 52
- Suffolk city 297
- Portsmouth city 157
Cite this page
“Salem city, Virginia.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/virginia/salem-city/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.