Virginia sees a moderate amount of severe weather each year, with 910 confirmed tornadoes, 6,072 hailstorm events and 19,170 damaging-wind events recorded by the National Weather Service since 1950., and averages 12.1 tornadoes per year over the 75-year record. The interactive map below plots every significant severe-weather event in Virginia from the official NOAA Storm Events Database (1950 through September 2025).

Use the map to find your county, click any marker for the date, magnitude, and casualty details of that event, and switch between tornadoes, hail and wind using the chips. For the national view across all 50 states, see our NOAA Storm Reports interactive map. For tornado tracks specifically, see the US Tornado Tracks map; for hail size and frequency, the US Hailstorms map.

Virginia Severe Weather by the Numbers (1950–2025)

• 910 tornadoes recorded between 1950 and 2025
• 156 violent tornadoes rated F2/EF2 or stronger
• 38 direct tornado deaths and 952 direct injuries
• 6,072 hailstorm events recorded by the NWS
• 19,170 damaging-wind events on record
• 12.1 tornadoes per year on average across the 75-year record
• April is the peak severe-weather month, accounting for roughly 18.2% of Virginia tornadoes
• 207 total direct deaths from all severe-weather event types tracked by the NWS

When Virginia Severe Weather Happens

Virginia tornado activity peaks in spring, with March through June accounting for about 46% of all events. The single busiest month is April, which alone produces around 18.2% of recorded tornadoes.

• April: 166 tornadoes (18.2%) — peak month
• September: 132 tornadoes (14.5%)
• May: 122 tornadoes (13.4%)
• July: 109 tornadoes (12%)
• August: 108 tornadoes (11.9%)
• June: 96 tornadoes (10.5%)

Top 10 Virginia Counties by Tornado Frequency

Tornado activity in Virginia is geographically broad, but a handful of counties have logged many times the state average. The combination of population density (more spotters and damage reports), county land area and local climatology drives the rankings below.

The Deadliest Tornadoes in Virginia History

Virginia has lost 38 lives to tornadoes since the National Weather Service began systematic tornado record-keeping in 1950. The single deadliest event killed 11 people in Albemarle County in 1959, rated F3 on the Fujita scale.

Virginia Tornado Strength Distribution

Most Virginia tornadoes are weak: roughly 82% are rated F0/EF0 or F1/EF1. Violent tornadoes (F2+/EF2+) account for around 17.6% of rated tornadoes in the state.

• F0/EF0 (weak): 363 tornadoes — 41.1% of rated events
• F1/EF1: 365 tornadoes — 41.3% of rated events
• F2/EF2 (strong): 112 tornadoes — 12.7% of rated events
• F3/EF3: 42 tornadoes — 4.8% of rated events
• F4/EF4 (violent): 2 tornadoes — 0.2% of rated events

Record-Setting Severe Weather in Virginia

Largest hailstone: 5.00 inches in diameter, observed in Lee County on April 23, 1968. The three largest hailstones on record in Virginia measured 5.00″, 5.00″, 4.50″.

Highest measured wind gust: 80 knots (92 mph) recorded in Buckingham County near Centenary on May 9, 2003. Most damaging-wind events in Virginia are estimated rather than measured because anemometers are sparse across the rural areas where supercells most often produce destructive thunderstorm winds.

How Virginia Compares Nationally

Virginia ranks 27th nationally for tornado frequency, in the middle of the pack of US states by severe-weather activity.

• Tornadoes (top 5): Texas (9,908), Kansas (4,890), Oklahoma (4,856), Florida (3,779), Iowa (3,417).
• Virginia tornado total: 910 — ranked 27th nationally.
• Virginia hail total: 6,072 hail events on record since 1950.
• Virginia wind total: 19,170 damaging-wind events on record since 1950.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes does Virginia have on average per year?

Virginia averages 12.1 tornadoes per year over the 1950–2025 period. Counts vary widely year to year, but the long-term mean over 75 years of NWS records is a reliable benchmark for typical activity.

What was the deadliest tornado in Virginia history?

The September 30, 1959 tornado, rated F3 on the Fujita scale, killed 11 people and injured 4 in Albemarle County. It remains the single deadliest tornado in the Virginia modern record.

Where in Virginia are tornadoes most common?

The single county with the most tornadoes on record is Loudoun County with 28 events. The three most active counties overall are Loudoun, Fauquier, Pittsylvania.

How does Virginia compare to its neighbors?

Virginia shares a severe-weather climate with Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina. Severe storms regularly cross state lines, so the same supercells, hail cores and wind events often appear in Virginia’s neighbors’ records on the same date.

How recent is the data on this map?

The map and statistics on this page are pulled from NOAA’s official Storm Events Database, which currently runs from January 1950 through September 2025. New records typically appear in the database within 30–90 days of the event date, once damage surveys and ratings are complete.

Compare Virginia to Neighboring States

Severe weather doesn’t stop at state lines. The same supercell systems that produce Virginia tornadoes regularly cross into neighboring states. Compare Virginia’s storm history to its land neighbors:

• Maryland severe storm history — ranked 33rd nationally
• West Virginia severe storm history — ranked 38th nationally
• Kentucky severe storm history — ranked 23rd nationally, Dixie Alley state with frequent overnight tornadoes
• Tennessee severe storm history — ranked 21st nationally, Dixie Alley state with frequent overnight tornadoes
• North Carolina severe storm history — ranked 20th nationally

Explore the national NOAA Storm Reports map · US Tornado Tracks map · US Hailstorms map