NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Axton, VA
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
22 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Axton, Virginia since 1851, 2 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 38 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 2
- Tropical storms
- 20
- Tornadoes
- 38
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
2 deaths in all
What the records show for Axton
The strongest storm to pass near Axton was an unnamed storm in 1893, a Category 1 hurricane with 85 mph winds when its centre passed 73 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1896, whose centre came within 38 miles. The record near Axton begins with an unnamed storm in 1859; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm 25 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 5 systems. Of the 22 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 364 Virginia cities on this site, 67% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Axton. The highest rating among the 38 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on April 19, 2019, came within 16 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on March 20, 1998, killed 2 people. Of the 38, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 22 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 9. The most recent tornado was on September 27, 2024. Axton has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 50% of the 364 Virginia cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 67 times since 1995, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). Axton has more hail reports within 10 miles than 68% of the 364 Virginia cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Axton
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1996 | FranSep 6 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 5 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 18 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 18 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 2 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 12 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 16 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 30 | 38 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 73 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 10 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 13 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 13 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 17 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Axton: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Axton
By decade
- 2020s4
- 2010s7(1 EF3+)
- 2000s11
- 1990s6(1 EF3+)
- 1980s1
- 1970s4
- 1960s4
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 20, 1998 | F3 | 11 mi | 12 mi | 2 / 27 |
| Apr 19, 2019 | EF3 | 16 mi | 8.11 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 27, 2024 | EF2 | 14 mi | 6.85 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 15, 2018 | EF2 | 17 mi | 32.75 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Sep 17, 2004 | F2 | 14 mi | 8.8 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Aug 17, 1994 | F2 | 6 mi | 4.3 mi | 0 / 10 |
| Jul 12, 1964 | F2 | 10 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Jul 12, 1964 | F2 | 25 mi | 4.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 27, 2024 | EF1 | 15 mi | 0.35 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 11, 2024 | EF1 | 9 mi | 0.89 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 6, 2022 | EF1 | 20 mi | 7.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 15, 2018 | EF1 | 14 mi | 16.4 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 38, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Axton
The Storm Prediction Center has 67 hail reports within 10 miles of Axton since 1995, made on 53 separate days. Of these, 39 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.5 inches (tennis ball size), fell on March 24, 2012. The most recent report is from July 18, 2025. May has the most reports, 18.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Axton
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Martinsville Fltr Plt, VA, 9 miles west of Axton at 780 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 88°F and low of 64°F; January is the coolest, at 48°F and 24°F. September is the wettest at 5.1 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.0 inches; the year adds up to 47.3 inches over 79 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 52% of the year's precipitation (24.6 of 47.3 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 22 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (10); a normal September there has highs of 80°F and 5.1 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 29 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 119 nights a year. Snowfall averages 9.4 inches a year, most of it in January. That 47.3 inches is more than at 76 of the 109 Virginia stations used on this site (70%). Eden, NC, 12 miles south, has its own station (Eden, NC): 47.1 inches a year, 0.2 less than here, and a July average high of 89°F against 88°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48 | 24 | 3.8 | 7 | 3.3 |
| Feb | 52 | 26 | 3.0 | 6 | 2.4 |
| Mar | 60 | 32 | 4.1 | 7 | 1.7 |
| Apr | 71 | 40 | 3.6 | 7 | 0.0 |
| May | 78 | 50 | 4.5 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 85 | 59 | 4.4 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 88 | 64 | 4.0 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 86 | 63 | 4.2 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 80 | 56 | 5.1 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 71 | 43 | 3.6 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 60 | 32 | 3.3 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 51 | 26 | 3.7 | 7 | 2.0 |
| Year | 69 | 43 | 47.3 | 79 | 9.4 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Martinsville Fltr Plt, VA (780 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Axton
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 290 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Axton: 233 thunderstorm wind reports, 25 flash floods, 15 heavy rain events, 10 lightning strikes and 7 floods. They killed 1 person and injured 5, and the NWS estimated $5.3 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 92 mph, on May 11, 2017. May has had the most flash floods, 11 of 25. Of the 364 Virginia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 221 have had fewer than Axton.
October 11, 2018: flash flood 7 miles from the centre of Axton — 1 killed, $1.5 million damage.
NWS: “Pittsylvania County was included in a Presidential Major Disaster declaration due mainly to the severe flooding associated with Tropical Storm Michael. Rainfall of 4 to 8 inches in several hours triggered widespread flash flooding across the county with numerous roads closed and extensive damage.”
June 10, 2011: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Axton — 1 injured, $1.5 million damage.
November 8, 1996: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Axton — 1 injured, $400,000 damage.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Henry County, which includes Axton, has been named in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 9 of them major disasters (by incident: 5 hurricanes, 4 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 snowstorms). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on April 2, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Henry County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for inland flooding and strong wind; Relatively Low for hurricanes, tornadoes, hail and lightning; Very Low for heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $15.3 million a year, the 34th highest of 133 Virginia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $11.1 million (73%), is from inland flooding.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near Axton
- Martinsville, VA9 mi
- Ridgeway, VA11 mi
- Collinsville, VA12 mi
- Eden, NC12 mi
- Dry Fork, VA12 mi
- Fieldale, VA14 mi
- Ruffin, NC16 mi
- Danville, VA16 mi
- Bassett, VA17 mi
- Chatham, VA18 mi
- Stoneville, NC18 mi
- Pelham, NC18 mi
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