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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Burkeville, 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

43 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Burkeville, Virginia since 1851, 5 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ophelia in 2023. Since 1950, 34 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
5

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
38

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
34

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
2

no recorded deaths

What the records show for Burkeville

The strongest storm to pass near Burkeville was an unnamed storm in 1878, a Category 2 hurricane with 98 mph winds when its centre passed 62 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1893, whose centre came within 5 miles. The record near Burkeville begins with an unnamed storm in 1859; the most recent system was Ophelia in 2023, a tropical storm 73 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 6 systems. Of the 43 systems, 10 have come since 2000. Burkeville has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 78% of the 364 Virginia cities on this site. The highest rating among the 34 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on May 4, 1990, came within 23 miles. Of the 34, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 20 have come since 2000. May and September have had the most tornadoes, 7 each. The most recent tornado was on October 11, 2018. Of the 364 Virginia cities, 54% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Burkeville. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 34 times since 1975, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). Of the 364 Virginia cities, 65% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Burkeville.

Compare Burkeville's storm record with another city →

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Burkeville

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Burkeville, Virginia, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2023OpheliaSep 2373 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2021ElsaJul 851 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 1
2020ZetaOct 2936 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 3
2020IsaiasAug 460 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 1
2019NestorOct 2068 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2018MichaelOct 1155 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 5
2013AndreaJun 774 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2008HannaSep 654 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 1
2006ErnestoSep 165 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
2003IsabelSep 1910 miTropical storm (70 mph)Category 5
1996FranSep 650 miTropical storm (44 mph)Category 3
1996BerthaJul 1375 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1970AlmaMay 2675 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1955DianeAug 1830 miTropical storm (54 mph)Category 2
1954HazelOct 1512 miCategory 1 (89 mph)Category 4
1952AbleSep 153 miTropical storm (49 mph)Category 2
1949Unnamed 1949 stormAug 2963 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 4
1945Unnamed 1945 stormSep 184 miTropical storm (45 mph)Category 4
1944Unnamed 1944 stormOct 2056 miTropical storm (47 mph)Category 4
1944Unnamed 1944 stormAug 220 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1935Unnamed 1935 stormSep 670 miTropical storm (60 mph)Category 5
1929Unnamed 1929 stormOct 226 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 4
1928Unnamed 1928 stormSep 1946 miTropical storm (64 mph)Category 5
1928Unnamed 1928 stormAug 11overheadTropical storm (40 mph)Category 2
1915Unnamed 1915 stormAug 446 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1904Unnamed 1904 stormSep 1556 miTropical storm (64 mph)Category 1
1902Unnamed 1902 stormOct 1218 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 2
1902Unnamed 1902 stormJun 1634 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1899Unnamed 1899 stormOct 3126 miTropical storm (61 mph)Category 2
1896Unnamed 1896 stormSep 3039 miCategory 1 (76 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormOct 135 miCategory 1 (82 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 2947 miTropical storm (67 mph)Category 3
1889Unnamed 1889 stormSep 2450 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1888Unnamed 1888 stormSep 1135 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1886Unnamed 1886 stormJul 254 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 2
1885Unnamed 1885 stormOct 1315 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1883Unnamed 1883 stormSep 1220 miTropical storm (45 mph)Category 3
1882Unnamed 1882 stormSep 1126 miTropical storm (47 mph)Category 3
1878Unnamed 1878 stormOct 2362 miCategory 2 (98 mph)Category 2
1877Unnamed 1877 stormOct 447 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 3
1876Unnamed 1876 stormSep 1750 miCategory 1 (75 mph)Category 3
1874Unnamed 1874 stormSep 2972 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
1859Unnamed 1859 stormSep 1733 miTropical storm (56 mph)Category 1

Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Burkeville: 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 Burkeville

By decade

  • 2010s7
  • 2000s13
  • 1990s2(1 EF3+)
  • 1980s5(1 EF3+)
  • 1970s4
  • 1960s2
  • 1950s1
Strongest tornadoes near Burkeville, Virginia
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
May 4, 1990F323 mi8 mi0 / 0
May 22, 1983F315 mi3.5 mi0 / 0
Oct 11, 2018EF219 mi1.62 mi0 / 0
Aug 6, 1993F215 mi38 mi0 / 0
Oct 13, 1983F219 mi5 mi0 / 0
May 12, 1974F21 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
Nov 2, 1966F214 mi3.6 mi0 / 0
Sep 10, 1960F225 mi1 mi0 / 0
Oct 11, 2018EF1in town1.35 mi0 / 0
Jan 12, 2018EF121 mi0.41 mi0 / 0
Apr 27, 2011EF111 mi5.54 mi0 / 0
Apr 16, 2011EF111 mi16.95 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 34, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

Hail in Burkeville

The Storm Prediction Center has 34 hail reports within 10 miles of Burkeville since 1975, made on 29 separate days. Of these, 21 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2.5 inches (tennis ball size), was reported on 2 days, most recently May 27, 2017. The most recent report is from September 7, 2023. May has the most reports, 11.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.

Weather by month in Burkeville

The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Farmville 2 N, VA, 13 miles northwest of Burkeville at 450 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 67°F; January is the coolest, at 48°F and 26°F. September is the wettest at 4.6 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.0 inches; the year adds up to 44.4 inches over 75 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 51% of the year's precipitation (22.5 of 44.4 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 43 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (18); a normal September there has highs of 80°F and 4.6 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 37 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 105 nights a year. Snowfall averages 6.1 inches a year, most of it in February. That 44.4 inches is more than at 37 of the 109 Virginia stations used on this site (34%). Crewe, 6 miles east, has its own station (Fort Pickett, VA): 46.9 inches a year, 2.5 more than here, and a July average high of 88°F against 89°F.

Monthly climate normals 1991–2020 at Farmville 2 N, VA
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. inDays ≥ 0.1"Snow in
Jan48263.560.6
Feb51273.063.1
Mar59344.171.0
Apr69433.470.0
May76544.280.0
Jun84633.370.0
Jul89674.070.0
Aug87663.660.0
Sep80594.660.0
Oct71463.660.0
Nov60353.460.0
Dec51293.761.4
Year694644.4756.1

Averages for 1991–2020 at Farmville 2 N, VA (450 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.

Virginia weather by month, station by station →

Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Burkeville

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 168 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Burkeville: 129 thunderstorm wind reports, 23 heavy rain events, 11 flash floods, 4 floods and 1 lightning strike. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $420,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 70 mph, on March 16, 2026. May has had the most flash floods, 5 of 11. Of the 364 Virginia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 81 have had fewer than Burkeville.

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

Nottoway County, which includes Burkeville, has been named in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 14 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 hurricanes, 3 severe storms, 3 snowstorms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Winter Storms and Flooding, on April 4, 2025. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Nottoway County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for strong wind; Relatively Low for hurricanes and lightning; Very Low for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $6.2 million a year, the 84th highest of 133 Virginia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $1.0 million (17%), is from hurricanes.

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 Burkeville