NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Callaway, 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
13 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Callaway, Virginia since 1851, 1 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 17 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 1
- Tropical storms
- 12
- Tornadoes
- 17
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Callaway
The strongest storm to pass near Callaway was an unnamed storm in 1896, a Category 1 hurricane with 77 mph winds when its centre passed 61 miles away. The record near Callaway begins with an unnamed storm in 1878; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm 5 miles away. Of the 13 systems, one has come since 2000. Of the 364 Virginia cities on this site, 74% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Callaway. The strongest of the 17 tornadoes within 25 miles was an EF3 on April 19, 2019; its path came within 14 miles. Of the 17, none had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 9 have come since 2000. August has had the most tornadoes, 5. The most recent tornado was on May 26, 2024. Of the 364 Virginia cities, 80% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Callaway. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 75 times since 1982, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Callaway has more hail reports within 10 miles than 72% of the 364 Virginia cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Callaway
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1996 | FranSep 6 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 5 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 18 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 12 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 30 | 61 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 13 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Callaway: 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 Callaway
By decade
- 2020s3
- 2010s1(1 EF3+)
- 2000s5
- 1990s3
- 1980s1
- 1970s2
- 1960s1
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 19, 2019 | EF3 | 14 mi | 8.11 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 17, 2004 | F2 | 23 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 17, 2004 | F2 | 12 mi | 8.8 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Jun 9, 1996 | F2 | 21 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 17, 1994 | F2 | 25 mi | 4.3 mi | 0 / 10 |
| Apr 4, 1974 | F2 | 20 mi | 6.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 12, 1964 | F2 | 24 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 3 |
| May 17, 1953 | F2 | 14 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 26, 2024 | EF1 | 18 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 31, 2021 | EF1 | 24 mi | 0.22 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 31, 2021 | EF1 | 25 mi | 1.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 8, 2008 | EF1 | 19 mi | 0.93 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 17, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Callaway
The Storm Prediction Center has 75 hail reports within 10 miles of Callaway since 1982, made on 50 separate days. Of these, 36 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 4 days, most recently April 9, 2021. The most recent report is from May 3, 2022. June has the most reports, 25.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Callaway
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Rocky Mt, VA, 11 miles east of Callaway at 1,315 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 87°F and low of 65°F; January is the coolest, at 47°F and 26°F. September is the wettest at 5.0 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.1 inches; the year adds up to 49.3 inches over 80 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 52% of the year's precipitation (25.6 of 49.3 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 13 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (6); a normal September there has highs of 79°F and 5.0 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 26 days a year, almost all from June to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 104 nights a year. Snowfall averages 12.6 inches a year, most of it in February. That 49.3 inches is more than at 92 of the 109 Virginia stations used on this site (84%). Ferrum, 8 miles south, has its own station (Philpott Dam 2, VA): 47.5 inches a year, 1.8 less than here, and the same July average high, 87°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47 | 26 | 3.9 | 7 | 3.6 |
| Feb | 51 | 27 | 3.1 | 6 | 4.9 |
| Mar | 59 | 34 | 4.0 | 7 | 2.5 |
| Apr | 70 | 42 | 4.1 | 7 | 0.2 |
| May | 76 | 52 | 4.5 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 83 | 60 | 4.9 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 87 | 65 | 4.5 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 85 | 63 | 4.1 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 79 | 56 | 5.0 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 70 | 44 | 3.4 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 59 | 34 | 3.7 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 50 | 29 | 4.1 | 7 | 1.4 |
| Year | 68 | 44 | 49.3 | 80 | 12.6 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Rocky Mt, VA (1,315 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 Callaway
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 192 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Callaway: 126 thunderstorm wind reports, 37 flash floods, 15 heavy rain events, 13 floods and 1 lightning strike. They killed 1 person and injured 0, and the NWS estimated $1.4 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on May 10, 2003. Of the 364 Virginia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 277 have had fewer than Callaway.
June 29, 2012: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Callaway — 1 killed, $750,000 damage.
November 11, 2020: flood 9 miles from the centre of Callaway — $125,000 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
Franklin County, which includes Callaway, has been named in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 14 of them major disasters (by incident: 6 hurricanes, 5 severe storms, 3 floods, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Winter Storms and Flooding, on April 4, 2025. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Franklin County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for strong wind and lightning; Relatively Low for hurricanes, hail and inland flooding; Very Low for tornadoes and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $11.0 million a year, the 48th highest of 133 Virginia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $7.9 million (72%), 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 Callaway
- Ferrum, VA8 mi
- Boones Mill, VA10 mi
- Rocky Mount, VA11 mi
- Shawsville, VA14 mi
- Floyd, VA14 mi
- Elliston, VA17 mi
- Bassett, VA18 mi
- Glade Hill, VA18 mi
- Riner, VA19 mi
- Wirtz, VA19 mi
- Salem, VA19 mi
- Roanoke, VA19 mi
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