NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Colonial Heights, 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
52 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Colonial Heights, Virginia since 1851, 6 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ophelia in 2023. Since 1950, 81 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 5 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 6
- Tropical storms
- 46
- Tornadoes
- 81
- EF3 or stronger
- 5
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
8 deaths in all
What the records show for Colonial Heights
The strongest storm to pass near Colonial Heights was an unnamed storm in 1878, a Category 2 hurricane with 98 mph winds when its centre passed 17 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1876, whose centre came within 6 miles. The record near Colonial Heights begins with an unnamed storm in 1859; the most recent system was Ophelia in 2023, a tropical storm 67 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 8 systems. Of the 52 systems, 11 have come since 2000. Colonial Heights has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 82% of the 364 Virginia cities on this site. The strongest of the 81 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on August 6, 1993; its path came within 2 miles, and it killed 4 people. Of the 81, 12 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 42 have come since 2000. September has had the most tornadoes, 13. The most recent tornado was on November 11, 2022. Colonial Heights has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 81% of the 364 Virginia cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 124 times since 1962, with stones up to 3 inches (tea cup size). Colonial Heights has more hail reports within 10 miles than 88% of the 364 Virginia cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Colonial Heights
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | OpheliaSep 23 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 9 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 12 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | HannaSep 6 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2006 | ErnestoSep 2 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2004 | GastonAug 31 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2003 | IsabelSep 19 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1997 | DannyJul 24 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 13 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 28 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 27 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1963 | Unnamed 1963 stormJun 3 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 30 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | CindyJul 10 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 18 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1955 | ConnieAug 13 | 68 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1954 | HazelOct 15 | 30 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 18 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormAug 2 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 6 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormAug 23 | 40 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 2 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 19 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 12 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 16 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 15 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 12 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 16 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormOct 31 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 49 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 11 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 2 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 13 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1883 | Unnamed 1883 stormSep 12 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 23 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormSep 10 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 17 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 4 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormSep 17 | 6 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 29 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 25 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 18 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 27 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 17 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Colonial Heights: 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 Colonial Heights
By decade
- 2020s1
- 2010s18
- 2000s23
- 1990s9(2 EF3+)
- 1980s12(2 EF3+)
- 1970s9(1 EF3+)
- 1960s3
- 1950s6
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 6, 1993 | F4 | 2 mi | 1 mi | 4 / 246 |
| May 4, 1990 | F3 | 3 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 8, 1984 | F3 | 6 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 15 |
| May 8, 1984 | F3 | 3 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 19, 1978 | F3 | 21 mi | 35.6 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Sep 17, 2018 | EF2 | 15 mi | 7.5 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Apr 19, 2019 | EF2 | 21 mi | 3.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 6, 1993 | F2 | 4 mi | 38 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 2, 1990 | F2 | 6 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 14, 1986 | F2 | 6 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 14, 1986 | F2 | 15 mi | 16 mi | 0 / 1 |
| May 29, 1984 | F2 | 16 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 81, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Colonial Heights
The Storm Prediction Center has 124 hail reports within 10 miles of Colonial Heights since 1962, made on 59 separate days. Of these, 83 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest, 3 inches (tea cup size), fell on May 27, 2017. The most recent report is from June 16, 2023. April has the most reports, 29.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Colonial Heights
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Petersburg, VA, 2 miles south of Colonial Heights at 19 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 69°F; January is the coolest, at 49°F and 28°F. August is the wettest at 5.3 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.7 inches; the year adds up to 47.0 inches over 78 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 54% of the year's precipitation (25.4 of 47.0 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 52 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (20); a normal September there has highs of 82°F and 4.6 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 44 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 85 nights a year. That 47.0 inches is more than at 71 of the 109 Virginia stations used on this site (65%). Prince George, 6 miles east, has its own station (Hopewell, VA): 50.1 inches a year, 3.1 more than here, and a July average high of 90°F against 89°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49 | 28 | 3.0 | 6 |
| Feb | 52 | 29 | 2.7 | 6 |
| Mar | 60 | 36 | 4.4 | 7 |
| Apr | 70 | 46 | 3.6 | 7 |
| May | 78 | 55 | 4.4 | 8 |
| Jun | 86 | 64 | 4.2 | 7 |
| Jul | 89 | 69 | 4.7 | 7 |
| Aug | 87 | 67 | 5.3 | 7 |
| Sep | 82 | 61 | 4.6 | 5 |
| Oct | 72 | 48 | 3.4 | 5 |
| Nov | 62 | 37 | 3.2 | 6 |
| Dec | 53 | 31 | 3.5 | 7 |
| Year | 70 | 48 | 47.0 | 78 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Petersburg, VA (19 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 Colonial Heights
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 538 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Colonial Heights: 302 thunderstorm wind reports, 118 flash floods, 90 heavy rain events, 22 floods and 6 lightning strikes. They killed 0 people and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $6.6 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 86 mph, on July 6, 2011. July has had the most flash floods, 62 of 118. Of the 364 Virginia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 343 have had fewer than Colonial Heights.
June 28, 2010: thunderstorm wind 8 miles from the centre of Colonial Heights — 1 injured, $100,000 damage.
July 15, 2025: flash flood 2 miles from the centre of Colonial Heights — $4.8 million damage.
NWS: “The Virginia Department of Emergency Management in collaboration with the National Weather Service in Wakefield Virginia conducted a Virginia Incident Damage Assessment for the City of Petersburg after significant flooding on the night of July 14 into the morning of July 15.”
July 15, 2025: flash flood 4 miles from the centre of Colonial Heights — $165,000 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
Flood insurance policyholders in Colonial Heights's ZIP code 23834 have filed 89 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $1.4 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Floyd in 1999: 19 claims (21% of all) and $707,000, then Hurricane Isabel in 2003 with 14. The year with the most claims was 2003, with 26. 42% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 183 Virginia cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 127 have fewer than Colonial Heights.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Floyd1999 | 19 | $707,000 |
| Hurricane Isabel2003 | 14 | $286,000 |
Colonial Heights city, which includes Colonial Heights, has been named in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 9 of them major disasters (by incident: 6 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 severe storms, 2 snowstorms). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on April 2, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Colonial Heights City a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Low for hurricanes; Very Low for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding, coastal flooding, strong wind, lightning and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $4.3 million a year, the 107th highest of 133 Virginia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $3.1 million (71%), 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 Colonial Heights
- Fort Lee, VA4 mi
- Petersburg, VA4 mi
- Chester, VA6 mi
- Prince George, VA6 mi
- Hopewell, VA6 mi
- Sutherland, VA10 mi
- Chesterfield, VA13 mi
- Disputanta, VA13 mi
- North Chesterfield, VA15 mi
- Church Road, VA15 mi
- Dinwiddie, VA17 mi
- Sandston, VA19 mi
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