NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Courtland, 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
74 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Courtland, Virginia since 1851, 12 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ophelia in 2023. Since 1950, 59 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 12
- Tropical storms
- 62
- Tornadoes
- 59
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
4 deaths in all
What the records show for Courtland
The strongest storm to pass near Courtland was an unnamed storm in 1879, a Category 2 hurricane with 107 mph winds when its centre passed 71 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1878, whose centre crossed the city. The record near Courtland begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Ophelia in 2023, a tropical storm 39 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 8 systems. Of the 74 systems, 15 have come since 2000. Courtland has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 91% of the 364 Virginia cities on this site. The highest rating among the 59 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on April 28, 2008, came within 21 miles. The deadliest, an EF1 on February 24, 2016, killed 3 people. Of the 59, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 41 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 13. The most recent tornado was on January 4, 2023. Courtland has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 64% of the 364 Virginia cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 38 times since 1990, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 364 Virginia cities, 59% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Courtland.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Courtland
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | OpheliaSep 23 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 9 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | ClaudetteJun 21 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 12 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2011 | IreneAug 27 | 71 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2008 | HannaSep 6 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2006 | ErnestoSep 1 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 14 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | GastonAug 31 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 14 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2003 | IsabelSep 18 | 31 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2000 | HeleneSep 23 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1999 | FloydSep 16 | 47 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 4 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1997 | DannyJul 24 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 13 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1986 | CharleyAug 17 | 72 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 27 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 27 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1967 | DoriaSep 17 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 16 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | CleoSep 1 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1963 | Unnamed 1963 stormJun 3 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 14 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 30 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | CindyJul 10 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | Unnamed 1956 stormOct 18 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1956 | FlossySep 27 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1955 | IoneSep 20 | 62 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1955 | ConnieAug 13 | 52 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1954 | HazelOct 15 | 56 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 25 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 18 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormAug 2 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 6 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormAug 23 | 40 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 2 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 19 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 12 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 16 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 15 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 12 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 16 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormOct 31 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 10 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 71 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 17 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 11 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormOct 21 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 2 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1883 | Unnamed 1883 stormSep 12 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 23 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormSep 10 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormAug 18 | 71 mi | Category 2 (107 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | overhead | Category 2 (100 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 4 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormSep 17 | 13 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 29 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 25 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 18 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 27 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 17 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1857 | Unnamed 1857 stormSep 14 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 19 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 10 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 25 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Courtland: 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 Courtland
By decade
- 2020s12
- 2010s13
- 2000s16(1 EF3+)
- 1990s9
- 1980s6
- 1970s2(1 EF3+)
- 1960s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 28, 2008 | EF3 | 21 mi | 24 mi | 0 / 200 |
| Apr 19, 1978 | F3 | 20 mi | 35.6 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Mar 30, 1981 | F2 | 16 mi | 21.9 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Aug 4, 2020 | EF2 | 2 mi | 15.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 16, 2011 | EF2 | 13 mi | 22.61 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 30, 1989 | F2 | 18 mi | 22 mi | 0 / 11 |
| Nov 28, 1988 | F2 | 7 mi | 12 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 28, 1988 | F2 | 17 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 14, 1986 | F2 | 23 mi | 16 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Feb 24, 2016 | EF1 | 18 mi | 8.86 mi | 3 / 8 |
| Dec 24, 2020 | EF1 | 18 mi | 2.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 24, 2020 | EF1 | 17 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 59, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Courtland
The Storm Prediction Center has 38 hail reports within 10 miles of Courtland since 1990, made on 27 separate days. Of these, 26 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2 inches (hen egg size), was reported on 2 days, most recently July 10, 2014. The most recent report is from May 22, 2025. May has the most reports, 13.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Courtland
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Wakefield 1NW, VA, 17 miles north of Courtland at 113 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 68°F; January is the coolest, at 50°F and 28°F. September is the wettest at 6.1 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.8 inches; the year adds up to 51.6 inches over 79 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 56% of the year's precipitation (29.1 of 51.6 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 74 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (31); a normal September there has highs of 82°F and 6.1 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 88 nights a year. Snowfall averages 6.4 inches a year, most of it in January. That 51.6 inches is more than at 100 of the 109 Virginia stations used on this site (92%). Capron, 8 miles west, has its own station (Emporia 1 WNW, VA): 46.4 inches a year, 5.2 less than here, and the same July average high, 90°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50 | 28 | 3.8 | 7 | 3.5 |
| Feb | 53 | 30 | 2.8 | 6 | 1.4 |
| Mar | 61 | 36 | 4.2 | 8 | 0.4 |
| Apr | 71 | 45 | 3.8 | 7 | 0.0 |
| May | 79 | 55 | 4.2 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 86 | 63 | 4.8 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 90 | 68 | 5.5 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 88 | 66 | 5.5 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 82 | 60 | 6.1 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 72 | 48 | 4.0 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 62 | 38 | 3.2 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 53 | 31 | 3.7 | 7 | 1.1 |
| Year | 71 | 47 | 51.6 | 79 | 6.4 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Wakefield 1NW, VA (113 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 Courtland
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 161 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Courtland: 107 thunderstorm wind reports, 35 heavy rain events, 11 flash floods, 7 floods and 1 lightning strike. They killed 1 person and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $5.6 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 85 mph, on August 4, 2024. September has had the most flash floods, 6 of 11. Of the 364 Virginia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 81 have had fewer than Courtland.
September 9, 2011: flood 3 miles from the centre of Courtland — 1 killed, 1 injured.
NWS: “The driver of a vehicle drowned after the vehicle struck standing water, hydroplaned, went off Route 35 and into a swamp just southeast of Sebrell. The vehicle became submerged into the water.”
October 7, 2006: flash flood 8 miles from the centre of Courtland — $4.7 million damage.
October 8, 2016: flood 10 miles from the centre of Courtland — $450,000 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 Courtland's ZIP code 23837 have filed 13 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1999, and were paid $295,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 92% 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, 22 have fewer than Courtland.
Southampton County, which includes Courtland, has been named in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1993, 7 of them major disasters (by incident: 7 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 snowstorms, 1 severe storm). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on April 2, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Southampton County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes; Relatively Low for strong wind and heat waves; Very Low for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding, coastal flooding and lightning. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $9.1 million a year, the 59th highest of 133 Virginia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $3.3 million (36%), 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 Courtland
- Capron, VA8 mi
- Franklin, VA9 mi
- Zuni, VA15 mi
- Wakefield, VA16 mi
- Waverly, VA18 mi
- Windsor, VA20 mi
- Murfreesboro, NC21 mi
- Jarratt, VA23 mi
- Gates, NC23 mi
- Conway, NC24 mi
- Emporia, VA27 mi
- Disputanta, VA28 mi
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