NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Ferrum, 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
14 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Ferrum, Virginia since 1851, 1 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 9 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 1
- Tropical storms
- 13
- Tornadoes
- 9
- 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 Ferrum
The strongest storm to pass near Ferrum was an unnamed storm in 1896, a Category 1 hurricane with 77 mph winds when its centre passed 60 miles away. The record near Ferrum begins with an unnamed storm in 1878; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm 2 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 3 systems. Of the 14 systems, one has come since 2000. Of the 364 Virginia cities on this site, 74% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Ferrum. The strongest of the 9 tornadoes within 25 miles was an EF3 on April 19, 2019; its path came within 10 miles. Of the 9, none had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 4 have come since 2000. Of the 364 Virginia cities, 94% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Ferrum. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 66 times since 1960, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Ferrum has more hail reports within 10 miles than 67% of the 364 Virginia cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Ferrum
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1996 | FranSep 6 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 5 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 18 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | overhead | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 12 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 30 | 60 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 13 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 13 | 18 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 Ferrum: 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 Ferrum
By decade
- 2010s1(1 EF3+)
- 2000s3
- 1990s1
- 1980s1
- 1970s1
- 1960s1
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 19, 2019 | EF3 | 10 mi | 8.11 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 17, 2004 | F2 | 7 mi | 8.8 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Aug 17, 1994 | F2 | 19 mi | 4.3 mi | 0 / 10 |
| Jul 12, 1964 | F2 | 17 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 3 |
| May 17, 1953 | F2 | 21 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 8, 2008 | EF1 | 14 mi | 0.93 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 30, 1987 | F1 | 24 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 9, 1978 | F1 | 13 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 3, 2008 | EF0 | 24 mi | 1.62 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 9 of 9, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Ferrum
The Storm Prediction Center has 66 hail reports within 10 miles of Ferrum since 1960, made on 49 separate days. Of these, 33 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 7 days, most recently April 9, 2021. The most recent report is from April 9, 2021. May and June have the most reports, 21 each.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Ferrum
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Philpott Dam 2, VA, 9 miles south of Ferrum at 1,123 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 87°F and low of 66°F; January is the coolest, at 48°F and 26°F. July is the wettest at 5.0 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 2.9 inches; the year adds up to 47.5 inches over 70 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 53% of the year's precipitation (25.1 of 47.5 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 14 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (6); a normal September there has highs of 81°F and 4.9 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 30 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 95 nights a year. That 47.5 inches is more than at 79 of the 109 Virginia stations used on this site (72%). Callaway, 8 miles north, has its own station (Rocky Mt, VA): 49.3 inches a year, 1.8 more than here, and the same July average high, 87°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48 | 26 | 3.7 | 5 |
| Feb | 52 | 28 | 3.1 | 5 |
| Mar | 59 | 34 | 3.9 | 6 |
| Apr | 70 | 43 | 3.5 | 5 |
| May | 77 | 53 | 4.3 | 7 |
| Jun | 85 | 61 | 4.7 | 7 |
| Jul | 87 | 66 | 5.0 | 7 |
| Aug | 86 | 64 | 4.5 | 6 |
| Sep | 81 | 57 | 4.9 | 6 |
| Oct | 71 | 46 | 2.9 | 5 |
| Nov | 61 | 35 | 3.1 | 6 |
| Dec | 51 | 30 | 3.9 | 5 |
| Year | 69 | 45 | 47.5 | 70 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Philpott Dam 2, VA (1,123 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 Ferrum
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 168 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Ferrum: 113 thunderstorm wind reports, 37 flash floods, 10 floods, 6 heavy rain events and 2 lightning strikes. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $1.6 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on May 10, 2003. June has had the most flash floods, 10 of 37. Of the 364 Virginia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 277 have had fewer than Ferrum.
July 9, 2010: lightning strike 9 miles from the centre of Ferrum — $400,000 damage.
June 29, 2012: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Ferrum — $350,000 damage.
April 12, 2013: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Ferrum — $100,000 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 Ferrum, 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 Ferrum
- Callaway, VA8 mi
- Bassett, VA11 mi
- Rocky Mount, VA12 mi
- Floyd, VA13 mi
- Fieldale, VA15 mi
- Collinsville, VA15 mi
- Patrick Springs, VA16 mi
- Boones Mill, VA16 mi
- Martinsville, VA18 mi
- Glade Hill, VA19 mi
- Stuart, VA19 mi
- Shawsville, VA20 mi
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