NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Floyd, 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
11 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Floyd, 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
- 10
- 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 Floyd
The strongest storm to pass near Floyd was an unnamed storm in 1896, a Category 1 hurricane with 77 mph winds when its centre passed 73 miles away. The record near Floyd begins with an unnamed storm in 1878; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm 5 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1890s, with 2 systems, one of them at hurricane strength. Of the 11 systems, one has come since 2000. Of the 364 Virginia cities on this site, 74% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Floyd. The strongest of the 17 tornadoes within 25 miles was an EF3 on April 19, 2019; its path came within 23 miles. Of the 17, none had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 10 have come since 2000. August has had the most tornadoes, 5. The most recent tornado was on March 23, 2022. Of the 364 Virginia cities, 80% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Floyd. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 43 times since 1995, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 364 Virginia cities, 50% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Floyd.
Compare Floyd's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Floyd
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1996 | FranSep 6 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 5 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 12 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 30 | 73 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 13 | 31 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 Floyd: 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 Floyd
By decade
- 2020s3
- 2010s4(1 EF3+)
- 2000s3
- 1990s3
- 1980s1
- 1970s2
- 1960s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 19, 2019 | EF3 | 23 mi | 8.11 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 23, 2022 | EF2 | 20 mi | 1.92 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 17, 2004 | F2 | 20 mi | 8.8 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Aug 21, 1977 | F2 | 17 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 31, 2021 | EF1 | 21 mi | 0.22 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 31, 2021 | EF1 | 17 mi | 1.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 23, 2017 | EF1 | 25 mi | 1.34 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 24, 2016 | EF1 | 23 mi | 1.4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 8, 2011 | EF1 | 24 mi | 3.14 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 7, 2005 | F1 | 24 mi | 0.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 29, 1999 | F1 | 25 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 23, 1999 | F1 | 14 mi | 0.2 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 Floyd
The Storm Prediction Center has 43 hail reports within 10 miles of Floyd since 1995, made on 31 separate days. Of these, 19 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), fell on March 27, 2021. The most recent report is from June 16, 2022. June has the most reports, 12.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Floyd
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Christiansburg, VA, 16 miles north of Floyd at 2,100 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 82°F and low of 62°F; January is the coolest, at 42°F and 23°F. May is the wettest at 4.7 inches of precipitation on average and February and November the driest at 2.8 inches; the year adds up to 42.1 inches over 82 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 50% of the year's precipitation (21.0 of 42.1 inches). September has brought the most of the 11 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (5); a normal September there has highs of 75°F and 3.7 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 6 days a year, almost all from July to August. Lows fall below freezing on about 104 nights a year. Snowfall averages 21.7 inches a year, most of it in February. That 42.1 inches is more than at 15 of the 109 Virginia stations used on this site (14%). Ferrum, 13 miles east, has its own station (Philpott Dam 2, VA): 47.5 inches a year, 5.4 more than here, and a July average high of 87°F against 82°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42 | 23 | 3.2 | 6 | 6.3 |
| Feb | 45 | 26 | 2.8 | 6 | 6.6 |
| Mar | 53 | 32 | 3.7 | 7 | 3.7 |
| Apr | 64 | 41 | 3.5 | 7 | 0.3 |
| May | 71 | 50 | 4.7 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 78 | 58 | 4.1 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 82 | 62 | 4.1 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 81 | 60 | 3.4 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 75 | 54 | 3.7 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 65 | 43 | 2.9 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 55 | 33 | 2.8 | 6 | 0.4 |
| Dec | 45 | 27 | 3.2 | 7 | 4.4 |
| Year | 63 | 42 | 42.1 | 82 | 21.7 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Christiansburg, VA (2,100 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 Floyd
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 117 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Floyd: 73 thunderstorm wind reports, 23 flash floods, 11 heavy rain events, 7 floods and 3 lightning strikes. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $5.2 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on August 31, 2021. June has had the most flash floods, 6 of 23. Of the 364 Virginia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 207 have had fewer than Floyd.
September 29, 2015: flash flood 6 miles from the centre of Floyd — $3.1 million damage.
NWS: “Widespread flooding occurred across the county but was concentrated in Route 8 corridor. Several swift water rescues were made and numerous roads were closed and many damaged.”
September 29, 2015: flood 10 miles from the centre of Floyd — $1.0 million damage.
NWS: “Flooding continued much of the day across Patrick County. Dozens of roads remained closed by late afternoon.”
May 20, 2020: heavy rain event 10 miles from the centre of Floyd — $464,000 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
Floyd County, which includes Floyd, has been named in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 15 of them major disasters (by incident: 6 severe storms, 5 hurricanes, 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 Floyd County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Low for strong wind; Very Low for hurricanes, tornadoes, hail, inland flooding, lightning and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $3.8 million a year, the 114th highest of 133 Virginia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $2.2 million (59%), 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 Floyd
- Riner, VA9 mi
- Willis, VA12 mi
- Ferrum, VA13 mi
- Callaway, VA14 mi
- Shawsville, VA16 mi
- Christiansburg, VA17 mi
- Stuart, VA18 mi
- Patrick Springs, VA19 mi
- Bassett, VA20 mi
- Radford, VA21 mi
- Elliston, VA22 mi
- Blacksburg, VA22 mi
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