NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Fries, 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
12 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Fries, Virginia since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 15 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 12
- Tornadoes
- 15
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Fries
None of the 12 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Fries; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1893, a tropical storm with 71 mph winds when its centre passed 67 miles away. The record near Fries begins with an unnamed storm in 1878; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm 13 miles away. The 1900s and the 1950s were the busiest decades, with 2 systems each. Of the 12 systems, one has come since 2000. Of the 364 Virginia cities on this site, 81% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Fries. The highest rating among the 15 tornadoes within 25 miles is EF2, reached 3 times; the most recent, on March 23, 2022, came within 23 miles. Of the 15, one had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 11 have come since 2000. May and July have had the most tornadoes, 4 each. The most recent tornado was on July 5, 2022. Of the 364 Virginia cities, 86% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Fries. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 104 times since 1995, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Fries has more hail reports within 10 miles than 85% of the 364 Virginia cities.
Compare Fries's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Fries
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1989 | HugoSep 22 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 5 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1959 | GracieSep 30 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1952 | AbleAug 31 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 18 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 23 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 13 | 68 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 Fries: 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 Fries
By decade
- 2020s2
- 2010s6
- 2000s3
- 1970s3
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 23, 2022 | EF2 | 23 mi | 1.92 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 8, 2011 | EF2 | 25 mi | 1.9 mi | 0 / 9 |
| May 8, 2009 | EF2 | 11 mi | 4.92 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Jul 5, 2022 | EF1 | 8 mi | 2.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 23, 2017 | EF1 | 1 mi | 0.57 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 5, 2011 | EF1 | 23 mi | 1.32 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 8, 2011 | EF1 | 24 mi | 3.14 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 8, 2009 | EF1 | 12 mi | 0.32 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 4, 1979 | F1 | 16 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 4, 1977 | F1 | 25 mi | 6.4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 27, 1973 | F1 | 16 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jul 10, 1959 | F1 | 17 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 15, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Fries
The Storm Prediction Center has 104 hail reports within 10 miles of Fries since 1995, made on 60 separate days. Of these, 51 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 March 27, 2021. The most recent report is from August 30, 2024. June has the most reports, 28.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Fries
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Galax Radio Wbrf, VA, 7 miles southeast of Fries at 2,385 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 82°F and low of 61°F; January is the coolest, at 42°F and 23°F. September is the wettest at 4.5 inches of precipitation on average and February and October the driest at 3.1 inches; the year adds up to 45.7 inches over 76 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 52% of the year's precipitation (23.6 of 45.7 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 12 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (5); a normal September there has highs of 75°F and 4.5 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 3 days a year, almost all from July. Lows fall below freezing on about 123 nights a year. Snowfall averages 16.6 inches a year, most of it in February. That 45.7 inches is more than at 53 of the 109 Virginia stations used on this site (49%). Galax, 7 miles southeast, has its own station (Galax Wtp, VA): 51.2 inches a year, 5.5 more than here, and the same July average high, 82°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42 | 23 | 3.7 | 6 | 4.6 |
| Feb | 47 | 26 | 3.1 | 5 | 5.8 |
| Mar | 54 | 32 | 3.8 | 6 | 3.4 |
| Apr | 65 | 39 | 4.1 | 7 | 0.5 |
| May | 72 | 49 | 4.0 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 79 | 57 | 4.1 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 82 | 61 | 4.2 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 81 | 60 | 4.4 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 75 | 53 | 4.5 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 65 | 41 | 3.1 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 55 | 32 | 3.3 | 5 | 0.4 |
| Dec | 46 | 27 | 3.4 | 6 | 1.9 |
| Year | 63 | 42 | 45.7 | 76 | 16.6 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Galax Radio Wbrf, VA (2,385 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 Fries
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 186 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Fries: 89 thunderstorm wind reports, 51 flash floods, 34 floods and 12 heavy rain events. They killed 1 person and injured 0, and the NWS estimated $8.6 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on July 15, 2005. May has had the most flash floods, 12 of 51. Of the 364 Virginia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 305 have had fewer than Fries.
April 19, 2015: flood 10 miles from the centre of Fries — 1 killed.
September 8, 2018: flash flood 6 miles from the centre of Fries — $2.0 million damage.
September 26, 2024: flood 6 miles from the centre of Fries — $2.0 million 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
Grayson County, which includes Fries, has been named in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1976, 12 of them major disasters (by incident: 5 hurricanes, 4 snowstorms, 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 Grayson County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Low for strong wind and lightning; Very Low for hurricanes, tornadoes, hail and inland flooding. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $5.9 million a year, the 88th highest of 133 Virginia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $2.4 million (40%), 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 Fries
- Galax, VA7 mi
- Woodlawn, VA10 mi
- Independence, VA11 mi
- Max Meadows, VA15 mi
- Wytheville, VA16 mi
- Lowgap, NC16 mi
- Sparta, NC17 mi
- Hillsville, VA18 mi
- Rural Retreat, VA19 mi
- Cana, VA20 mi
- Draper, VA21 mi
- Pulaski, VA26 mi
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