NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit King William, 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
53 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of King William, Virginia since 1851, 5 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Elsa in 2021. Since 1950, 77 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 5 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 5
- Tropical storms
- 48
- Tornadoes
- 77
- EF3 or stronger
- 5
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
1 deaths in all
What the records show for King William
The strongest storm to pass near King William was an unnamed storm in 1878, a Category 2 hurricane with 97 mph winds when its centre passed 5 miles away. The record near King William begins with an unnamed storm in 1856; the most recent system was Elsa in 2021, a tropical storm 25 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 8 systems. Of the 53 systems, 10 have come since 2000. King William has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 78% of the 364 Virginia cities on this site. The highest rating among the 77 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 5 times; the most recent, on February 24, 2016, came within 11 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on October 18, 1990, killed 1 person. Of the 77, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 49 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 12. The most recent tornado was on November 11, 2022. King William has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 78% of the 364 Virginia cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 25 times since 1981, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 364 Virginia cities, 79% have more hail reports within 10 miles than King William.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near King William
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ElsaJul 9 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 12 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | HannaSep 6 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2006 | ErnestoSep 2 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2004 | GastonAug 31 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2003 | IsabelSep 19 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1999 | FloydSep 16 | 73 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 13 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1983 | DeanSep 30 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 28 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1963 | Unnamed 1963 stormJun 3 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 14 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 30 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | CindyJul 10 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1955 | ConnieAug 13 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1954 | HazelOct 15 | 45 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 18 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 21 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormAug 2 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1943 | Unnamed 1943 stormOct 1 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 6 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormAug 23 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 2 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 19 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 12 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 56 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 17 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 15 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 12 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 16 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormOct 31 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 66 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 25 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 11 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 2 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 13 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1883 | Unnamed 1883 stormSep 12 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 23 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormSep 10 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 5 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 4 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormSep 17 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 29 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 26 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 18 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 27 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 17 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 20 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in King William: 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 King William
By decade
- 2020s2
- 2010s20(1 EF3+)
- 2000s27
- 1990s8(2 EF3+)
- 1980s6(2 EF3+)
- 1970s4
- 1960s1
- 1950s9
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 18, 1990 | F3 | 2 mi | 5 mi | 1 / 0 |
| Feb 24, 2016 | EF3 | 11 mi | 30.34 mi | 0 / 25 |
| Aug 6, 1993 | F3 | 25 mi | 2.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 14, 1986 | F3 | 23 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 8, 1984 | F3 | 25 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 15 |
| Apr 19, 2019 | EF2 | 18 mi | 3.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 8, 1984 | F2 | 21 mi | 15 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 11, 1981 | F2 | 19 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 24, 1969 | F2 | 24 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jun 13, 1951 | F2 | 22 mi | 4.1 mi | 0 / 12 |
| Oct 11, 2018 | EF1 | 22 mi | 2.09 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 24, 2016 | EF1 | 21 mi | 4.01 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 77, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in King William
The Storm Prediction Center has 25 hail reports within 10 miles of King William since 1981, made on 20 separate days. Of these, 17 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on April 2, 1990. The most recent report is from June 26, 2023. May has the most reports, 8.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in King William
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Walkerton 2 NW, VA, 7 miles north of King William at 50 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 88°F and low of 69°F; January is the coolest, at 49°F and 29°F. July is the wettest at 4.8 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.9 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 54% of the year's precipitation (24.9 of 45.7 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 53 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (22); a normal September there has highs of 81°F and 4.4 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 46 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 82 nights a year. Snowfall averages 7.8 inches a year, most of it in January. That 45.7 inches is more than at 52 of the 109 Virginia stations used on this site (48%). Quinton, 12 miles southwest, has its own station (Richmond International Airport, VA): 45.5 inches a year, 0.2 less than here, and a July average high of 90°F against 88°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49 | 29 | 3.2 | 6 | 3.4 |
| Feb | 52 | 31 | 2.9 | 6 | 2.4 |
| Mar | 60 | 38 | 4.0 | 7 | 1.0 |
| Apr | 72 | 47 | 3.2 | 7 | 0.0 |
| May | 78 | 57 | 3.8 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 85 | 65 | 4.2 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 88 | 69 | 4.8 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 87 | 68 | 4.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 81 | 62 | 4.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 72 | 50 | 3.8 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 61 | 39 | 3.3 | 6 | 0.1 |
| Dec | 52 | 32 | 3.7 | 7 | 0.9 |
| Year | 70 | 49 | 45.7 | 76 | 7.8 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Walkerton 2 NW, VA (50 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 King William
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 163 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of King William: 113 thunderstorm wind reports, 27 heavy rain events, 13 flash floods, 9 floods and 1 lightning strike. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $505,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on July 29, 2021. August has had the most flash floods, 4 of 13. Of the 364 Virginia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 114 have had fewer than King William.
February 24, 2016: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of King William — $107,000 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
King William County, which includes King William, has been named in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1969, 17 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 hurricanes, 4 severe storms, 3 snowstorms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm, on March 11, 2022. FEMA's National Risk Index gives King William County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Low for hurricanes and coastal flooding; Very Low for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding, strong wind, lightning and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $6.3 million a year, the 83rd highest of 133 Virginia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $2.6 million (42%), 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 King William
- New Kent, VA7 mi
- Quinton, VA12 mi
- West Point, VA12 mi
- Aylett, VA13 mi
- Providence Forge, VA14 mi
- Lanexa, VA16 mi
- Sandston, VA17 mi
- Mechanicsville, VA17 mi
- Highland Springs, VA18 mi
- Dunnsville, VA19 mi
- Hanover, VA19 mi
- Tappahannock, VA20 mi
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