NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Stanley, 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
19 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Stanley, Virginia since 1851, 3 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 33 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 3
- Tropical storms
- 16
- Tornadoes
- 33
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
1 deaths in all
What the records show for Stanley
The strongest storm to pass near Stanley was an unnamed storm in 1878, a Category 1 hurricane with 93 mph winds when its centre passed 72 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1893, whose centre came within 21 miles. The record near Stanley begins with an unnamed storm in 1876; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm 56 miles away. Of the 19 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Stanley has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 33% of the 364 Virginia cities on this site. The highest rating among the 33 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on March 21, 1976, came within 17 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on September 30, 1959, killed 1 person. Of the 33, 2 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 19 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 7. The most recent tornado was on May 30, 2025. Of the 364 Virginia cities, 55% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Stanley. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 42 times since 1996, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 364 Virginia cities, 52% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Stanley.
Compare Stanley's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Stanley
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2003 | IsabelSep 19 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 6 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 18 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1954 | HazelOct 15 | 47 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 19 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormAug 24 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 20 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 4 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 12 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 30 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 21 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 13 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 72 mi | Category 1 (93 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 13 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormSep 18 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Stanley: 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 Stanley
By decade
- 2020s2
- 2010s5
- 2000s12
- 1990s5
- 1980s1
- 1970s4(1 EF3+)
- 1960s2
- 1950s2(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 30, 1959 | F3 | 19 mi | 2 mi | 1 / 9 |
| Mar 21, 1976 | F3 | 17 mi | 5.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 28, 2011 | EF2 | 20 mi | 33.51 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 17, 2004 | F2 | 7 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 17, 2004 | F2 | 20 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Apr 28, 2002 | F2 | 9 mi | 4 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jun 12, 1976 | F2 | 21 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 6, 1960 | F2 | 9 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 5, 1952 | F2 | 13 mi | 4.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 19, 2013 | EF1 | 18 mi | 0.75 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 28, 2011 | EF1 | 20 mi | 2.63 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 28, 2011 | EF1 | 18 mi | 0.86 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 33, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Stanley
The Storm Prediction Center has 42 hail reports within 10 miles of Stanley since 1996, made on 27 separate days. Of these, 19 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on June 3, 2009. The most recent report is from May 30, 2025. June has the most reports, 19.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Stanley
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Luray 5 E, VA, 10 miles northeast of Stanley at 1,400 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 85°F and low of 62°F; January is the coolest, at 43°F and 23°F. September is the wettest at 5.4 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.5 inches; the year adds up to 44.3 inches over 76 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 55% of the year's precipitation (24.5 of 44.3 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 19 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (7); a normal September there has highs of 78°F and 5.4 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 25 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 112 nights a year. Snowfall averages 18.6 inches a year, most of it in March. That 44.3 inches is more than at 36 of the 109 Virginia stations used on this site (33%). Shenandoah, 8 miles southwest, has its own station (Dale Enterprise, VA): 38.9 inches a year, 5.4 less than here, and a July average high of 86°F against 85°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43 | 23 | 2.9 | 5 | 6.1 |
| Feb | 47 | 26 | 2.5 | 5 | 2.7 |
| Mar | 55 | 32 | 3.6 | 6 | 6.2 |
| Apr | 67 | 41 | 3.5 | 7 | 0.1 |
| May | 74 | 50 | 4.2 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 81 | 58 | 4.8 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 85 | 62 | 4.1 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 83 | 61 | 3.8 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 78 | 54 | 5.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 67 | 43 | 3.2 | 5 | 0.1 |
| Nov | 57 | 34 | 3.2 | 6 | 0.4 |
| Dec | 47 | 28 | 3.1 | 6 | 3.0 |
| Year | 65 | 43 | 44.3 | 76 | 18.6 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Luray 5 E, VA (1,400 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 Stanley
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 199 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Stanley: 149 thunderstorm wind reports, 35 floods and 15 flash floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $2.2 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 90 mph, on June 4, 2008. July has had the most flash floods, 7 of 15. Of the 364 Virginia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 137 have had fewer than Stanley.
June 22, 2026: thunderstorm wind 5 miles from the centre of Stanley — $1.0 million damage.
NWS: “ Along that path that passed through the towns of Leaksville and|Stony Man, there were many trees snapped and uprooted. Peak winds of 85 mph were estimated around Mill Creek Rd, Rodeo|Drive, and Mt.”
June 4, 2008: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Stanley — $237,000 damage.
August 25, 2007: thunderstorm wind 1 mile from the centre of Stanley — $175,000 damage.
NWS: “Page County Emergency Management reported numerous trees down at the intersection of Old Stanley Road and Forest Drive and Old Stanley Road as well as Pond Avenue. Ten homes were damaged by trees and one storage facility was destroyed.”
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 Stanley's ZIP code 22851 have filed 23 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1985, and were paid $184,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 91% 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, 54 have fewer than Stanley.
Page County, which includes Stanley, has been named in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 15 of them major disasters (by incident: 5 floods, 5 hurricanes, 5 snowstorms, 3 severe storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Winter Storms and Flooding, on April 4, 2025. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Page County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for strong wind; Relatively Low for hurricanes, hail, inland flooding and lightning; Very Low for tornadoes and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $9.6 million a year, the 55th highest of 133 Virginia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $6.5 million (68%), 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 Stanley
- Luray, VA7 mi
- Shenandoah, VA8 mi
- New Market, VA10 mi
- Elkton, VA13 mi
- Timberville, VA15 mi
- Broadway, VA17 mi
- Madison, VA17 mi
- Mount Jackson, VA17 mi
- Mcgaheysville, VA17 mi
- Stanardsville, VA19 mi
- Edinburg, VA19 mi
- Harrisonburg, VA21 mi
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