NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Waynesboro, 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
18 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Waynesboro, Virginia since 1851, 3 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 28 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 3
- Tropical storms
- 15
- Tornadoes
- 28
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
13 deaths in all
What the records show for Waynesboro
The strongest storm to pass near Waynesboro was Hazel in 1954, a Category 1 hurricane with 86 mph winds when its centre passed 61 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1896, whose centre came within 7 miles. The record near Waynesboro begins with an unnamed storm in 1878; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm 36 miles away. The 1890s and the 1950s were the busiest decades, with 3 systems each. Of the 18 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Waynesboro has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 33% of the 364 Virginia cities on this site. The strongest of the 28 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F3 on September 30, 1959; its path came within 15 miles, and it killed 11 people. Of the 28, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 16 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 8. The most recent tornado was on April 26, 2022. Of the 364 Virginia cities, 60% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Waynesboro. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 44 times since 1987, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Waynesboro has more hail reports within 10 miles than 49% of the 364 Virginia cities.
Compare Waynesboro's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Waynesboro
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2003 | IsabelSep 19 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 6 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 18 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1954 | HazelOct 15 | 61 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 18 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 19 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 20 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormAug 12 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 4 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 12 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 30 | 7 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 39 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 13 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 13 | 35 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 Waynesboro: 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 Waynesboro
By decade
- 2020s3
- 2010s5
- 2000s8
- 1990s3
- 1970s3
- 1960s2
- 1950s4(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 30, 1959 | F3 | 15 mi | 0.8 mi | 11 / 4 |
| May 4, 1990 | F2 | 24 mi | 7 mi | 2 / 10 |
| Nov 29, 1963 | F2 | 7 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 5, 1952 | F2 | 22 mi | 4.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 5, 1952 | F2 | 11 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Apr 26, 2022 | EF1 | in town | 5.98 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 28, 2011 | EF1 | 22 mi | 2.63 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 28, 2011 | EF1 | 18 mi | 4.01 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 30, 2005 | F1 | 13 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 19, 2000 | F1 | 19 mi | 11 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 13, 2000 | F1 | 20 mi | 4 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jul 31, 1999 | F1 | 8 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 28, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Waynesboro
The Storm Prediction Center has 44 hail reports within 10 miles of Waynesboro since 1987, made on 28 separate days. Of these, 29 were 1 inch across or larger, and 5 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on August 24, 1989. The most recent report is from August 7, 2023. June has the most reports, 14.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Waynesboro
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Waynesboro Wtp, VA, 1 mile east of Waynesboro at 1,270 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 86°F and low of 63°F; January is the coolest, at 44°F and 23°F. September is the wettest at 5.5 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.8 inches; the year adds up to 45.4 inches over 78 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 55% of the year's precipitation (24.8 of 45.4 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 18 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (7); a normal September there has highs of 78°F and 5.5 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 18 days a year, almost all from June to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 120 nights a year. That 45.4 inches is more than at 48 of the 109 Virginia stations used on this site (44%). Verona, 10 miles northwest, has its own station (Staunton Wtp, VA): 40.8 inches a year, 4.6 less than here, and a July average high of 84°F against 86°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44 | 23 | 3.2 | 5 |
| Feb | 48 | 25 | 2.8 | 5 |
| Mar | 55 | 31 | 4.1 | 6 |
| Apr | 66 | 40 | 3.9 | 7 |
| May | 74 | 50 | 3.6 | 9 |
| Jun | 82 | 59 | 4.5 | 8 |
| Jul | 86 | 63 | 3.7 | 7 |
| Aug | 85 | 61 | 3.7 | 8 |
| Sep | 78 | 55 | 5.5 | 6 |
| Oct | 68 | 43 | 3.4 | 6 |
| Nov | 56 | 33 | 4.0 | 5 |
| Dec | 47 | 27 | 3.0 | 6 |
| Year | 66 | 42 | 45.4 | 78 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Waynesboro Wtp, VA (1,270 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 Waynesboro
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 216 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Waynesboro: 147 thunderstorm wind reports, 53 floods and 16 flash floods. They killed 4 people and injured 0, and the NWS estimated $1.3 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on August 14, 2021. June has had the most flash floods, 7 of 16. Of the 364 Virginia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 143 have had fewer than Waynesboro.
April 16, 2011: flood 2 miles from the centre of Waynesboro — 2 killed.
NWS: “Child and adult swept into Rockfish Run from the Kirby Street Bridge.”
July 28, 1999: thunderstorm wind 1 mile from the centre of Waynesboro — 1 killed, $500 damage.
NWS: “48 year old woman killed by falling tree”
May 13, 2025: flash flood 5 miles from the centre of Waynesboro — 1 killed.
NWS: “Twelve year old boy perished after being swept away by rushing floodwaters in a headwater of Stockton Creek. Stockton Creek was overflowing onto roads and fields several feet deep.”
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 Waynesboro's ZIP code 22980 have filed 378 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $6.2 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Flooding in 1985: 164 claims (43% of all) and $3.1 million, then Hurricane Isabel in 2003 with 70 and Hurricane Fran in 1996 with 67. The year with the most claims was 1996, with 140. 83% 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, 168 have fewer than Waynesboro.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Flooding1985 | 164 | $3.1 million |
| Hurricane Isabel2003 | 70 | $1.3 million |
| Hurricane Fran1996 | 67 | $1.4 million |
Waynesboro city, which includes Waynesboro, has been named in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 9 of them major disasters (by incident: 5 hurricanes, 4 snowstorms, 3 floods, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on April 2, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Waynesboro City a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Low for hurricanes, strong wind and lightning; Very Low for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $6.2 million a year, the 86th highest of 133 Virginia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $4.5 million (74%), 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.