Tornadoes in Virginia
The Storm Prediction Center records 839 tornadoes that touched Virginia between 1951 and 2025, and 828 of them began there. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in every state it touched. They killed 40 people and injured 973. The busiest month is April, with 140 tornadoes.
- 839tornadoes
- 40deaths
- 973injuries
- 213per 10,000 sq mi of land
- 121counties touched
Tornadoes per 10,000 square miles lets you compare states of different sizes. It counts every tornado that touched the state.
How strong were Virginia's tornadoes?
| Rating | Tornadoes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | 342 | 41% |
| F1 / EF1 | 355 | 42% |
| F2 / EF2 | 104 | 12% |
| F3 / EF3 | 36 | 4% |
| F4 / EF4 | 2 | <1% |
| F5 / EF5 | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown rating | 0 | 0% |
Virginia tornadoes over time
The 2020s only run to 2025, so that bar is for a shorter period. The record starts in 1951.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 41 |
| 1960s | 41 |
| 1970s | 82 |
| 1980s | 57 |
| 1990s | 128 |
| 2000s | 243 |
| 2010s | 182 |
| 2020s | 65 |
The record has changed over the decades as detection and reporting improved, so more weak tornadoes show up in recent years than in the 1950s. The year with the most in Virginia was 2004, with 83.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 18 |
| Feb | 26 |
| Mar | 32 |
| Apr | 140 |
| May | 114 |
| Jun | 91 |
| Jul | 108 |
| Aug | 104 |
| Sep | 119 |
| Oct | 61 |
| Nov | 22 |
| Dec | 4 |
Deadliest tornadoes that touched Virginia
- Charlottesville, Virginia tornado30 September 1959, F3, 11 deaths, 4 injuries, 0.8 miles long
- Petersburg, Virginia tornado6 August 1993, F4, 4 deaths, 246 injuries, 1 mile long
- Abingdon, Virginia tornado27 April 2011, EF3, 3 deaths, 50 injuries, 19.6 miles long
- Waverly, Virginia tornado24 February 2016, EF1, 3 deaths, 8 injuries, 8.9 miles long
- Williamsburg, Virginia tornado16 April 2011, EF3, 2 deaths, 24 injuries, 26.5 miles long
- Ashland, Virginia tornado1 April 1998, F3, 2 deaths, 5 miles long
Strongest tornadoes that touched Virginia
- Petersburg, Virginia tornado6 August 1993, F4, 4 deaths, 246 injuries, 1 mile long
- Culpeper, Virginia tornado24 September 2001, F4, 2 injuries, 10 miles long
- Charlottesville, Virginia tornado30 September 1959, F3, 11 deaths, 4 injuries, 0.8 miles long
- Abingdon, Virginia tornado27 April 2011, EF3, 3 deaths, 50 injuries, 19.6 miles long
- Williamsburg, Virginia tornado16 April 2011, EF3, 2 deaths, 24 injuries, 26.5 miles long
- Ashland, Virginia tornado1 April 1998, F3, 2 deaths, 5 miles long
Most recent tornadoes in Virginia
- Virginia tornado9 November 2025, EF0, 0.5 miles long
- Virginia tornado4 September 2025, EF1, 0.3 miles long
- Virginia tornado30 May 2025, EF0, 0.8 miles long
- Virginia tornado5 March 2025, EF0, 0.4 miles long
- Virginia tornado27 September 2024, EF1, 0.2 miles long
Notable Virginia tornadoes with their own pages
- Charlottesville, Virginia tornado30 September 1959, F3, 11 deaths, 4 injuries, 0.8 miles long
- Petersburg, Virginia tornado6 August 1993, F4, 4 deaths, 246 injuries, 1 mile long
- Abingdon, Virginia tornado27 April 2011, EF3, 3 deaths, 50 injuries, 19.6 miles long
- Waverly, Virginia tornado24 February 2016, EF1, 3 deaths, 8 injuries, 8.9 miles long
- Williamsburg, Virginia tornado16 April 2011, EF3, 2 deaths, 24 injuries, 26.5 miles long
- Ashland, Virginia tornado1 April 1998, F3, 2 deaths, 5 miles long
- Arlington, Virginia tornado5 September 1979, F3, 1 death, 6 injuries, 17.9 miles long
- Appomattox, Virginia tornado24 February 2016, EF3, 1 death, 7 injuries, 16.9 miles long
- Saltville, Virginia tornado4 April 1974, F3, 1 death, 4 injuries, 8.4 miles long
- Middlesborough, Kentucky tornado9 May 1988, F3, 1 death, 15 injuries, 5 miles long
- King William, Virginia tornado18 October 1990, F3, 1 death, 5 miles long
- Stanardsville, Virginia tornado30 September 1959, F3, 1 death, 9 injuries, 2 miles long
Many of these tornadoes killed or injured people. The numbers are the official record's, and they may be revised.
Virginia counties
Every county that a tornado has touched is listed, most tornadoes first. 99 of them have at least 3 tornadoes and their own page.