County Hazards

States › Virginia › Campbell County › Tornado

Tornado in Campbell County, Virginia

11 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.

11 events · 0 deaths recorded · peak month April · county share of state 1.2%

2019-05-11: Tornado2018-04-15: Tornado2018-04-15: Tornado2016-02-24: Tornado2009-07-17: Tornado2004-09-17: Tornado2004-09-17: Tornado2002-04-28: Tornado2000-04-17: Tornado1989-06-21: Tornado1984-03-21: Tornado
Tornado event locations in and around Campbell County. Dots: Tornado event locations in the kept record. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.

Campbell County, Virginia, has 11 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 9 different years.

April is the busiest month, with 4 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 5 events against 5 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.

The county holds 1.2% of the 913 tornado events recorded in Virginia; its 2.2 per 100 square miles compares with 2.3 statewide.

By rating: 4 at (E)F0, 5 at (E)F1, 2 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.

Compared with Virginia

MeasureCampbell CountyVirginiaUS
Tornado events since 19501191381,281
Per 100 square miles2.22.32.3
Per 10,000 residents2.01.12.4
Deaths recorded0396,410
Busiest monthAprilAprilMay

By year

195019882026
Tornado events recorded in Campbell County per year, 1950 to 2026 (2026 is partial).

Seasonality

Jan
0
Feb
1
Mar
1
Apr
4
May
1
Jun
1
Jul
1
Aug
0
Sep
2
Oct
0
Nov
0
Dec
0
Tornado events in Campbell County by month of occurrence, all years.

Magnitude distribution

EF0/F04
EF1/F15
EF2/F22
EF3/F30
EF4/F40
EF5/F50
Unrated0
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
EF0/F0
65–85 mph (EF0)
EF1/F1
86–110 mph (EF1)
EF2/F2
111–135 mph (EF2)
EF3/F3
136–165 mph (EF3)
EF4/F4
166–200 mph (EF4)
EF5/F5
over 200 mph (EF5)
Unrated
no rating recorded

Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).

Recorded events

All 11 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.

DateEvent typeMagnitudeProperty damageCrop damageDeathsInjuriesGeography
11 May 2019TornadoEF1$65K———County
15 Apr 2018TornadoEF2$6.1M——3County
15 Apr 2018TornadoEF1$100K———County
24 Feb 2016TornadoEF0$10K———County
17 Jul 2009TornadoEF0$20K———County
17 Sep 2004TornadoF1————County
17 Sep 2004TornadoF1————County
28 Apr 2002TornadoF2$3.0M——11County
17 Apr 2000TornadoF0————County
21 Jun 1989TornadoF0————County
21 Mar 1984TornadoF1$250K———County

Questions and answers

How many tornado events has Campbell County had?

11 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.

When was the last recorded tornado event in Campbell County?

11 May 2019 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.

What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Campbell County?

The tornado of 15 Apr 2018, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $6.1M.

How does Campbell County compare with Virginia for tornado?

2.2 events per 100 square miles against 2.3 statewide; the county holds 11 of the state's 913 recorded events.

Provenance

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.