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Flood in Lancaster County, Virginia
55 floods and flash floods events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Flood, Flash Flood, Coastal Flood, Lakeshore Flood.
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.
Lancaster County, Virginia, has 55 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 18 different years.
October is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 49 events against 6 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.7% of the 8,165 flood events recorded in Virginia; its 41.3 per 100 square miles compares with 20.7 statewide.
Compared with Virginia
| Measure | Lancaster County | Virginia | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 55 | 8,165 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 41.3 | 20.7 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 50.3 | 9.4 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 64 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | October | September | June |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
2Mar
2Apr
0May
1Jun
11Jul
8Aug
2Sep
10Oct
13Nov
2Dec
1
Recorded events
All 55 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Oct 2025 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Oct 2025 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Oct 2025 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Aug 2025 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 2024 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Oct 2024 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Sep 2024 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Jul 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2023 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Sep 2023 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Oct 2022 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Jul 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2022 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Jan 2022 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Oct 2021 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Oct 2021 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jun 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Oct 2019 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Oct 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Feb 2016 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Oct 2015 | Coastal Flood | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Oct 2013 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Oct 2012 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Oct 2012 | Coastal Flood | — | $200K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Aug 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Dec 2009 | Coastal Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Nov 2009 | Coastal Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Sep 2006 | Coastal Flood | — | $160K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Sep 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Feb 1998 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Jan 1998 | Coastal Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Jan 1996 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Lancaster County had?
55 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of floods and flash floods became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded flood event in Lancaster County?
28 Oct 2025 (Coastal Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Lancaster County?
The coastal flood of 2 Oct 2015, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.0M.
How does Lancaster County compare with Virginia for flood?
41.3 events per 100 square miles against 20.7 statewide; the county holds 55 of the state's 8,165 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 Flood hub and the county page.