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Flood in Nelson County, Virginia
129 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.
Nelson County, Virginia, has 129 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 26 different years.
August is the busiest month, with 34 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 104 events against 25 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.6% of the 8,165 flood events recorded in Virginia; its 27.4 per 100 square miles compares with 20.7 statewide.
Compared with Virginia
| Measure | Nelson County | Virginia | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 129 | 8,165 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 27.4 | 20.7 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 87.2 | 9.4 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 64 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | August | September | June |
By year
Seasonality
8Feb
4Mar
2Apr
6May
12Jun
14Jul
10Aug
34Sep
28Oct
3Nov
4Dec
4
Recorded events
All 129 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2025 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Sep 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Sep 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2022 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2022 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 2021 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Dec 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Dec 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Feb 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2016 | Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2016 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2016 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2016 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Dec 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Oct 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Sep 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Sep 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jan 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 2007 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Jan 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Aug 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Nov 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2003 | Flash Flood | — | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 2003 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Aug 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 1999 | Flash Flood | — | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 1999 | Flash Flood | — | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Feb 1998 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jan 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 1996 | Flash Flood | — | $1.0M | $50K | — | — | County |
| 19 Jan 1996 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Nelson County had?
129 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 Nelson County?
15 Jul 2025 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Nelson County?
The flash flood of 6 Sep 1996, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.0M and crop damage at $50K.
How does Nelson County compare with Virginia for flood?
27.4 events per 100 square miles against 20.7 statewide; the county holds 129 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.