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Amelia County, Virginia

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
101st of 133highest risk in Virginia
$5Mexpected losses a year
20federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: Aleatoric Consonance, CC BY 2.0

Amelia County, Virginia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 88% of US counties. It ranks 101st of 133 counties in Virginia. The costliest hazards here are drought, inland flooding and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $5.1 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $386 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 5 homes here carry federal flood insurance.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Amelia County

$2.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 8 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
$1.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 years.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
$473,567 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 9 years.
  • Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
  • Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
DroughtHigh94.5
$2M
Inland floodingVery Low11.4
$1M
HurricaneLow67.8
$474K
EarthquakeVery Low49.5
$260K
TornadoVery Low19.8
$223K
Strong windVery Low13.0
$101K
Heat waveVery Low25.5
$99K
HailVery Low20.5
$71K
LightningVery Low16.7
$56K
Cold waveVery Low7.0
$39K
Ice stormVery Low24.5
$23K
Winter weatherVery Low18.9
$16K
WildfireVery Low6.3
$2K
LandslideVery Low19.5
$107

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively moderate and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Amelia County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane7
Severe Storm4
Snowstorm3
Flood2
Drought2
Severe Ice Storm1

Most recent

Jan 23, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Apr 4, 2025Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 11, 2022Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
May 10, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Dec 18, 2018Tropical Storm MichaelMajor disaster
Sep 11, 2018Hurricane FlorenceEmergency
Oct 29, 2012Hurricane SandyEmergency
Jul 27, 2012Severe Storms and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Sep 3, 2011Hurricane IreneMajor disaster
Sep 12, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Show all 20
Sep 18, 2003Hurricane IsabelMajor disaster
Feb 28, 2000Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Sep 6, 1996Hurricane Fran and Associated Severe Storm CondMajor disaster
Jan 13, 1996Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm)Major disaster
Mar 10, 1994Severe Ice Storms, FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 25, 1993Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jul 23, 1977DroughtEmergency
Oct 15, 1976DroughtEmergency
Oct 10, 1972Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 23, 1972Tropical Storm AgnesMajor disaster

Virginia also had 6 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1975

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 241 storm reports in Amelia County since 1975, with 0 deaths and 4 injuries and about $3.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 4, 1990.

11tornadoes
31hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
162damaging thunderstorm winds
13floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 4, 1990F3–0 / 0
Oct 11, 2018EF2Mannboro0 / 0
Oct 13, 1983F1–0 / 0
Jan 12, 2018EF1Amelia Hill Top Arpt0 / 0
May 9, 2003F1Amelia0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 4, 1990Tornado–$3M
Oct 13, 1983Tornado–$250K
Nov 16, 1989Tornado–$250K
Oct 11, 2018TornadoMannboro$250K
Jun 29, 2012Thunderstorm WindAmelia$90K
Jan 12, 2018TornadoAmelia Hill Top Arpt$30K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Mar 16, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1859, 5 hurricanes and 18 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Amelia County, 8 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1878, with top winds near 100 mph about 62 miles away.

5hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
18tropical storms
2023most recent: Ophelia

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 23, 1878UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph62 mi
Oct 13, 1893UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph39 mi
Sep 30, 1896UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph60 mi
Sep 17, 1876UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph56 mi
Sep 18, 2003IsabelCategory 1, 75 mph46 mi
Aug 4, 2020IsaiasTropical storm, 70 mph55 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 2023OpheliaTropical storm, 45 mph65 mi
Jul 9, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 55 mph53 mi
Aug 4, 2020IsaiasTropical storm, 70 mph55 mi
Sep 6, 2008HannaTropical storm, 50 mph51 mi
Aug 30, 2004GastonTropical storm, 40 mph60 mi
Sep 18, 2003IsabelCategory 1, 75 mph46 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in Amelia County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (5 policies)
6.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$123,035paid on 7 flood claims since 1978
2018costliest year, with $65,697 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Amelia County

$282,400median home value (Virginia $383,700, US $332,700)
1993median year homes were built (Virginia 1984, US 1980)
31%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
19.4%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 5,815 housing units.

Compare in Virginia

All 133 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Fairfax CountyHighInland flooding
Prince William CountyModerateInland flooding
Virginia Beach CityLowHurricane
Loudoun CountyLowInland flooding
Chesterfield CountyModerateInland flooding
Henrico CountyModerateInland flooding
Chesapeake CityLowInland flooding
Arlington CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Chesterfield CountyModerate23
Powhatan CountyVery Low22
Dinwiddie CountyVery Low20
Prince Edward CountyVery Low20
Nottoway CountyVery Low20
Cumberland CountyVery Low21

Common questions about Amelia County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Amelia County?

Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Amelia County, about $2.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Amelia County had?

Amelia County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Amelia County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 101st highest of 133 in Virginia. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Amelia County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Amelia County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Amelia County had?

NOAA records list 11 tornadoes in Amelia County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 4, 1990. The weather service has also logged 31 hail reports and 13 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Amelia County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 5 hurricanes and 18 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Amelia County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1878, with winds near 100 mph.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.