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Colonial Heights City, Virginia

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

Very Low overall risk
119th of 133highest risk in Virginia
$4Mexpected losses a year
13federal declarations
1 in 143homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Colonial Heights City, Virginia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 94% of US counties. It ranks 119th of 133 counties in Virginia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $4.3 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $237 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 44 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.2 million on 79 claims here, including $696,000 for floods in 1999.

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

Top risks in Colonial Heights City

$3.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.

Tornado

Very Low
$346,013 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 225 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
$240,267 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 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
Inland floodingVery Low19.6
$3M
TornadoVery Low21.6
$346K
HurricaneLow59.0
$240K
EarthquakeVery Low41.1
$211K
Heat waveVery Low29.3
$164K
Strong windVery Low9.6
$89K
LightningVery Low13.5
$60K
Coastal floodingVery Low43.0
$42K
Ice stormLow28.5
$37K
Winter weatherVery Low23.0
$27K
HailVery Low5.2
$17K
Cold waveVery Low3.4
$2K
WildfireVery Low1.7
$856
LandslideVery Low1.4
$2

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 very low and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Colonial Heights City. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane6
Snowstorm2
Severe Storm2
Flood1
Freezing1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Jan 23, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 11, 2018Hurricane FlorenceEmergency
Oct 29, 2012Hurricane SandyEmergency
Sep 3, 2011Hurricane IreneMajor disaster
Sep 12, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 3, 2004Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes Associated W Td GastonMajor disaster
Sep 18, 2003Hurricane IsabelMajor disaster
Feb 28, 2000Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Sep 18, 1999Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsMajor disaster
Jan 13, 1996Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm)Major disaster
Show all 13
Mar 25, 1993Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jan 26, 1977Ice ConditionsMajor disaster
Jun 23, 1972Tropical Storm AgnesMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1979

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 83 storm reports in Colonial Heights City since 1979, with 0 deaths and 21 injuries and about $3.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF1 tornado on April 28, 2008 near Colonial Hgts.

1tornadoes
11hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
28damaging thunderstorm winds
20floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 28, 2008EF1Colonial Hgts21 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 28, 2008TornadoColonial Hgts$2M
Sep 16, 1999Flash FloodColonial Hgts$1M
Jun 29, 2012Thunderstorm WindColonial Hgts$100K
Jun 13, 2013Thunderstorm WindColonial Hgts$75K
Jul 13, 2025Flash FloodColonial Hgts$50K
May 2, 2002Thunderstorm WindColonial Hgts$25K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 26, 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 22 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Colonial Heights City, 11 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1878, with top winds near 100 mph about 37 miles away.

5hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
22tropical storms
2023most recent: Ophelia

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 23, 1878UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph37 mi
Oct 13, 1893UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph60 mi
Sep 18, 2003IsabelCategory 1, 80 mph57 mi
Aug 23, 1933UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph59 mi
Sep 17, 1876UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph62 mi
Jul 13, 1996BerthaTropical storm, 70 mph61 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 2023OpheliaTropical storm, 45 mph61 mi
Jul 9, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 55 mph57 mi
Aug 4, 2020IsaiasTropical storm, 70 mph63 mi
Sep 6, 2008HannaTropical storm, 50 mph61 mi
Aug 30, 2004GastonTropical storm, 40 mph44 mi
Sep 18, 2003IsabelCategory 1, 80 mph57 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 Colonial Heights City

Check your address flood zone ›
0.7%of homes have federal flood insurance (44 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1.2 millionpaid on 79 flood claims since 1978
1999costliest year, with $695,835 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 Colonial Heights City

$246,600median home value (Virginia $383,700, US $332,700)
1970median year homes were built (Virginia 1984, US 1980)
72%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
0.5%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; 8,114 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
Petersburg CityVery Low15

Common questions about Colonial Heights City

What is the biggest natural hazard in Colonial Heights City?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Colonial Heights City, about $3.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $346,013.

How many federal disasters has Colonial Heights City had?

Colonial Heights City has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Colonial Heights City a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 119th 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 Colonial Heights City?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 143 homes in Colonial Heights City 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 Colonial Heights City had?

NOAA records list 1 tornadoes in Colonial Heights City since 1950. The strongest was an EF1 tornado on April 28, 2008 near Colonial Hgts. The weather service has also logged 11 hail reports and 20 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Colonial Heights City?

NOAA's hurricane records show 5 hurricanes and 22 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Colonial Heights City. 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 city, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.