Cumberland County, Virginia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Cumberland County, Virginia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 80% of US counties. It ranks 78th 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 $531 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 8 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $302,000 on 11 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Cumberland County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 96.5 | $2M | ||
| Inland flooding | 16.5 | $1M | ||
| Hurricane | 72.9 | $555K | ||
| Earthquake | 60.5 | $331K | ||
| Tornado | 17.6 | $136K | ||
| Strong wind | 17.8 | $110K | ||
| Heat wave | 22.3 | $53K | ||
| Lightning | 20.5 | $50K | ||
| Hail | 13.7 | $32K | ||
| Ice storm | 29.3 | $22K | ||
| Cold wave | 5.9 | $20K | ||
| Winter weather | 14.4 | $8K | ||
| Wildfire | 8.1 | $2K | ||
| Landslide | 28.1 | $186 |
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 high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Cumberland County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 21
Virginia also had 6 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1977
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 160 storm reports in Cumberland County since 1977 and about $911,000 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF1 tornado on April 27, 2011 near Kimberley Hills.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF1 | Kimberley Hills | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 12, 1977 | n/a | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | – | $500K |
| Apr 26, 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cartersville | $150K |
| Apr 27, 2011 | Tornado | Kimberley Hills | $40K |
| Jul 12, 1977 | Tornado | – | $25K |
| Jul 5, 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cumberland | $14K |
| May 9, 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cumberland | $10K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 5, 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 13 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Cumberland County, 5 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1878, with top winds near 100 mph about 64 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 23, 1878 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 13, 1893 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 47 mi |
| Sep 30, 1896 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 55 mi |
| Sep 18, 2003 | Isabel | Category 1, 75 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 17, 1876 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 29, 1893 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 50 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 18, 2003 | Isabel | Category 1, 75 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 6, 1996 | Fran | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 6, 1979 | David | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 18, 1955 | Diane | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 1, 1952 | Able | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 56 mi |
| Aug 29, 1949 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 63 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 Cumberland County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Cumberland County
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; 4,736 housing units.
Compare in Virginia
All 133 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Fairfax County | Inland flooding | |
| Prince William County | Inland flooding | |
| Virginia Beach City | Hurricane | |
| Loudoun County | Inland flooding | |
| Chesterfield County | Inland flooding | |
| Henrico County | Inland flooding | |
| Chesapeake City | Inland flooding | |
| Arlington County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Powhatan County | 22 | |
| Fluvanna County | 21 | |
| Goochland County | 19 | |
| Prince Edward County | 20 | |
| Buckingham County | 21 | |
| Amelia County | 20 |
Common questions about Cumberland County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Cumberland County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Cumberland County, about $2.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.4 million.
How many federal disasters has Cumberland County had?
Cumberland County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Cumberland County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 78th 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 Cumberland County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Cumberland 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 Cumberland County had?
NOAA records list 2 tornadoes in Cumberland County since 1950. The strongest was an EF1 tornado on April 27, 2011 near Kimberley Hills. The weather service has also logged 25 hail reports and 9 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Cumberland County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 5 hurricanes and 13 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Cumberland 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.