Danville City, Virginia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Danville City, Virginia has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 68% of US counties. It ranks 16th of 133 counties in Virginia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $18 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $433 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 39 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $5.0 million on 164 claims here, including $3.4 million for floods in 2018.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Danville City
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 81.5 | $14M | ||
| Tornado | 61.5 | $1M | ||
| Hurricane | 76.6 | $853K | ||
| Earthquake | 64.2 | $399K | ||
| Cold wave | 31.0 | $302K | ||
| Strong wind | 42.4 | $301K | ||
| Heat wave | 50.9 | $265K | ||
| Hail | 52.9 | $201K | ||
| Lightning | 49.5 | $156K | ||
| Ice storm | 65.7 | $120K | ||
| Winter weather | 65.9 | $76K | ||
| Wildfire | 13.8 | $3K | ||
| Landslide | 34.7 | $306 |
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 high 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 Danville City. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 16
Virginia also had 6 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1976
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 159 storm reports in Danville City since 1976, with 2 deaths and 2 injuries and about $15.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF1 tornado on April 15, 2018 near Danville.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 15, 2018 | EF1 | Danville | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 12, 2004 | F1 | Danville | 1 / 0 |
| Oct 9, 1976 | n/a | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 11, 2018 | Flash Flood | Danville | $8M |
| Sep 22, 2018 | Flash Flood | Danville | $3M |
| Apr 15, 2018 | Tornado | Danville | $3M |
| Aug 12, 2004 | Tornado | Danville | $775K |
| Jun 14, 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Danville | $50K |
| Jun 21, 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Danville | $50K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 9, 2025. 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, 2 hurricanes and 16 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Danville City, 5 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with top winds near 85 mph about 59 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 1893 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 29, 1896 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 28, 1893 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 49 mi |
| Sep 6, 1996 | Fran | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 54 mi |
| Aug 17, 1955 | Diane | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 12, 1878 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 42 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 11, 2018 | Michael | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 48 mi |
| Sep 6, 1996 | Fran | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 54 mi |
| Sep 5, 1979 | David | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 17, 1955 | Diane | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 1, 1952 | Able | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 54 mi |
| Aug 29, 1949 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 46 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 Danville City
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 Danville City
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; 22,376 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsylvania County | 25 | |
| Caswell County, NC | 23 |
Cities in Danville City
Common questions about Danville City
What is the biggest natural hazard in Danville City?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Danville City, about $14.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.3 million.
How many federal disasters has Danville City had?
Danville City has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Danville City a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 16th 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 Danville City?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Danville 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 Danville City had?
NOAA records list 3 tornadoes in Danville City since 1950. The strongest was an EF1 tornado on April 15, 2018 near Danville. The weather service has also logged 20 hail reports and 37 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Danville City?
NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 16 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Danville City. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with winds near 85 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.