Home › Virginia › Harrisonburg City

Harrisonburg City, Virginia

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

Very Low overall risk
67th of 133highest risk in Virginia
$9Mexpected losses a year
12federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Harrisonburg City, Virginia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 73% of US counties. It ranks 67th of 133 counties in Virginia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, strong wind and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $9.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $174 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (57 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $762,000 on 55 claims here.

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

Top risks in Harrisonburg City

$5.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.

Strong wind

Moderate
$774,587 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
  • Have trees near the house checked.
$638,811 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 15 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 floodingLow44.2
$6M
Strong windModerate61.1
$775K
HurricaneLow70.6
$639K
EarthquakeLow65.1
$621K
TornadoVery Low23.2
$319K
LightningModerate58.0
$318K
Heat waveLow41.2
$249K
Cold waveVery Low16.3
$173K
HailLow37.0
$163K
Winter weatherLow44.5
$55K
Ice stormVery Low23.6
$22K
WildfireVery Low10.6
$3K
LandslideVery Low26.3
$227

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 low 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 Harrisonburg City. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane5
Flood3
Snowstorm2
Severe Storm1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Jan 23, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 11, 2018Hurricane FlorenceEmergency
Oct 29, 2012Hurricane SandyEmergency
Jul 27, 2012Severe Storms and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Sep 12, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 18, 2003Hurricane IsabelMajor disaster
Sep 6, 1996Hurricane Fran and Associated Severe Storm CondMajor disaster
Jan 27, 1996Flooding, High Winds, and Wind Driven RainMajor disaster
Jan 13, 1996Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm)Major disaster
Mar 25, 1993Severe Winter StormEmergency
Show all 12
Nov 9, 1985Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 23, 1972Tropical Storm AgnesMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1980

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 63 storm reports in Harrisonburg City since 1980, with 0 deaths and 1 injury and about $638,000 in reported damage. No tornadoes are on record here.

0tornadoes
6hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
32damaging thunderstorm winds
22floods and flash floods

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 30, 2025Thunderstorm WindHarrisonburg$250K
Aug 3, 2002Thunderstorm WindHarrisonburg$150K
Nov 16, 2006Thunderstorm WindHarrisonburg$55K
Jun 23, 2006Thunderstorm WindHarrisonburg$50K
Jul 4, 2026Thunderstorm WindPark View$50K
Jul 21, 2020Thunderstorm WindHarrisonburg$20K

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 1893, 1 hurricane and 7 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Harrisonburg City, 4 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with top winds near 80 mph about 45 miles away.

1hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
7tropical storms
2003most recent: Isabel

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 13, 1893UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph45 mi
Sep 19, 2003IsabelTropical storm, 65 mph63 mi
Aug 29, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph58 mi
Aug 29, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph40 mi
Sep 1, 1952AbleTropical storm, 55 mph61 mi
Aug 18, 1955DianeTropical storm, 55 mph59 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 19, 2003IsabelTropical storm, 65 mph63 mi
Sep 6, 1979DavidTropical storm, 45 mph47 mi
Aug 18, 1955DianeTropical storm, 55 mph59 mi
Sep 1, 1952AbleTropical storm, 55 mph61 mi
Aug 29, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph40 mi
Aug 4, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph60 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 Harrisonburg City

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (57 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$761,720paid on 55 flood claims since 1978
2018costliest year, with $343,943 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 Harrisonburg City

$299,100median home value (Virginia $383,700, US $332,700)
1987median year homes were built (Virginia 1984, US 1980)
38%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
0.7%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; 18,667 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
Rockingham CountyLow19

Cities in Harrisonburg City

Common questions about Harrisonburg City

What is the biggest natural hazard in Harrisonburg City?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Harrisonburg City, about $5.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Strong wind is second at $774,587.

How many federal disasters has Harrisonburg City had?

Harrisonburg City has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Harrisonburg City a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 67th 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 Harrisonburg City?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Harrisonburg 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 Harrisonburg City had?

NOAA records list 0 tornadoes in Harrisonburg City since 1950. The weather service has also logged 6 hail reports and 22 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Harrisonburg City?

NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 7 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Harrisonburg City. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with winds near 80 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.