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Louisa County, Virginia

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

Very Low overall risk
61st of 133highest risk in Virginia
$10Mexpected losses a year
23federal declarations
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Louisa County, Virginia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 68% of US counties. It ranks 61st of 133 counties in Virginia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $10 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $268 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (16 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 1 home here carries federal flood insurance.

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

Top risks in Louisa County

$4.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.
$1.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 10 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.
$1.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 345 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow38.5
$4M
HurricaneLow79.8
$2M
EarthquakeLow76.4
$1M
TornadoLow33.3
$603K
Strong windLow51.0
$551K
LightningModerate73.6
$543K
DroughtModerate68.2
$457K
Heat waveLow41.6
$241K
HailVery Low27.6
$104K
Ice stormLow30.7
$32K
Cold waveVery Low5.8
$27K
Winter weatherVery Low11.8
$9K
WildfireVery Low22.7
$9K
LandslideVery Low33.2
$381

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 high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane7
Snowstorm6
Severe Storm4
Flood2
Drought1
Earthquake1

Most recent

Jan 23, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Mar 11, 2022Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
May 10, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Sep 11, 2018Hurricane FlorenceEmergency
Mar 7, 2016Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Oct 29, 2012Hurricane SandyEmergency
Jul 27, 2012Severe Storms and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Nov 4, 2011EarthquakeMajor disaster
Aug 26, 2011Hurricane IreneEmergency
Apr 27, 2010Severe Winter Storms and SnowstormsMajor disaster
Show all 23
Feb 16, 2010Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Sep 12, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
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
Apr 11, 1994Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Mar 10, 1994Severe Ice Storms, FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 25, 1993Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jul 23, 1977DroughtEmergency
Oct 10, 1972Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 23, 1972Tropical Storm AgnesMajor disaster
Aug 23, 1969Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1960

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 365 storm reports in Louisa County since 1960, with 1 death and 1 injury and about $2.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on August 9, 1962.

15tornadoes
53hail reports, largest 3 inches
236damaging thunderstorm winds
23floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Aug 9, 1962F2–0 / 0
Apr 19, 2019EF2Frederick Hall0 / 0
Oct 13, 1983F1–0 / 0
May 5, 1989F1–0 / 0
Oct 13, 2011EF1Waldrop0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 29, 2012Thunderstorm WindLouisa$350K
Aug 9, 1962Tornado–$250K
Oct 13, 1983Tornado–$250K
May 5, 1989Tornado–$250K
Apr 19, 2019TornadoFrederick Hall$200K
Oct 13, 2011TornadoWaldrop$175K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 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 1876, 2 hurricanes and 12 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Louisa County, 4 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1878, with top winds near 100 mph about 64 miles away.

2hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
12tropical storms
2003most recent: Isabel

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 23, 1878UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph64 mi
Oct 13, 1893UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph39 mi
Sep 17, 1876UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph50 mi
Aug 23, 1933UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph60 mi
Sep 19, 2003IsabelTropical storm, 70 mph45 mi
Aug 29, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph57 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 19, 2003IsabelTropical storm, 70 mph45 mi
Sep 6, 1979DavidTropical storm, 45 mph64 mi
Aug 18, 1955DianeTropical storm, 55 mph61 mi
Sep 1, 1952AbleTropical storm, 55 mph57 mi
Aug 29, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph57 mi
Aug 2, 1944UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph64 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 Louisa County

Check your address flood zone ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (1 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$36,477paid on 4 flood claims since 1978
1992costliest year, with $33,351 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 Louisa County

$315,300median home value (Virginia $383,700, US $332,700)
1995median year homes were built (Virginia 1984, US 1980)
26%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
9.8%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; 18,366 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
Spotsylvania CountyLow17
Albemarle CountyLow23
Hanover CountyLow20
Orange CountyVery Low20
Fluvanna CountyVery Low21
Goochland CountyVery Low19

Common questions about Louisa County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Louisa County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Louisa County, about $4.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $1.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Louisa County had?

Louisa County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Louisa County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 61st 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 Louisa County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Louisa County had?

NOAA records list 15 tornadoes in Louisa County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on August 9, 1962. The weather service has also logged 53 hail reports and 23 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Louisa County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 12 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Louisa 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.