Prince Edward County, Virginia
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Prince Edward 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 59th of 133 counties in Virginia. The costliest hazards here are drought, inland flooding and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $7.1 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $332 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 13 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $461,000 on 40 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Prince Edward 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 | 97.6 | $3M | ||
| Inland flooding | 25.3 | $2M | ||
| Hurricane | 76.5 | $817K | ||
| Earthquake | 65.2 | $415K | ||
| Tornado | 26.6 | $274K | ||
| Cold wave | 26.4 | $239K | ||
| Strong wind | 29.7 | $196K | ||
| Heat wave | 36.0 | $127K | ||
| Lightning | 38.4 | $102K | ||
| Hail | 22.1 | $54K | ||
| Winter weather | 33.5 | $24K | ||
| Ice storm | 30.0 | $22K | ||
| Wildfire | 12.8 | $3K | ||
| Landslide | 42.4 | $534 |
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 low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Prince Edward County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 20
Virginia also had 6 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1957
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 287 storm reports in Prince Edward County since 1957, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries and about $922,500 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on October 13, 1983.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 1983 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF1 | Rice | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 1983 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Jun 29, 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Farmville | $140K |
| May 5, 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Farmville | $100K |
| Jun 6, 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Rice | $50K |
| Jun 13, 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Farmville Muni Arpt | $20K |
| Aug 15, 2016 | Lightning | Farmville Muni Arpt | $20K |
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 1859, 4 hurricanes and 17 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Prince Edward County, 6 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with top winds near 85 mph about 26 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 1893 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 26 mi |
| Sep 30, 1896 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 34 mi |
| Sep 18, 2003 | Isabel | Category 1, 75 mph | 54 mi |
| Sep 17, 1876 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 29, 1893 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 53 mi |
| Oct 31, 1899 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 52 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 2021 | Elsa | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 18, 2003 | Isabel | Category 1, 75 mph | 54 mi |
| Sep 6, 1996 | Fran | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 5, 1979 | David | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 65 mi |
| Aug 17, 1955 | Diane | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 52 mi |
| Sep 1, 1952 | Able | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 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 Prince Edward 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 Prince Edward 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; 9,209 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Buckingham County | 21 | |
| Appomattox County | 24 | |
| Nottoway County | 20 | |
| Amelia County | 20 | |
| Lunenburg County | 21 | |
| Charlotte County | 20 | |
| Cumberland County | 21 |
Common questions about Prince Edward County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Prince Edward County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Prince Edward County, about $2.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2 million.
How many federal disasters has Prince Edward County had?
Prince Edward County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Prince Edward County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 59th 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 Prince Edward County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Prince Edward 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 Prince Edward County had?
NOAA records list 2 tornadoes in Prince Edward County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on October 13, 1983. The weather service has also logged 38 hail reports and 26 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Prince Edward County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 4 hurricanes and 17 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Prince Edward County. 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 county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.