Cumberland County
Population 10,352 (2025) 298 sq mi
Property owners in Cumberland County have filed 11 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, 113th most of 133 counties in Virginia.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths since 19503
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger35
At a glance
The record for Cumberland County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Tropical cyclones within 50 mi
16
56th of 133 in Virginia
2 at hurricane strength since 1851
DetailsTornadoes since 1950
3
84th of 133 in Virginia
Fewer than the typical Virginia county, which has had 5
DetailsStrongest tornado
EF1
April 27, 2011, 5.5 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
Cat. 1
Hurricane (unnamed), 1893, 0.0 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 25 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
April 27, 2011
EF1, 5.5 mile path
100 yards wide.
Most recent
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
EF1, 5.5 mile path
15 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF1 | 5.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 27, 1994 | F0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 12, 1977 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Cumberland County: 0.
- Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
16 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 2 at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
October 13, 1893
Unnamed storm, Category 1
0.0 miles at closest approach, winds near 81 mph.
Most recent
July 9, 2021
Elsa, Tropical storm
60.4 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Elsa | 2021 | 60.4 | Tropical storm |
| Zeta | 2020 | 4.0 | Post-tropical |
| Isaias | 2020 | 62.9 | Tropical storm |
| Nestor | 2019 | 78.0 | Post-tropical |
| Michael | 2018 | 65.6 | Post-tropical |
| Andrea | 2013 | 82.8 | Post-tropical |
| Hanna | 2008 | 58.5 | Tropical storm |
| Ernesto | 2006 | 66.7 | Post-tropical |
| Isabel | 2003 | 3.0 | Tropical storm |
| Fran | 1996 | 39.4 | Tropical storm |
| Bertha | 1996 | 78.2 | Tropical storm |
| David | 1979 | 59.0 | Tropical storm |
| Alma | 1970 | 85.3 | Tropical storm |
| Brenda | 1960 | 95.1 | Tropical storm |
| Cindy | 1959 | 89.4 | Tropical storm |
| Diane | 1955 | 16.7 | Tropical storm |
| Hazel | 1954 | 11.5 | Post-tropical |
| Able | 1952 | 33.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 41.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1945 | 12.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1944 | 65.6 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1944 | 24.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1943 | 97.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1935 | 80.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1934 | 78.3 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1933 | 66.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1929 | 29.8 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1928 | 34.5 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1928 | 10.1 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1916 | 92.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 22.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1904 | 64.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 0.0 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 45.7 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1899 | 31.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 27.7 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 0.0 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 26.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1889 | 59.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1888 | 44.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 61.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 0.0 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1883 | 20.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 38.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1878 | 53.9 | Category 2 |
| Unnamed | 1878 | 66.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1877 | 55.6 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1876 | 43.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1874 | 77.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1872 | 84.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1859 | 43.7 | Tropical storm |
- Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.
National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.
Wildfire and smoke
No large wildfire has been mapped here since satellite mapping began in 1984.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 45 days
Heavy smoke on 10 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
10.8 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
11 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 30 so far in 2026.
- A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Floods and flood insurance
11 federal flood insurance claims since 1979, with $302,000 paid.
Most claims in one year
1996: 7 claims
$118,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 23901 | 10 | $290,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Heavy Rain21
- Flood6
- Flash Flood5
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 110 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 11 months.
110
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
18
Months in extreme drought
7%
Share of all months, severe or worse
3
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
January 1931
−5.11, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
11 months
October 1965 to August 1966.
Latest month
September 2026
−2.81, moderate drought
Last severe month: April 2026.
- The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.
NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.
Earthquakes
6 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 5.8 in 2011.
0
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
18
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
6
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
1
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
August 23, 2011
11 km SSW of Mineral, Virginia; 16.2 miles away, 3.7 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
May 21, 2014
Magnitude 3.1
15 km ENE of Cumberland, Virginia; 6.2 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Aug 25, 2011 | 4.5 | 17.4 |
| Aug 23, 2011 | 4.2 | 16.0 |
| Aug 23, 2011 | 5.8 | 16.2 |
| Dec 9, 2003 | 4.5 | 3.9 |
| Aug 17, 1984 | 4.2 | 12.2 |
| Feb 11, 1907 | 4.0 | 4.4 |
- Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the county boundary (or inside the county).
- Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
272 events in the National Weather Service record, 260 of them since 1996.
16
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
1
Hail, 2 inches or larger
88
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
94
Winter weather events since 1996
5
Heat events since 1996
4
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
June 13, 1998
2.00 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
April 26, 2022
83 mph
Costliest events since 1996
- Apr 26, 2022Thunderstorm Wind$150,000
National Weather Service narrative
Barns were flattened, roofs were damaged, and a few windows were blown in to homes from Boston Hill Road to Ampthill Road, Columbia Road and Cartersville Road near Cartersville. Winds were estimated around 80 to 85 mph.
- Feb 13, 2021Ice Storm, Cumberland$50,000
National Weather Service narrative
Freezing rain or freezing drizzle resulted in significant ice accretion between 0.25 inch and 0.50 inch across the county. Numerous trees and power lines were downed, with widespread power outages reported due to the ice accretion.
- Apr 27, 2011Tornado$40,000
National Weather Service narrative
Tornado tracked from Prince Edward county into Cumberland county. Numerous trees were downed and snapped off. Several homes on River Road sustained damage, mainly to roofs.
- Sep 18, 2003Tropical Storm, Cumberland$36,000
National Weather Service narrative
Tropical Storm Isabel produced tropical storm force sustained winds and wind gusts over the piedmont of central and south central Virginia, as it crossed the Wakefield WFO county warning area. Isabel made landfall near Ocracoke Inlet in North Carolina, tracked northwest into central Virginia just west of Richmond, then continued northward into western Pennsylvania. The highest sustained wind speed recorded was 38 mph at Richmond International Airport. The highest gusts recorded were 73 mph at Richmond International Airport, 63 mph at WWBT-TV, and 53 mph at Chase City in Mecklenburg county. Approximately several thousand persons were evacuated and housed in numerous shelters across…
- Feb 18, 2021Winter Storm, Cumberland$30,000
National Weather Service narrative
Ice accretions between 0.20 inch and 0.30 inch, along with sleet accumulations between 0.5 inch and 1.0 inch were reported. Several trees and power lines were downed, with numerous power outages reported.
- Jan 30, 2000Ice Storm, Cumberland$25,000
National Weather Service narrative
An ice storm affected a large portion of central and eastern Virginia with ice accumulations of up to one-half inch. Freezing rain mixed with sleet and snow spread over the area during the morning hours. Freezing rain then mixed with rain during the afternoon and evening along the eastern counties of Prince George, Charles City, New Kent, King William, King and Queen, Essex, Richmond, and Westmoreland. Farther west, freezing rain fell for most of the day with general accumulations from one-fourth to one-half inch. At one point, 300,000 people were without power in the Richmond vicinity due to the weight of ice downing trees and power lines. One Richmond TV station was knocked off…
- Feb 11, 2025Winter Storm, Cumberland$25,000
National Weather Service narrative
Snowfall totals generally ranged from 4 to 7 inches across Cumberland County with the highest totals across the northern portion of the county. A snowfall total of 6.6 inches was reported 1 mile (SSW) from Pemberton. Snow changed over to a wintry mix with a period of sleet and a prolonged period of freezing rain occurring. Total ice accretion from the freezing rain likely ranged from 0.25 to 0.5 inches across the county given nearby reports. Ice accretion of 0.25 inches was reported to the east 1 mile (NNW) from Ballsville in Powhatan County with ice accretion of 0.5 inches reported to the south in Farmville in Prince Edward County. While no specific freezing rain total was…
- Jul 5, 2026Thunderstorm Wind$14,000
National Weather Service narrative
Trees fell down onto a vehicle on Loggers Way. Additionally, trees and power lines were down along Almond Lane and Frenchs Store Road.
- May 9, 2003Thunderstorm Wind$10,000
National Weather Service narrative
Trees and outbuildings blown over. Several large trees on a home and numerous trees uprooted.
- Jun 19, 2025Thunderstorm Wind$5,000
National Weather Service narrative
An upper trough approached the Mid-Atlantic region from the west on June 19th. Strong solar heating and rich low level moisture combined for robust instability across the area. Moderate wind shear ahead of the upper trough resulted in sufficient shear for thunderstorm organization and resulted in widespread damaging winds across the region.
- Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.
Weather records
From Crozier, 24.5 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1976.
- All-time high
- 105°F3 times, most recently Jul 5, 2026
- All-time low
- −9°F2 times, most recently Feb 6, 1996
- Warmest night
- 78°FJul 2, 2026
- Coldest day
- 10°FJan 11, 1982
- Wettest day
- 6.97 inJun 28, 2015
- Snowiest day
- 14.0 in3 times, most recently Dec 10, 2018
- Hottest year
- 1990mean 59.2°F
- Coldest year
- 2014mean 54.4°F
- Wettest year
- 201860.07 in
- Driest year
- 200131.60 in
- Snowiest season
- 44.0 in2009-10
Median first snow
January 3
Earliest: November 12, 1976
Median last snow
February 21
Latest: April 8, 2018
3 of 47 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Crozier (USC00442142), 280 ft elevation, 24.5 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1976 to October 23, 2026; 95.4% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.
NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.
Federal disaster declarations
23 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Winter Storm, January 23, 2026.
| Jan 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631-VA |
| Apr 4, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4863-VA |
| Mar 11, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4644-VA |
| May 10, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4602-VA |
| Apr 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512-VA |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448-VA |
| Dec 18, 2018 | Hurricane | DR-4411-VA |
| Sep 11, 2018 | Hurricane | EM-3403-VA |
| Oct 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3359-VA |
| Jul 27, 2012 | Severe Storm | DR-4072-VA |
| Sep 12, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3240-VA |
| Sep 18, 2003 | Hurricane | DR-1491-VA |
| May 5, 2002 | Severe Storm | DR-1411-VA |
| Feb 28, 2000 | Severe Storm | DR-1318-VA |
| Sep 6, 1996 | Hurricane | DR-1135-VA |
| Jan 13, 1996 | Snowstorm | DR-1086-VA |
| Mar 10, 1994 | Snowstorm | DR-1014-VA |
| Mar 25, 1993 | Snowstorm | EM-3112-VA |
| Jul 23, 1977 | Drought | EM-3046-VA |
| Oct 15, 1976 | Drought | EM-3018-VA |
| Oct 10, 1972 | Flood | DR-359-VA |
| Jun 23, 1972 | Flood | DR-339-VA |
| Aug 23, 1969 | Hurricane | DR-274-VA |
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.
How this compares
Where Cumberland County stands among 133 counties in Virginia and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 3 | 84 / 133 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 0 | — |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 16 | 56 / 133 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 2 | 35 / 133 |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 0 | — |
| Flood insurance claims | 11 | 113 / 133 |
| Flood insurance paid | $302,000 | 91 / 133 |
| Disaster declarations | 23 | 32 / 133 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 32 | 113 / 133 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 120 | 92 / 133 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 94 | 48 / 133 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $557,000 | 131 / 133 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 0 | — |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 110 | 26 / 133 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 10.8 | 87 / 133 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 6 | 16 / 133 |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Amelia County | 11 | 23 |
| Buckingham County | 5 | 15 |
| Fluvanna County | 10 | 12 |
| Goochland County | 11 | 20 |
| Powhatan County | 5 | 22 |
| Prince Edward County | 2 | 19 |
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
- Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
- Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
- Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
- Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
- Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USC00442142.
- River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
- Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.
Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.