Page County
Population 23,762 (2025) 310 sq mi
Property owners in Page County have filed 188 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, 41st 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 19504
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger18
- Wildfire burn scars since 198414
- Major flood years since 19782
At a glance
The record for Page County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Acres burned since 1984
25,449
Most of any of Virginia’s 133 counties
14 large fires; the largest was Waterfall Mountain, 2024
DetailsTropical cyclones within 50 mi
11
84th of 133 in Virginia
1 at hurricane strength since 1851
DetailsTornadoes since 1950
4
75th of 133 in Virginia
Fewer than the typical Virginia county, which has had 5
DetailsStrongest tornado
F2
August 6, 1960, 0.1 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
Cat. 1
Hurricane (unnamed), 1893, 10.8 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 19 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
August 6, 1960
F2, 0.1 mile path
10 yards wide.
Most recent
Friday, May 30, 2025
EF0, 0.8 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| May 30, 2025 | EF0 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 3, 2009 | EF1 | 1.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 27, 1993 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 6, 1960 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Page 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
11 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 1 at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
October 14, 1893
Unnamed storm, Category 1
10.8 miles at closest approach, winds near 75 mph.
Most recent
October 29, 2020
Zeta, Post-tropical
45.7 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Zeta | 2020 | 45.7 | Post-tropical |
| Sandy | 2012 | 93.8 | Post-tropical |
| Ernesto | 2006 | 85.4 | Post-tropical |
| Isabel | 2003 | 12.8 | Tropical storm |
| David | 1979 | 11.0 | Tropical storm |
| Diane | 1955 | 5.9 | Tropical storm |
| Connie | 1955 | 91.9 | Tropical storm |
| Hazel | 1954 | 38.8 | Post-tropical |
| Able | 1952 | 9.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1949 | 7.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1945 | 68.7 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1944 | 73.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1943 | 86.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1934 | 3.0 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1933 | 58.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1929 | 75.2 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1928 | 29.5 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1928 | 82.4 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 22.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 62.6 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1899 | 75.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 9.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 71.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 10.8 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 14.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1888 | 82.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 11.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1878 | 60.6 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1878 | 42.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1876 | 43.6 | 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
25,449 acres burned in 14 large fires since 1984, equal to 13% of the land.
Largest
March 20, 2024
Waterfall Mountain Fire, 9,253 acres
8,629 acres inside Page County.
Most recent
March 20, 2024
Waterfall Mountain Fire
9,253 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Waterfall Mountain | 2024 | 8,629 | 9,253 |
| Rocky Branch | 2024 | 838 | 1,019 |
| Serenity Ridge Fire | 2024 | 711 | 880 |
| Kennedy Peak | 2019 | 269 | 767 |
| Neighbor Mtn Fire | 2012 | 1,986 | 1,985 |
| Shipwreck | 2012 | 2,309 | 3,782 |
| Chicken Ranch | 2008 | 736 | 736 |
| Cardinal | 2006 | 1,344 | 1,347 |
| Fultz Run | 2002 | 4,637 | 4,640 |
| Dog Slaugh | 1999 | 837 | 838 |
| Shengap | 1995 | 1,385 | 1,387 |
| Hickoryrun | 1994 | 609 | 611 |
| Dovel Mtn | 1988 | 640 | 640 |
| Lucas Fire | 1985 | 513 | 512 |
- Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.
Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 49 days
Heavy smoke on 12 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
11.9 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
12 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 29 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
188 federal flood insurance claims since 1979, with $3.6 million paid.
Most claims in one year
1996: 122 claims
$2.8 million paid.
2nd most
2003: 28 claims
$336,000 paid.
3rd most
1985: 20 claims
$361,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 22835 | 105 | $2.1 million |
| 22849 | 33 | $729,000 |
| 22851 | 23 | $184,000 |
| 9 | $267,000 | |
| 22650 | 8 | $135,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flood43
- Flash Flood28
- Heavy Rain15
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.
River crests
Most severe crest
September 7, 1996
South Fork Shenandoah River at Luray, 26.95 ft
12.95 feet above the 14.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
September 7, 1996
South Fork Shenandoah River at Luray, 26.95 ft
Major flooding.
River gauges
| South Fork Shenandoah River at Luray | 14.0 | 26.95 ft | 4 |
- Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 76 of 1,581 months since 1895 (5%); the longest spell lasted 13 months.
76
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
22
Months in extreme drought
5%
Share of all months, severe or worse
8
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
February 1931
−6.63, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
13 months
July 1930 to July 1931.
Latest month
September 2026
−1.87, mild drought
Last severe month: January 2018.
- 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
13
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; 46.3 miles away, 3.7 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
January 17, 2016
Magnitude 3.0
3 km NE of Ranson, West Virginia; 44.7 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Aug 25, 2011 | 4.5 | 43.2 |
| Aug 23, 2011 | 4.2 | 45.4 |
| Aug 23, 2011 | 5.8 | 46.3 |
| Dec 9, 2003 | 4.5 | 49.4 |
| Aug 17, 1984 | 4.2 | 39.0 |
| Apr 9, 1918 | 4.6 | Inside |
- 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
929 events in the National Weather Service record, 917 of them since 1996.
22
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
1
Hail, 2 inches or larger
150
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
305
Winter weather events since 1996
39
Heat events since 1996
106
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
June 3, 2009
2.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
June 4, 2008
90 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 2 | 0 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 124 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Sep 18, 2003Flash Flood$2.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
By 9 pm on September 18, a rain band associated with Isabel had set up over the Shenandoah Valley and showers were training southward into the Blue Ridge Mountains on the east side of Augusta County. The rain gauge located at Upper Sherando had recorded over 6 inches of rain and more was to come. County officials quickly began evacuations of homes downstream. In all 350 people in the South River area would be evacuated and 21 of those ended up being by boat. Water flowed down the Black Creek at 60 mph washing out the bridge and several hundred feet of asphalt along Route 608. Four spillways to dams flooded causing damage but none of them failed. There was $125,000 damage to the…
- Sep 18, 2003Flood, Page$2.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
By 9 pm on September 18, a rain band associated with Isabel had set up over the Shenandoah Valley and showers were training southward into the Blue Ridge Mountains on the east side of Augusta County. The rain gauge located at Upper Sherando had recorded over 6 inches of rain and more was to come. County officials quickly began evacuations of homes downstream. In all 350 people in the South River area would be evacuated and 21 of those ended up being by boat. Water flowed down the Black Creek at 60 mph washing out the bridge and several hundred feet of asphalt along Route 608. Four spillways to dams flooded causing damage but none of them failed. There was $125,000 damage to the…
- Sep 6, 1996Flood, Page$2.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The rapid runoff produced by the heavy rains from Fran caused substantial, damaging, and in some cases record river flooding across much of the northern Virginia watershed from late on the 6th until early on the 10th. Flash flooding on the 6th rapidly became river flooding late on the 6th along the headwaters of the Potomac, Shenandoah, and Rappahannock River basins, and continued throughout the basins over the weekend and into early the following week. Crests at gaging points in these basins were similar to those in January 1996 across the Lower Main Stem of the Potomac. Levels were 1 to 5 feet higher across the Upper Main Stem Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers. The Shenandoah…
- Jan 19, 1996Flood, Page$1.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
***River Flooding***High dewpoint temperatures melted most of the snow on the ground within 12 hours. The snow pack had a liquid equivalent between 2 to 3 inches. Snowmelt, combined with 1 to 3 inches of rain (some locations received nearly 5 inches), caused the worst regional flooding in over 10 years. River flooding began during the flood/flash flood event along the headwaters of all basins and continued downstream through the 22nd. Crests ranged from 3 to 21 feet above flood stage.High water caused millions of dollars in damage, closed roads, destroyed homes and businesses, and forced the evacuation of several towns. Four people were rescued by the National Park Service and…
- Jun 22, 2026Thunderstorm Wind$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A severe thunderstorm on the afternoon of Monday, June 22nd|produced a downburst of damaging wind that created a path of|damage nearly seven miles long through central Page County|Virginia, about 2 miles south of Luray.||Along that path that passed through the towns of Leaksville and|Stony Man, there were many trees snapped and uprooted. In addition, |outbuilding, shed, siding and shingle damage was evident.||Peak winds of 85 mph were estimated around Mill Creek Rd, Rodeo|Drive, and Mt. Zion Road between E Branch Rd and Redman Store Rd|where there was substantial structural damage. A home roof was|partially lifted on Rodeo Dr. There was also roof damage to two|homes on Mt. Zion…
- Jan 19, 1996Flash Flood$700,000
- Mar 20, 2024Wildfire, Page$559,000
National Weather Service narrative
Several fires were sparked by very strong westerly winds in excess of 50 mph and extremely low relative humidity values on the afternoon of March 20th. There were two large fires that straddled the Shenandoah/Page county line in the George Washington National Forest. The first of which was called the Waterfall Mountain/Shenandoah Forest/211 West Fire, which burned 6,399 acres between Shenandoah and Page counties. The other fire was named the Edith Gap/Serenity Ridge Fire, which burned 832 acres. These were both combined to be a part of a greater complex of fires, named the North Zone Complex. In addition to these fires, there was another fire that was managed by another federal…
- Sep 18, 2003High Wind, Page$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
By 9 pm on September 18, a rain band associated with Isabel had set up over the Shenandoah Valley and showers were training southward into the Blue Ridge Mountains on the east side of Augusta County. The rain gauge located at Upper Sherando had recorded over 6 inches of rain and more was to come. County officials quickly began evacuations of homes downstream. In all 350 people in the South River area would be evacuated and 21 of those ended up being by boat. Water flowed down the Black Creek at 60 mph washing out the bridge and several hundred feet of asphalt along Route 608. Four spillways to dams flooded causing damage but none of them failed. There was $125,000 damage to the…
- Sep 6, 1996Flash Flood$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
*** Narrative for flash flooding from "Fran" follows the Loudoun Co entry, start time 1100EST ***
- Jul 21, 2026Tornado$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
A tornado briefly touched down as a supercell thunderstorm crossed the Thorton Gap entrance to Shenandoah National Park near the intersection of Skyline Drive and US-211 Lee Highway. Numerous trees and large branches were snapped in a convergent manner from near the top of the ridgeline to a couple miles on the lee side of|the ridge. Several metal signs were blown over at the Thorton Gap entrance. The tornado dissipated in the woods prior to reaching Sperryville. KLWX radar indicated rotation co-located with a tornadic debris signature as the storm crossed this location.
- 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 Dale Enterprise, 25.7 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1893.
- All-time high
- 105°F3 times, most recently Jul 6, 1999
- All-time low
- −25°FJan 14, 1912
- Warmest night
- 76°F2 times, most recently Jul 29, 1941
- Coldest day
- 0°FFeb 10, 1899
- Wettest day
- 5.95 inSep 7, 1996
- Snowiest day
- 24.0 inMar 6, 1962
- Hottest year
- 1921mean 57.0°F
- Coldest year
- 1996mean 50.8°F
- Wettest year
- 199660.72 in
- Driest year
- 193017.33 in
- Snowiest season
- 72.5 in1917-18
Median first snow
December 5
Earliest: October 10, 1979
Median last snow
March 15
Latest: April 30, 1925
0 of 119 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Dale Enterprise (USC00442208), 1,358 ft elevation, 25.7 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1893 to October 19, 2026; 98.0% 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
24 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 |
| Apr 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512-VA |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448-VA |
| Sep 11, 2018 | Hurricane | EM-3403-VA |
| Mar 7, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4262-VA |
| Oct 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3359-VA |
| Jul 27, 2012 | Severe Storm | DR-4072-VA |
| Apr 27, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1905-VA |
| Feb 16, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1874-VA |
| Sep 12, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3240-VA |
| Sep 18, 2003 | Hurricane | DR-1491-VA |
| Feb 28, 2002 | Fire | FM-2397-VA |
| Feb 28, 2000 | Severe Storm | DR-1318-VA |
| Sep 6, 1996 | Hurricane | DR-1135-VA |
| Jan 27, 1996 | Flood | DR-1098-VA |
| Jan 13, 1996 | Snowstorm | DR-1086-VA |
| Mar 25, 1993 | Snowstorm | EM-3112-VA |
| May 19, 1992 | Flood | DR-944-VA |
| Nov 9, 1985 | Flood | DR-755-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 |
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 Page County stands among 133 counties in Virginia and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 4 | 75 / 133 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 0 | — |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 11 | 84 / 133 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 1 | 76 / 133 |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 25,449 | 1 / 133 |
| Flood insurance claims | 188 | 41 / 133 |
| Flood insurance paid | $3.6 million | 40 / 133 |
| Disaster declarations | 24 | 19 / 133 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 86 | 48 / 133 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 241 | 39 / 133 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 305 | 3 / 133 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $13.2 million | 50 / 133 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 4 | 40 / 133 |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 76 | 122 / 133 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 11.9 | 23 / 133 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 6 | 16 / 133 |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Greene County | 5 | 10 |
| Madison County | 9 | 10 |
| Rappahannock County | 4 | 12 |
| Rockingham County | 10 | 10 |
| Shenandoah County | 5 | 10 |
| Warren County | 4 | 12 |
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 USC00442208.
- 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.