Tazewell County

Every storm within 100 miles

1. 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.

Every large fire

1. 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

1. 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.

Claims by ZIP code

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

River gauges

1. 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.

1. 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.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

1. 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).
2. 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.

Mapped landslides

Mapped by WV GS (39), NASA (2), USGS Conterminous (2).

1. Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.

USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Jul 8, 2001Flash Flood$15.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Thunderstorms during the morning of the 8th produced damaging winds and flash flooding.In Tazewell County, heavy rains caused major flash flooding during the late morning and early afternoon. 1655 homes and 52 businesses received major damage, with 300 people evacuated. Numerous roads were closed with some washed out by flooding and mudslides. An automobile dealership had major damage to the building as well as the vehicles.Thunderstorm winds downed trees onto route 311, four miles northeast of Paint Bank.Heavy thunderstorm rains caused numerous small streams and creeks to flood across Bland County. Many roads were flooded and closed with several washed out. Lick Creek flooded 11…

2. Sep 27, 2024High Wind, Tazewell$8.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Trees were downed county wide by high winds associated with the remnants of Hurricane Helene. Over 18,000 customers were reported without power by 6 PM EDT on Friday, the peak of the high winds. There was one confirmed fatality, one man was killed when a tree fell on him while he was clearing a tree that had fallen across and blocked a road. Agricultural damage alone totaled over $11 million, which includes losses from crops, facilities and structures. Another $6.5 million dollars in damage was reported due to wind damage of residential properties.

3. Nov 19, 2003Flood, Tazewell$6.1 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Heavy rains on the 18th and 19th caused moderate flooding along the Clinch River. The river at Richlands crested over four and a half feet above flood stage at 7 pm on the 19th. 26 houses were destroyed, 14 had major damage, and 5 minor damage. 5 businesses had major damage, and one business was underwater. At least 17 cars were flooded. Flood waters were high enough to block off Second St (had not happened since 1977.) The headwaters of the Clinch River also caused significant flooding in the town of Tazewell. A car lot had to be evacuated, and there was some damage. Shoulders of some of the roads were washed out. The Clinch river also flooded and closed Rt 637. Small stream…

4. Jul 5, 2015Flash Flood$3.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Laurel Creek flooded about half of the town of Pocahontas. 25 homes, 5 businesses and 2 mobile homes were damaged or destroyed. Total damage estimates reached $3.5 million, primarily due to a single business that was uninsured and destroyed. Multiple roads across northeast Tazewell County were reported to be closed due to flooding and mudslides as well.

5. Feb 6, 2020Flood$1.9 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The greatest flood impacts occurred along the Clinch River in Tazewell County, VA where the Richlands gage (RLRV2) crested at 14.33 feet (6205 cfs) which was the 9th highest on record and the highest stage since November, 2003 (14.65 ft.). This was above the Moderate flood stage of 13 feet but below Major flood stage of 16 feet. The USGS report cited above indicates approximately a 10-year (0.1 AEP) flood frequency for this event, yet flooding along lowland areas was extensive from Cedar Bluff downstream through Richlands and into the Doran and Raven communities. News reports mentioned water up to four feet deep in parts of Richlands. There were numerous evacuations conducted and…

6. Nov 19, 2003Flash Flood$1.6 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Moderate to heavy rainfall late on the 18th and on the 19th resulted in flash flooding and small stream flooding. In addition, an isolated severe thunderstorm knocked down large tree limbs in Huddleston.Runoff from heavy rainfall resulted in numerous creeks and streams out of their banks, some of which flooded roads in Grayson, Roanoke, Bath, Alleghany, Tazewell, Wythe, Carroll, and Bland Counties and in and near Sugar Grove. In Bland County, sections of some roads were washed away by the flood waters. In Pembroke, Doe Creek flooded and damaged a barber shop. Near Lexington route 11 was closed because flood waters pushed debris into the road. In Tazewell county, businesses were…

7. Mar 18, 2002Flash Flood$1.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Heavy rains during the 18th caused major flash flooding. In Tazewell County numerous roads were flooded and washed out, 42 homes suffered major damage with 50 people evacuated. Several cars were washed away. During the early morning, flood waters leveled off and slowly began receding in the afternoon.In Smyth County, numerous roads were flooded and washed out, 50 people were evacuated from their residences, and there was minor damage to several residences and vehicles. During the early morning, flood waters leveled off and slowly began receding during the afternoon.In Wythe County many roads were flooded and were washed out with damage to several vehicles. During the early…

8. Jul 4, 1997Thunderstorm Wind$770,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A supercell thunderstorm that travelled from Tazewell County to southern Pittsylvania County during the evening hours on the 4th produced damaging winds and hail up to golf ball size and slightly injured 5 people. Another severe thunderstorms traveled across northern Pittsylvania during the evening hours on the 4th.A series of downbursts from one mile west of Richlands to Cedar Bluff slightly injured five people, damaged or destroyed three mobile homes, tore the roof off a house, damaged 45 homes and 29 businesses, uprooted hundreds of trees, broke off tree limbs, knocked down utility poles and utility wires, and damaged signs.The combination of hail up to golf ball size and winds…

9. May 2, 2002Flash Flood$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening of the 2nd produced damaging winds, flash flooding, hail up to 3 inches in diameter, and dangerous lightning.A woman in Roanoke was struck by lightning and injured while using the phone.Thunderstorm winds downed trees in Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Floyd, in Seaboard closing Route 67, onto a car 3 miles east of Boones Mill, onto Route 122 one half mile south of Burnt Chimney, 10 miles east of Tazewell, trees onto Route 501 in Halifax, trees and power poles in Moneta, Pittsville and Gretna, and trees and power lines from Boones Mill to Burnt Chimney, damaged a roof in Penhook, Thunderstorm winds also downed trees on several homes in…

10. May 25, 2004Flash Flood$500,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    As a meso-scale covective complex progressed out of KY into VA, significant training of thunderstorm cells occurred over Tazewell Co. 5.1 inches of rain were received in a 2 hour period between 22:30 PM EST 05/24/04 to 12:30 AM EST 05/25/04. Flash Flooding due to run-off ensued from Claypool Hill downstream along the Clinch River to the Russell Co VA border. Specific areas impacted included the communities of Cedar Bluff...Richlands...Doran...and Raven...and along the tributaries of the Clinch River such as Mill Creek and Middle Creek. Water inundated numerous roads including the primary state roads passing through that area...routes 67 and 460. Total property damage inlcuded 44…

1. 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.

All-time high

97°FJun 29, 2012

All-time low

−21°FJan 21, 1985

Warmest night

75°F2 times, most recently Aug 23, 1996

Coldest day

−1°FJan 21, 1985

Wettest day

3.61 inJun 7, 1994

Snowiest day

17.0 inMar 24, 2018

Hottest year

2007mean 56.9°F

Coldest year

1960mean 49.7°F

Wettest year

200454.17 in

Driest year

196930.07 in

Snowiest season

77.8 in1995-96

Station Bluefield Mercer County Airport (USW00003859), 2,855 ft elevation, 22.4 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1959 to October 26, 2026; 99.6% 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.

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.

Neighbouring counties

• 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 USW00003859.
• 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.
• Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
• 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.