Virginia, 1976

Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Virginia, March 21, 1976

March 21, 1976 · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

7 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$275,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

7 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Clarke

When
March 21, 10:30 AM CST
Where
Clarke County
Path length
0.5 mi
Path width
30 yd
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
39.100, -78.150

Tornado, Madison

When
March 21, 11:40 AM CST
Where
Madison County
Path length
5.6 mi
Path width
33 yd
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
38.350, -78.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Campbell

When
March 21, 12:30 PM CST
Where
Campbell County
Coordinates
37.420, -79.150

Thunderstorm Wind, Spotsylvania

When
March 21, 1:00 PM CST
Where
Spotsylvania County
Coordinates
38.030, -77.630

Thunderstorm Wind, King George

When
March 21, 1:15 PM CST
Where
King George County
Coordinates
38.300, -77.230

Thunderstorm Wind, Essex

When
March 21, 1:20 PM CST
Where
Essex County
Coordinates
37.970, -76.770

Thunderstorm Wind, Henrico

When
March 21, 1:30 PM CST
Where
Henrico County
Coordinates
37.550, -77.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Northumberland

When
March 21, 1:50 PM CST
Where
Northumberland County
Coordinates
37.920, -76.470

Thunderstorm Wind, York

When
March 21, 4:35 PM CST
Where
York County
Measured
54 kt (62 mph)
Coordinates
37.130, -76.500

What these are

Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Virginia in 1976Every state in 1976This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Virginia, 1976

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10150394, 10150395, 10150396, 10150397, 10150398, 10150399, 10150400, 10150401, 10150402.