Virginia, 1989

Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Virginia, May 5, 1989

May 5, 1989 · NWS WBC · 16 events in 14 counties and zones

14 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
7
Property damage
$250,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
16

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

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Bland

When
May 5, 5:00 PM CST
Where
Bland County
Coordinates
37.130, -81.130

Thunderstorm Wind, Amherst

When
May 5, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Amherst County
Coordinates
37.580, -79.050

Thunderstorm Wind, Patrick

When
May 5, 6:25 PM CST
Where
Patrick County
Coordinates
36.720, -80.330

Thunderstorm Wind, Bedford

When
May 5, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Bedford County
Coordinates
37.320, -79.530

Thunderstorm Wind, Franklin

When
May 5, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Franklin County
Coordinates
37.020, -79.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Pittsylvania

When
May 5, 7:05 PM CST
Where
Pittsylvania County
Coordinates
37.070, -79.350

Tornado, Louisa

When
May 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Louisa County
Rating
F1
Path length
2 mi
Path width
440 yd
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
38.050, -78.070

Thunderstorm Wind, Greensville

When
May 5, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Greensville County
Injuries
4 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates
36.720, -77.550

Tornado, Louisa

When
May 5, 8:55 PM CST
Where
Louisa County
Rating
F1
Path length
2 mi
Path width
10 yd
Coordinates
37.970, -77.730

Thunderstorm Wind, Spotsylvania

When
May 5, 9:14 PM CST
Where
Spotsylvania County
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Injuries
3 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates
38.200, -77.580

Thunderstorm Wind, Mecklenburg

When
May 5, 9:45 PM CST
Where
Mecklenburg County
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
36.700, -78.370

Thunderstorm Wind, Chesterfield

When
May 5, 9:45 PM CST
Where
Chesterfield County
Coordinates
37.500, -77.650

Thunderstorm Wind,

When
May 5, 9:45 PM CST
Where
County
Coordinates
36.980, -78.680

Thunderstorm Wind, Henrico

When
May 5, 10:00 PM CST
Where
Henrico County
Coordinates
37.370, -77.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Lunenburg

When
May 5, 10:00 PM CST
Where
Lunenburg County
Coordinates
36.970, -78.280

Thunderstorm Wind, Chesterfield

When
May 5, 10:00 PM CST
Where
Chesterfield County
Coordinates
37.380, -77.580

What these are

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.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Virginia in 1989Every state in 1989This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Virginia, 1989Warnings in Virginia, May 1989

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: 10146282, 10146283, 10146284, 10146285, 10146286, 10146287, 10146288, 10146289, 10146290, 10146291, 10146292, 10146293, 10146294, 10146295, 10146296, 10146297.