Lightning in Virginia

Events

536

Deaths

19

Injuries

102

Damage

$16 million

• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Virginia, July 14 to 15, 20173 deaths · 6 injured · $1.0 million · 50 kt wind · 49 eventsScattered severe thunderstorms in advance of a cold front produced damaging winds and heavy rain across portions of eastern Virginia.
• Tornadoes and Hail in Virginia, April 1, 19982 deaths · 1 injured · $1.0 million · F3 · 7 eventsSeveral trees down.
• Tornadoes and Flood in Virginia, June 4, 20081 death · 2 injured · $1.4 million · EF1 · 112 eventsA stalled front resided across the Mid Atlantic during the afternoon and evening of June 4th, allowing moisture and instability to pool along the boundary.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, August 30, 20012 deaths · $17,000 · 52 kt wind · 9 eventsThunderstorms with deadly lightning, damaging winds, large hail, and heavy rainfall moved through the northern half of Virginia between 3:30 and 6:30 PM EDT on the 30th.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Virginia, September 14 to 20, 20181 death · 1 injured · $3.6 million · 43 eventsHurricane Florence made landfall on the far southeast North Carolina coast on September 14th and tracked very slowly across South Carolina before slowly re-curving across far western North Carolina and southwest Virginia as Tropical Depression and on into the Ohio Valley.
• Tornado and Hail in Virginia, June 3, 20091 death · $300,000 · EF1 · 46 eventsA cold front combined with an unstable atmosphere to trigger showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours of the third. Some thunderstorms were severe, producing large hail and damaging winds.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, May 9, 20031 death · 1 injured · $785,000 · 1.75 in hail · 23 eventsThunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours on the 9th produced hail up to golf ball size, damaging winds, and dangerous lightning.A severe thunderstorm during the afternoon of the 9th tracked from about 7 miles northeast of Centenery to 7 miles east northeast of…
• Flash Flood and Hail in Virginia, August 7, 20001 death · $913,000 · 1 in hail · 16 eventsScattered thunderstorms developed across northeast Virginia during the hot and humid afternoon and evening of the 7th. These thunderstorms produced winds in excess of 55 MPH, large hail, frequent lightning, and heavy rainfall.
• Tornadoes and Flooding in Virginia, May 8 to 9, 2008$10 million · EF2 · 19 eventsA strong low pressure system crossed the Mid Atlantic during the afternoon and evening hours of May 8th. This system along with warm temperatures and high dew points triggered numerous strong to severe showers and thunderstorms across the region.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Virginia, July 16, 19971 death · $118,000 · 0.75 in hail · 10 eventsThunderstorms during the afternoon hours on the 16th resulted in damaging winds, damaging lightning, and a lightning fatality.A man was struck by lightning while in his yard in Fieldale. He was in critical condition in a hospital for about about two weeks before passing away.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, April 6, 20231 death · 1 injured · $33,000 · 1.75 in hail · 22 eventsScattered severe thunderstorms in advance of a cold front produced damaging winds and large hail across portions of central Virginia and the Virginia northern neck.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, July 14, 20161 death · $48,000 · 55 kt wind · 13 eventsA weak upper level disturbance arriving from the Ohio River Valley moved across the central Appalachians during the afternoon and evening, contributing to the atmospheric instability provided by strong surface heating that allowed afternoon temperatures to climb into the mid to…
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, May 1, 19972 injured · $17 million · 2.75 in hail · 34 eventsSeveral trees down along Route 138. Power lines down also.
• Tornado and Flash Flood in Virginia, July 30, 20001 death · 1 injured · $45,000 · F0 · 5 eventsA small tornado touched down in a trailer park. The tornado briefly kicked up dust and debris before dissipating, but no damage occurred.
• Tornado and Wildfire in Virginia, May 13 to 14, 20004 injured · $1.9 million · F1 · 36 eventsTemperatures in the mid 80s to lower 90s in combination with humid conditions resulted in several rounds of thunderstorms across Northern and Central Virginia from midday through late evening on the 13th.
• Tornado and Lightning Strike in Virginia, August 11, 20011 death · $50,000 · F0 · 2 eventsWoman struck by lightning while on boat.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in Virginia, May 2, 20021 injured · $1.1 million · 3 in hail · 78 eventsThunderstorms 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,…
• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Virginia, July 26, 2022$50 million · 80 kt wind · 5 eventsA nearly stationary front with a weak surface low along it resulted in scattered thunderstorms with isolated severe thunderstorms across southeast Virginia on July 26.
• Flash Flood and Hail in Virginia, August 3, 20023 injured · $2.5 million · 1.75 in hail · 36 eventsNumerous thunderstorms with high winds, large hail, frequent lightning, and heavy downpours moved through the region between 2 and 8 PM EDT. In Nelson County, trees were downed in Arrington and Piedmont. Flood waters covered Route 56 in Shipman.
• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Virginia, June 22, 2022$4.2 million · 80 kt wind · 44 eventsA strongly unstable airmass in a moderately sheared environment squeezed between two fronts resulted in several clusters of destructive thunderstorms.
• Lightning Strike in Virginia, September 14, 20191 death · 1 injured · 1 eventA lightning strike from a departing thunderstorm, struck and killed a 12-year old male.
• Flash Flooding and Flood in Virginia, May 6 to 8, 19981 death · $8,000 · 6 eventsA prolonged period of light to occasionally moderate rain gradually saturated the ground during the first few days of May.
• Damaging Wind and Lightning Strike in Virginia, July 1, 20041 death · $2,000 · 50 kt wind · 2 eventsA roofer, working at Providence Road Elementary School, was struck by lightning and later died.
• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Virginia, June 19, 20251 injured · $226,000 · 54 kt wind · 89 eventsAn 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.
• Lightning Strike in Virginia, July 14, 19961 death · 1 eventA soccer player was struck by lightning at the Rockingham Co fairgrounds. The match had been called due to the storm, but the athlete had not sought shelter before the lightning struck. He perished approximately 12 hours later.

Lightning everywhereEvery kind of event in Virginia

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.