Natural hazards · Leesburg

Leesburg, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Leesburg comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Leesburg?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Leesburg to be higher than in 6% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding56%Heat waves11%Tornadoes10%Hurricanes6%Strong wind6%Earthquakes5%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Leesburg faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

56% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 15% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

11% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Leesburg flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Leesburg, from FEMA’s records.

6paid claims since 1979

$147Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

October severe storms: 1 claim, $4K
Hurricane Isabel: 1 claim, $96K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Leesburg isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Loudoun County.

Disasters that hit Leesburg

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Leesburg itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Leesburg.

Brought FEMA money into LeesburgDeclared for Loudoun County only

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$208K to the Town of Leesburg for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$94K to the Town of Leesburg for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$324K to the Town of Leesburg for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

56 households applied for aid $144K aid approved $58K to the Town of Leesburg for repairs

2003

Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snowfall, Heavy Rain,floodind, and Mudslide

$60K to the Town of Leesburg for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storms

$30K to the Town of Leesburg for repairs

Loudoun County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Leesburg covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Leesburg’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Leesburg. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Leesburg total about $4.5M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.