Natural hazards · Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Virginia Beach comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4,719 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Virginia Beach?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Virginia Beach to be higher than in 8% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and heat waves.

Hurricanes32%Heat waves18%Inland flooding16%Tornadoes11%Cold waves6%Lightning5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Virginia Beach faces

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

Hurricanes

32% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Heat waves

18% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 27% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

16% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lightning

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Virginia Beach flood?

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

4,719paid claims since 1978

$104Mpaid to owners

666homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Matthew: 1,266 claims, $52.3M
November 2009 Nor'easter: 705 claims, $18.1M
Hurricane Isabel: 449 claims, $7.4M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 12 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (128) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Virginia Beach is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: the county.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

38homes raised above flood level

3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Virginia Beach

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Virginia Beach itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Virginia Beach.

Brought FEMA money into Virginia BeachDeclared for the county only

2016

Hurricane Matthew

2,851 households applied for aid $6.7M aid approved $6.6M to the City of Virginia Beach for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$4.7M to the City of Virginia Beach for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Ida and a Nor'east

$1.8M to the City of Virginia Beach for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

5,938 households applied for aid $1.7M aid approved $15.0M to the City of Virginia Beach for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$782K to the City of Virginia Beach for repairs

the county has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Chesapeakemostly inland floodingModerate

Norfolkmostly inland floodingLow

Virginia Beachmostly hurricanesVery low

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. Virginia Beach covers 111 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Virginia Beach’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Virginia Beach. 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 Virginia Beach total about $30.6M 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.