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Virginia · County tornado history

Henrico County, Virginia tornadoes

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has recorded 12 tornadoes in Henrico County, Virginia from 1950 through 2024, about one every 6.2 years. That ranks it 27 of 114 counties in Virginia with a recorded tornado. The most recent was an EF1 on October 27, 2010.

Tornadoes since 1950
12
Since 2000
7
Strongest
EF1, October 27, 2010
Most recent
EF1, October 27, 2010
Peak month
June (3)
Per 1,000 sq mi
50
FEMA tornado risk
Relatively Moderate

F0/EF0 1 2 3 4 5 · Lines run from where each tornado touched down to where it lifted; dots are short paths. Neighboring counties are outlined.

When tornadoes hit Henrico County

June has brought the most, 3 of 12. About 67% touched down between 10 am and 4 pm (Central Standard Time, as the Storm Prediction Center records it).

By decade

More tornadoes in recent decades mostly reflects better detection and reporting (Doppler radar, storm spotters, damage surveys), especially for weak EF0 tornadoes, not necessarily more storms. The 2020s bar covers only 2020 to 2024.

How strong they were

Rating Estimated 3-second gust Tornadoes
F0 / EF0 Light damage: 65 to 85 mph (EF scale) 4
F1 / EF1 Moderate: 86 to 110 mph 8
F2 / EF2 Considerable: 111 to 135 mph 0
F3 / EF3 Severe: 136 to 165 mph 0
F4 / EF4 Devastating: 166 to 200 mph 0
F5 / EF5 Incredible: over 200 mph 0

Tornadoes before February 2007 were rated on the original Fujita (F) scale; since then the National Weather Service uses the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. Wind speeds above are EF-scale estimates from damage, not measurements. See what the EF scale means.

The strongest tornadoes in Henrico County

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
October 27, 2010 EF1 11.4 mi 200 yd 1
July 20, 1956 F1 0.1 mi 10 yd
July 20, 1956 F1 0.1 mi 10 yd
June 16, 1989 F1 3 mi 150 yd
August 6, 1993 F1 14 mi 200 yd
September 23, 2003 F1 3 mi 100 yd
July 7, 2005 F1 0.2 mi 75 yd
May 11, 2006 F1 0.3 mi 200 yd
June 16, 1973 F0 0.1 mi 10 yd
June 15, 2001 F0 1 mi 25 yd

Deaths and injuries are for each tornado’s whole path, which can cross other counties.

Most recent tornadoes

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
October 27, 2010 EF1 11.4 mi 200 yd 1
May 11, 2006 F1 0.3 mi 200 yd
July 7, 2005 F1 0.2 mi 75 yd
September 17, 2004 F0 0.5 mi 150 yd
September 8, 2004 F0 0.7 mi 50 yd
September 23, 2003 F1 3 mi 100 yd
June 15, 2001 F0 1 mi 25 yd
August 6, 1993 F1 14 mi 200 yd

The official database ends with 2024. For storms since then, see the Storm Prediction Center’s reports and your local National Weather Service office.

FEMA’s tornado risk rating

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the tornado risk in Henrico County as relatively moderate, with a score of 81 out of 100 compared with every other U.S. county. It estimates about 0.14 tornadoes a year here and an expected annual loss of about $4,773,254 to buildings, people and farming. The index mixes how often tornadoes strike with what is exposed and how well a community can recover, so a busy rural county can rate lower than a less active city.

Neighboring counties

Staying safe

When a tornado warning is issued, act at once. Go to a basement, storm shelter or safe room. With none, use a small windowless room on the lowest floor, as far from outside walls as you can, and cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and cars are not safe places to ride out a tornado: leave early for a sturdy building or shelter. Read the full tornado safety guide and the National Weather Service advice linked below.

Sources

Sources last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many tornadoes has Henrico County had?

12 from 1950 through 2024 in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database, 7 of them since 2000.

When was the last tornado in Henrico County?

The most recent in the official record was an EF1 on October 27, 2010. Later storms are not yet in the final database.

What was the strongest tornado in Henrico County?

An EF1 on October 27, 2010, with a 11.4-mile path.

When is tornado season in Henrico County?

June has had the most tornadoes here. Across the U.S. the peak runs from spring into early summer, and the South also sees tornadoes in late fall and winter.