Every federal disaster in Arlington since 1957
Each square is a disaster or emergency declaration by the President or FEMA that covered Arlington County. Declarations make federal aid available after hurricanes, floods, storms, fires and other events, so this is a record of the big ones.
- Declarations
- 24since 1957
- Major disasters
- 17the most serious kind
- Since 2000
- 17declarations
- Most recent
- 2026Severe Winter Storm
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Arlington County's overall natural hazard risk relatively low, led by lightning. The history above shows what has actually happened; the risk index estimates what is likely.
All declarations
| Declared | Event | Type | FEMA number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 23, 2026 | Severe Winter Storm | Emergency | EM-3631 |
| Apr 2, 2020 | COVID-19 Pandemic | Major disaster | DR-4512 |
| Mar 13, 2020 | COVID-19 | Emergency | EM-3448 |
| Sep 11, 2018 | Hurricane Florence | Emergency | EM-3403 |
| Mar 7, 2016 | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm | Major disaster | DR-4262 |
| Nov 26, 2012 | Hurricane Sandy | Major disaster | DR-4092 |
| Oct 29, 2012 | Hurricane Sandy | Emergency | EM-3359 |
| Jul 27, 2012 | Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds | Major disaster | DR-4072 |
| Apr 27, 2010 | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms | Major disaster | DR-1905 |
| Feb 16, 2010 | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm | Major disaster | DR-1874 |
| Jul 13, 2006 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-1655 |
| Sep 12, 2005 | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Emergency | EM-3240 |
| Sep 18, 2003 | Hurricane Isabel | Major disaster | DR-1491 |
| Mar 27, 2003 | Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snowfall, Heavy Rain,Floodind, and Mudslide | Major disaster | DR-1458 |
| Sep 21, 2001 | Fires and Explosions | Major disaster | DR-1392 |
| Sep 12, 2001 | Fires and Explosions | Emergency | EM-3168 |
| Feb 28, 2000 | Severe Winter Storms | Major disaster | DR-1318 |
| Jan 13, 1996 | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) | Major disaster | DR-1086 |
| Mar 25, 1993 | Severe Winter Storm | Emergency | EM-3112 |
| Jan 26, 1977 | Ice Conditions | Major disaster | DR-525 |
| Jun 23, 1972 | Tropical Storm Agnes | Major disaster | DR-339 |
| Mar 21, 1963 | Floods | Major disaster | DR-149 |
| Mar 9, 1962 | Severe Storms, High Tides & Flooding | Major disaster | DR-123 |
| Feb 1, 1957 | Floods | Major disaster | DR-68 |
Frequently asked questions
How many federal disasters has Arlington had?
Since 1957, the federal government has issued 24 disaster or emergency declarations covering Arlington County, including 17 major disaster declarations. 17 of them came in 2000 or later.
What was the most recent federal disaster in Arlington?
Severe Winter Storm (Emergency, declared January 23, 2026).
What kinds of disasters hit Arlington most often?
By FEMA incident type: snowstorm (5), hurricane (5), flood (4) and severe storm (4).
New to Arlington? The city profile covers flood maps and emergency alerts, and the risk summary shows FEMA's hazard ratings.
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), downloaded October 18, 2026. We list declarations that named Arlington County, plus early statewide declarations from before FEMA designated individual counties. "Major disaster" declarations bring the widest federal aid; "emergency" declarations cover shorter-term help; "fire management" declarations help pay to fight large wildfires.