Every federal disaster in Charlottesville since 1957
Each square is a disaster or emergency declaration by the President or FEMA that covered Charlottesville city. Declarations make federal aid available after hurricanes, floods, storms, fires and other events, so this is a record of the big ones.
- Declarations
- 16since 1957
- Major disasters
- 10the most serious kind
- Since 2000
- 9declarations
- Most recent
- 2026Severe Winter Storm
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Charlottesville County's overall natural hazard risk very low, led by strong wind. 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 |
| Oct 29, 2012 | Hurricane Sandy | Emergency | EM-3359 |
| Jul 27, 2012 | Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds | Major disaster | DR-4072 |
| Feb 16, 2010 | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm | Major disaster | DR-1874 |
| Sep 12, 2005 | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Emergency | EM-3240 |
| Sep 18, 2003 | Hurricane Isabel | Major disaster | DR-1491 |
| Sep 6, 1996 | Hurricane Fran and Associated Severe Storm Cond | Major disaster | DR-1135 |
| Jan 13, 1996 | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) | Major disaster | DR-1086 |
| Mar 25, 1993 | Severe Winter Storm | Emergency | EM-3112 |
| 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 Charlottesville had?
Since 1957, the federal government has issued 16 disaster or emergency declarations covering Charlottesville city, including 10 major disaster declarations. 9 of them came in 2000 or later.
What was the most recent federal disaster in Charlottesville?
Severe Winter Storm (Emergency, declared January 23, 2026).
What kinds of disasters hit Charlottesville most often?
By FEMA incident type: hurricane (5), flood (4), snowstorm (3) and biological (2).
New to Charlottesville? 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 Charlottesville city, 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.