Every federal disaster in Lynchburg since 1957
Each square is a disaster or emergency declaration by the President or FEMA that covered Lynchburg city. Declarations make federal aid available after hurricanes, floods, storms, fires and other events, so this is a record of the big ones.
- Declarations
- 20since 1957
- Major disasters
- 14the most serious kind
- Since 2000
- 9declarations
- Most recent
- 2026Severe Winter Storm
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lynchburg County's overall natural hazard risk relatively low. 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 |
| Sep 12, 2005 | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Emergency | EM-3240 |
| Sep 18, 2003 | Hurricane Isabel | Major disaster | DR-1491 |
| Feb 28, 2000 | Severe Winter Storms | Major disaster | DR-1318 |
| 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 |
| Jul 1, 1995 | Severe Storms and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-1059 |
| Mar 10, 1994 | Severe Ice Storms, Flooding | Major disaster | DR-1014 |
| Mar 25, 1993 | Severe Winter Storm | Emergency | EM-3112 |
| May 19, 1992 | Severe Storms & Flooding | Major disaster | DR-944 |
| Nov 9, 1985 | Severe Storms & Flooding | Major disaster | DR-755 |
| 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 Lynchburg had?
Since 1957, the federal government has issued 20 disaster or emergency declarations covering Lynchburg city, including 14 major disaster declarations. 9 of them came in 2000 or later.
What was the most recent federal disaster in Lynchburg?
Severe Winter Storm (Emergency, declared January 23, 2026).
What kinds of disasters hit Lynchburg most often?
By FEMA incident type: flood (6), hurricane (5), snowstorm (3) and severe storm (3).
New to Lynchburg? 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 Lynchburg 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.