Every federal disaster in Roanoke since 1957
Each square is a disaster or emergency declaration by the President or FEMA that covered Roanoke city. Declarations make federal aid available after hurricanes, floods, storms, fires and other events, so this is a record of the big ones.
- Declarations
- 22since 1957
- Major disasters
- 16the most serious kind
- Since 2000
- 12declarations
- Most recent
- 2026Severe Winter Storm
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Roanoke County's overall natural hazard risk relatively 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 |
| Oct 1, 2024 | Tropical Storm Helene | Major disaster | DR-4831 |
| Apr 2, 2020 | COVID-19 Pandemic | Major disaster | DR-4512 |
| Mar 13, 2020 | COVID-19 | Emergency | EM-3448 |
| Oct 15, 2018 | Hurricane Florence | Major disaster | DR-4401 |
| 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 |
| Oct 18, 2004 | Severe Storms and Flooding From the Remanants of Hurricane Jeanne | Major disaster | DR-1570 |
| Mar 27, 2003 | Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snowfall, Heavy Rain,Floodind, and Mudslide | Major disaster | DR-1458 |
| 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 Roanoke had?
Since 1957, the federal government has issued 22 disaster or emergency declarations covering Roanoke city, including 16 major disaster declarations. 12 of them came in 2000 or later.
What was the most recent federal disaster in Roanoke?
Severe Winter Storm (Emergency, declared January 23, 2026).
What kinds of disasters hit Roanoke most often?
By FEMA incident type: flood (6), snowstorm (4), severe storm (4) and hurricane (4).
New to Roanoke? 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 Roanoke 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.