Appomattox County, VA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Appomattox County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Appomattox County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, drought, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 33 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (14th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Appomattox County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1972, covering 9 disaster types including severe storm (6), hurricane (6), snowstorm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Michael |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 total declarations since 1972.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 21.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 14.7 | 21 | 0 | $71K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 41.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 20.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 15.1 | 1 | 1 | $11.2M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 61 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 6.9 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 23.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 8.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 22.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 21.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 22.5 | 2 | 0 | $13K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 44.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 39 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 21.9 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Appomattox County ranks in the 14th percentile (Very low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 14th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 28th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 14th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 59th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 6th | Very low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 39th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 37th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 93.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 33 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 16 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (+6% — relatively stable).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Appomattox County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Appomattox County, Virginia are hurricane, drought, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Appomattox County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Appomattox County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Appomattox County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Appomattox County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Helene (2025), Severe Winter Storms And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Appomattox County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lynchburg, VA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Charlotte County, VA has the lowest (Very Low). Appomattox County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Appomattox County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Appomattox County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Appomattox County's composite score of 5 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 5% of US counties.