Bath County, VA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Bath County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Bath County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, lightning, and avalanche, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (17th 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. Bath County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1969, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (5), hurricane (5), snowstorm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2010 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 16.7 | 12 | 0 | $51K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 21.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 2.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 4.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 47.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 8.2 | 5 | 0 | $2K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 11.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 17 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 6.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 23.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 74.9 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 23.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 84 | 1 | 0 | $5K |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 68.3 | — | — | — |
| 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
Bath County ranks in the 17th 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 | 17th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 37th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 16th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 14th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 13th | 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 | 63rd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 66th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 94.7% | — |
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 Bath County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Bath County, Virginia are landslide, lightning, and avalanche. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Bath County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Bath County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Bath County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Bath County include Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Bath County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Alleghany County, VA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Highland County, VA has the lowest (Very Low). Bath County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Bath County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Bath 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. Bath County's composite score of 5 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 5% of US counties.