Dinwiddie County, VA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Dinwiddie County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Dinwiddie County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hurricane, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 30 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Dinwiddie County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1973, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (8), severe storm (4), snowstorm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Tropical Depression Ernesto, Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 21.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 22.1 | 22 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 55.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 42.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 28.1 | 3 | 0 | $493K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 66.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 14.6 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 21.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 42.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 34.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 22.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 24.8 | 1 | 0 | $3K |
| Drought | Relatively High | 94 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 11.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Dinwiddie County ranks in the 33rd percentile (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 | 33rd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 37th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 15th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 75th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 32nd | 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 | 34th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 33rd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 86.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 30 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 9 in 2016–20 vs 21 in 2021–25 .
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 Dinwiddie County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Dinwiddie County, Virginia are drought, hurricane, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Dinwiddie County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Dinwiddie County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (8 declarations).
Has Dinwiddie County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Dinwiddie County include Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Dinwiddie County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Chesterfield County, VA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Colonial Heights, VA has the lowest (Very Low). Dinwiddie County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Dinwiddie County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Dinwiddie 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. Dinwiddie County's composite score of 19 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 19% of US counties.