Rappahannock County, VA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Rappahannock County has experienced 25 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.
Rappahannock County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hurricane, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 45% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (6th 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. Rappahannock County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1972, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (7), hurricane (7), snowstorm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Michael |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2016 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 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 | 38.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 20.5 | 33 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 27.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 25.9 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 12.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 55.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 14 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 34 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 15.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 6.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 10.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 17.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 59 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 54.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 38.3 | — | — | — |
| 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
Rappahannock County ranks in the 6th 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 | 6th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 45th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 8th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 38th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 0th | 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 | 44th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 46th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 98.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 48 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 31 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (-45% — frequency decreasing).
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 Rappahannock County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Rappahannock County, Virginia are drought, hurricane, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Rappahannock County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Rappahannock County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Rappahannock County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Rappahannock County include Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Rappahannock County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Shenandoah County, VA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Madison County, VA has the lowest (Very Low). Rappahannock County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Rappahannock County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Rappahannock 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. Rappahannock County's composite score of 7 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 7% of US counties.