Roanoke County, VA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Roanoke County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Roanoke County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, strong wind, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 50% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (13th 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. Roanoke County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1972, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (6), hurricane (5), snowstorm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 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 |
| 2010 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding From The Remanants Of Hurricane Jeanne |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 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 | 32.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 69.2 | 36 | 0 | $2.6M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 57.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 24 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 24.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 68.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 34.4 | 22 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 81.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 63.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 28.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 47.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 68.8 | 2 | 0 | $60K |
| Drought | Very Low | 24 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 88.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 59.9 | — | — | — |
| 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
Roanoke County ranks in the 13th 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 | 13th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 7th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 31st | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 45th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 23rd | 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 | 62nd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 63rd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 43.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 60 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 40 in 2016–20 vs 20 in 2021–25 (-50% — 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 Roanoke County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Roanoke County, Virginia are landslide, strong wind, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Roanoke County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Roanoke County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Roanoke County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Roanoke County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Helene (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Roanoke County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Roanoke, VA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Radford, VA has the lowest (Very Low). Roanoke County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Roanoke County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Roanoke 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. Roanoke County's composite score of 52 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 52% of US counties.