Tazewell County, VA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Tazewell County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Tazewell County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, inland flooding, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 62 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. Tazewell County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1977, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (10), snowstorm (5), hurricane (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Post-Tropical Cyclone Helene |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Flooding And Mudslides |
| 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 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 total declarations since 1977.
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 | 57.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 75.1 | 44 | 0 | $2.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 68.1 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 15.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 51.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 32.8 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 56.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 57 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 23.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 75.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 44.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 59.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 93 | 5 | 0 | $70K |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 68.4 | — | — | — |
| 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
Tazewell County ranks in the 59th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 59th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 64th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 56th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 14th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 67th | Moderate |
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 | 81st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 77th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 66.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 62 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 29 in 2016–20 vs 33 in 2021–25 (+14% — frequency increasing).
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 Tazewell County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Tazewell County, Virginia are landslide, inland flooding, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Tazewell County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Tazewell County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Tazewell County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Tazewell County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Helene (2025), Severe Winter Storms And Flooding (2025), Post-Tropical Cyclone Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Tazewell County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, McDowell County, WV has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Bland County, VA has the lowest (Very Low). Tazewell County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Tazewell County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Tazewell 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. Tazewell County's composite score of 60 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 60% of US counties.