Tornado History

Fairfax Tornado History

This county-level tornado history page focuses on Fairfax, Virginia. The records below identify 20 tornadoes from 1952 through 2022, including a highest listed rating of F3 (Severe damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $34.6M, with 1 deaths and 45 injuries recorded across the listed events.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes20
Total Deaths1
Total Injuries45
Property Damage$34.6M
Avg Length3.9 mi
Avg Width80 yd

Key Tornado Facts for Fairfax, Virginia

Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.

Average 0.3 tornadoes per year (0.5/yr in last decade)
April is the peak tornado month with 4 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F3 in Fairfax, Virginia with 1 deaths
2011 was the most active year with 3 tornadoes
The 2010s had the most tornado activity (7 events)
Longest tornado: 19 miles in Fairfax, Virginia
Widest tornado: 300.0 yards in Fairfax, Virginia
Most tornadoes in one day: 2 on Mar 31, 2022

Monthly Distribution

Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Summary: In Fairfax, Virginia, April is the most active month with 4 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.

3210

Summary: 2011 was the most active year with 3 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
EF0
F1
F2
F3

Summary: EF0 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 9 recorded events.

Property Damage Trends

Visualizes reported property damage over time. Bars use a log-like scale so very large damage years do not flatten the rest of the chart.

$25.0M$2.5M$250K$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 1973 with at least $25.0M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Historical Track Sketch

F3 April 1, 19731973F3 September 5, 19791979F2 June 24, 19961996F2 September 17, 20042004F2 August 9, 19691969F2 July 28, 19811981F1 August 31, 19521952F1 July 12, 19871987F1 August 4, 19921992EF0 March 31, 20222022EF0 April 27, 20112011EF0 March 31, 20222022EF0 October 13, 20112011EF0 March 10, 20112011F0 October 13, 1983F0 October 18, 1990EF0 October 15, 2014EF0 April 6, 2017EF0 July 24, 2018EF0 April 19, 2019© OpenStreetMap contributors
This map covers the wider location—not your exact property.Measure the closest recorded track to a street address in or near Fairfax, Virginia.
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Notable Tornado Records

The table highlights the strongest and most damaging records in this page's local dataset. Damage totals are NOAA-reported minimum estimates where available.

DateRatingAreaLengthWidthDeathsInjuriesMin. property damage
April 1, 1973F3Fairfax, Virginia7.1 mi100 yd037$25.0M
September 5, 1979F3Fairfax, Virginia17.9 mi300 yd16$2.5M
June 24, 1996F2Fairfax, Virginia19 mi200 yd01$4.0M
September 17, 2004F2Fairfax, Virginia7 mi150 yd01$2.5M
August 9, 1969F2Fairfax, Virginia0 mi33 yd00$250K
July 28, 1981F2Fairfax, Virginia0.1 mi27 yd00$25K
August 31, 1952F1Fairfax, Virginia2 mi100 yd00$25K
July 12, 1987F1Fairfax, Virginia0.2 mi23 yd00$2K
August 4, 1992F1Fairfax, Virginia2 mi73 yd00$2K
March 31, 2022EF0Fairfax, Virginia0.13 mi50 yd00$200K
April 27, 2011EF0Fairfax, Virginia1.12 mi75 yd00$40K
March 31, 2022EF0Fairfax, Virginia0.05 mi30 yd00$20K
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Source And Limits

Data sourced from NOAA Storm Prediction Center and the NCEI Storm Events Database. TornadoTrace summarizes reported weather events for screening and research; it is not a damage assessment, inspection, or insurance determination. Coordinates and records can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. No warranty of completeness or accuracy.

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