Lancaster County weather alerts
There are no active weather alerts for Lancaster County, VA right now.
Since 2016 the National Weather Service has issued about 716 alerts that included Lancaster County, roughly 72 a year. The most common is the coastal flood advisory (126 from 2016 to 2025). The last tornado warning was issued on July 5, 2022. 10 tornadoes have touched down in the county since 1950.
Updated from the National Weather Service · lists refresh hourly; the live map loads current alerts directly from the NWS
No warnings, watches or advisories include Lancaster County at the moment. This page updates automatically when the National Weather Service issues one. Check neighboring Richmond County, Northumberland County.
Lancaster County alert history
Alert events that included Lancaster County or its forecast zones, from the NWS warning archive.
| Alert type | 2016–2025 | 2026 | Last issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal Flood Advisory | 126 | 5 | October 19, 2026 |
| Severe Thunderstorm Warning | 108 | 23 | August 10, 2026 |
| Severe Thunderstorm Watch | 58 | 14 | September 4, 2026 |
| Flood Watch | 51 | 3 | July 21, 2026 |
| Heat Advisory | 47 | 6 | September 2, 2026 |
| Flood Advisory | 38 | 6 | September 22, 2026 |
| Coastal Flood Warning | 32 | 1 | September 22, 2026 |
| Wind Advisory | 29 | 2 | February 7, 2026 |
| Dense Fog Advisory | 25 | 3 | March 9, 2026 |
| Winter Weather Advisory | 24 | 4 | February 23, 2026 |
| Tornado Watch | 21 | 1 | March 16, 2026 |
| Flash Flood Warning | 19 | 5 | September 22, 2026 |
| Tornado Warning | 18 | 0 | July 5, 2022 |
| Cold Weather Advisory | 13 | 7 | February 7, 2026 |
| Flood Warning | 13 | 0 | July 20, 2024 |
| Frost Advisory | 12 | 2 | November 14, 2026 |
| Winter Storm Watch | 12 | 3 | February 22, 2026 |
| Freeze Warning | 11 | 0 | November 11, 2025 |
| Winter Storm Warning | 9 | 2 | February 22, 2026 |
| Extreme Heat Warning | 8 | 1 | July 2, 2026 |
| Freeze Watch | 7 | 0 | November 11, 2025 |
| Red Flag Warning | 7 | 0 | November 16, 2025 |
| Tropical Storm Warning | 6 | 0 | September 21, 2023 |
| Fire Weather Watch | 6 | 0 | November 16, 2025 |
| Tropical Storm Watch | 5 | 0 | July 7, 2021 |
| High Wind Warning | 4 | 0 | February 16, 2025 |
| Extreme Heat Watch | 3 | 1 | July 2, 2026 |
| High Wind Watch | 2 | 0 | January 9, 2024 |
| Ice Storm Warning | 1 | 0 | February 13, 2021 |
| Storm Surge Warning | 1 | 0 | September 21, 2023 |
| Extreme Cold Watch | 0 | 1 | February 1, 2026 |
Tornado history in Lancaster County
10 tornadoes have been recorded in Lancaster County since 1950, injuring 5 people. That ranks 38 of 133 counties in Virginia. The most recent was on July 5, 2022 (rated EF0).
Strongest tornadoes in Lancaster County
| Date | Rating | County | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 4, 2020 | EF2 | Lancaster County | 15.6 mi | 500 yd | 0 | 5 |
| February 24, 2016 | EF1 | Middlesex County | 6.1 mi | 150 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 10, 1990 | F1 | Lancaster County | 4.1 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 0 |
| April 6, 2017 | EF1 | Lancaster County | 3.7 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 0 |
| September 6, 1975 | F1 | Lancaster County | 2.3 mi | 150 yd | 0 | 0 |
Most recent tornadoes
| Date | Rating | County | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 5, 2022 | EF0 | Lancaster County | 11.5 mi | 75 yd | 0 | 0 |
| August 4, 2020 | EF2 | Lancaster County | 15.6 mi | 500 yd | 0 | 5 |
| August 7, 2017 | EF0 | Lancaster County | 2.1 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 |
| April 6, 2017 | EF1 | Lancaster County | 3.7 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 0 |
| February 24, 2016 | EF1 | Middlesex County | 6.1 mi | 150 yd | 0 | 0 |
About Lancaster County
- Population: 11,062 (2024 estimate)
- State: Virginia
- NOAA Weather Radio SAME code: 051103 (how to use it)