County: Augusta
ZIP Codes: 22980
Dooms, Virginia, being located about 150 miles inland from the Atlantic Coast, is relatively protected from direct impact of hurricanes. However, it doesn't imply that hurricanes and their residual effects cannot be severe at all. A prime factor for this town is the heavy rainfall associated with these systems. High precipitation rates following a hurricane can lead to severe flooding, especially considering that Dooms is situated near South River and the larger Shenandoah River. Further, the town’s elevation at less than 1,000 feet could increase its susceptibility to flooding. Warmer and wetter storms caused by climate change could potentially exacerbate this risk. Historically, Dooms has primarily experienced relatively mild impacts from hurricanes transitioning into tropical storms as they move inland. Nevertheless, the remnants of hurricanes like Fran in 1996 and Isabel in 2003 caused significant rainfall in the region. Most notably, the passage of Hurricane Camille in 1969 led to devastating floods, albeit this happened over 30 years ago. The 1995 flood, resulting from days of intense rain, is also worthy of mentioning, which evidences the town’s vulnerability to heavy rain events that could be linked to passing hurricanes. It is essential to consider the multi-faceted impacts of these climatic events, including high winds, heavy rain and floods, and prepare accordingly in spite of the town's inland distance from the coast.