County: Russell
ZIP Codes: 24237, 24272
Dante, Virginia, is relatively protected due to its distance from the coast and higher elevation. Situated about 300 miles away from Virginia's Atlantic coastline, and nestled in the mountains with an elevation around 2,000 feet, direct impacts from landfalling hurricanes are often mitigated. However, Dante is not entirely immune. Tropical cyclones tracking up the East Coast can produce significant indirect effects, such as excessive rainfall leading to flash flooding, mudslides, or debris flows in mountainous areas. In addition, heavy rains can impact low-lying valleys downstream as well. Wind damage tends to be lighter since hurricanes often weaken as they move further inland, but downed trees and power outages could certainly be a concern. Over the last 30 years, Dante has experienced some notable hurricanes and tropical storm remnants. In 1989, Hurricane Hugo brought strong winds, downing many trees and causing power outages. Moreover, remnants of Tropical Storm Lee in 2011 dropped heavy rains that led to flash flooding. Dante also faced severe floods caused by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Hurricane Francis in 1999. Despite dealing with these events, it should be noted that large-scale catastrophic impacts from hurricanes, such as storm surges and high wind damage, are less common in Dante due to its geographical location and natural protections.