County: Augusta
ZIP Codes: 24432
Deerfield, Virginia, while situated relatively far from the coastline, cannot completely negate the potential impacts from a hurricane. Surges of moist, tropical air from the sea can still potentially deliver significant rainfall inland in the event of a major storm. Terrain is another important consideration for Deerfield - the town's high elevation in the hilly and mountainous region of Virginia can pose a risk for severe flooding and mudslides in the wake of intense rainfalls. The town should definitely take into account historical flood risk as part of their preparedness planning. As for the historical review in the past 30 years, Hurricane Fran in 1996 and remnants of Hurricane Ivan in 2004 brought significant rainfall to much of western Virginia, including Deerfield, resulting in extensive flooding. In more recent years, Hurricane Florence in 2018 also caused a large impact on Virginia despite the far inland location of Deerfield. During these events, fluctuations in the course of Deerfield's creeks and rivers caused substantial damage, illustrating the town's susceptibility to not only direct hurricane effects but also associated weather systems.