140
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$2.2M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Ritchie County, West Virginia: 140 recorded events between 1975 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 87. That places the county #1,658 nationally and #22 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Ritchie County, West Virginia: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Ritchie County is the 2020s, when 58 of the county's 140 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Ritchie County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 59.8% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #1,658 for this hazard and #22 within West Virginia, putting it in the 47.5 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Ritchie County with 39 recorded events, while Oct is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1, 2026 | PENNSBORO | 50 | $500 |
| Apr 1, 2026 | HIGHLAND | 50 | $2K |
| Apr 1, 2026 | LEAGUE | 50 | $500 |
| Mar 7, 2026 | PRUNTY | 50 | $2K |
| Feb 20, 2026 | WASHBURN | 45 | $2K |
| Sep 6, 2025 | HAZELGREEN | 50 | $2K |
| Jul 9, 2025 | HARRISVILLE | 50 | $500 |
| Jul 1, 2025 | HARRISVILLE | 45 | $2K |
| Jun 19, 2025 | HAZELGREEN | 50 | $250 |
| Jun 19, 2025 | LONE VLY | 50 | $250 |
Other hazards here
More from Ritchie County
- Flash Flood 41
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Numerous trees and large branches were blown down in scattered locations in the county. Over 8,000 customers lost electricity. One home was destroyed, 3 had major damage, and 4 others sustained minor damage. The public infrastructure damage assessment was near $62,000.
Three lattice steel towers carrying 500 kilowatt electric lines were bent over and collapsed. A fourth tower was pulled off kilter. Engineers were trying to figure out why the 40 year old towers collapsed. Corrosion, foundation cracks, or even flying debris could have been a factor. Repair crews built 3 temporary towers, with hopes of rebuilding the permanent towers in cooler autumn weather.
Trees were either snapped off or uprooted. A couple of tin roofs were damaged, including the skating rink. A porch roof was blown off. The wind was channelled from the northwest. Estimated gust from a follow-up National Weather Service survey was 70 mph.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Ritchie County, West Virginia?
140 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Ritchie County between 1975 and 2026, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Ritchie County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Ritchie County measured 87.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Ritchie County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in Ritchie County, West Virginia.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/west-virginia/ritchie-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.