8,092
Recorded events
55
Counties affected
15
Direct deaths
$111.1M
Property damage
West Virginia thunderstorm wind history: 8,092 recorded events across 55 counties between 1955 and 2026.
Decade by decade
West Virginia thunderstorm wind history by decade
The 2020s are the busiest decade on record with 2,581 reported thunderstorm wind events across West Virginia. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most thunderstorm wind events in West Virginia
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Kanawha County | 541 | 3 | $14.0M | 1957–2026 |
| #2 | Preston County | 268 | 1 | $1.8M | 1975–2026 |
| #3 | Monongalia County | 263 | 0 | $2.8M | 1955–2026 |
| #4 | Putnam County | 262 | 0 | $4.0M | 1976–2026 |
| #5 | Berkeley County | 250 | 0 | $982K | 1964–2025 |
| #6 | Harrison County | 244 | 1 | $4.6M | 1970–2026 |
| #7 | Jefferson County | 243 | 2 | $1.4M | 1968–2025 |
| #8 | Wood County | 228 | 0 | $6.4M | 1956–2026 |
| #9 | Greenbrier County | 220 | 1 | $2.3M | 1958–2025 |
| #10 | Hampshire County | 197 | 0 | $1.2M | 1986–2025 |
| #11 | Cabell County | 189 | 2 | $5.4M | 1955–2025 |
| #12 | Boone County | 183 | 0 | $1.4M | 1975–2026 |
| #13 | Wayne County | 183 | 0 | $2.4M | 1966–2026 |
| #14 | Raleigh County | 178 | 0 | $4.8M | 1964–2026 |
| #15 | Marion County | 177 | 1 | $1.6M | 1970–2025 |
| #16 | Ohio County | 173 | 0 | $1.4M | 1955–2025 |
| #17 | Marshall County | 162 | 0 | $1.4M | 1966–2025 |
| #18 | Mason County | 160 | 0 | $2.0M | 1968–2026 |
| #19 | Hancock County | 155 | 0 | $991K | 1974–2025 |
| #20 | Upshur County | 153 | 0 | $1.4M | 1957–2026 |
| #21 | Hardy County | 151 | 0 | $1.2M | 1970–2026 |
| #22 | Ritchie County | 140 | 0 | $2.2M | 1975–2026 |
| #23 | Brooke County | 137 | 0 | $1.3M | 1957–2025 |
| #24 | Fayette County | 136 | 0 | $3.4M | 1955–2026 |
| #25 | McDowell County | 135 | 1 | $1.9M | 1975–2026 |
Significant events
Deadliest thunderstorm wind events in West Virginia
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2002 | Jefferson County | — | 1 | 0 |
| May 19, 2019 | Preston County | — | 1 | 2 |
| May 3, 2025 | Jefferson County | — | 1 | 1 |
| May 29, 2019 | Roane County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 9, 1991 | Kanawha County | — | 1 | 2 |
| Aug 17, 1997 | Taylor County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 25, 2005 | Kanawha County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 9, 1991 | Cabell County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 4, 2010 | Kanawha County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Jul 25, 2005 | Cabell County | — | 1 | 0 |
All hazards in West Virginia · Thunderstorm Wind across the U.S.