262
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
2
Direct injuries
$4.0M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Putnam County, West Virginia: 262 recorded events between 1976 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 70. That places the county #621 nationally and #4 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Putnam County, West Virginia: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Putnam County is the 2020s, when 122 of the county's 262 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 Putnam County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 55.3% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #621 for this hazard and #4 within West Virginia, putting it in the 80.3 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Putnam County with 82 recorded events, while Dec 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.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2013 | MT VERNON | 65 | 0 | 2 | $125K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 16, 2026 | BANCROFT | 50 | $2K |
| Jul 27, 2025 | EMMA | 45 | $750 |
| Jul 1, 2025 | SCOTT DEPOT | 45 | $250 |
| Jul 1, 2025 | HURRICANE | 45 | $250 |
| Jul 1, 2025 | RUMER | 45 | $250 |
| Jun 25, 2025 | MT VERNON | 45 | $2K |
| Jun 19, 2025 | HURRICANE | 50 | $250 |
| Jun 19, 2025 | PARADISE | 50 | $500 |
| Jun 9, 2025 | FRAZIERS BOTTOM | 50 | $2K |
| May 17, 2025 | RED HOUSE | 50 | $500 |
Other hazards here
More from Putnam County
- Hail 96
- Flash Flood 63
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 the county. Over 23,000 customers lost electricity. Two homes were destroyed and 3 others had major damage. The roof to a career and technical center was damage. The public infrastructure damage assessment was around $218,000.
A microburst with maximum winds of 70 to 80 MPH damaged roofs of several houses between Hurricane and Teays Valley. The strong burst of wind also snapped and uprooted multiple trees in a southwest to northeast oriented path that was at least a mile long. Several outhouses were also destroyed.
A microburst occurred in a mobile home park near Marina Park and into a housing development near Marina Drive. The peak wind gust was estimated around 75 mph. Several large trees were uprooted or blown down. Two mobile homes were destroyed by fallen trees with 5 others damaged. A vehicle was turned on its side by an uprooted tree. Another vehicle was damaged by a fallen tree. Two residents were taken to the hospital with minor injures and later released. A small private cemetery had 2 toppled trees. The exposed root systems dislodged several headstones.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Putnam County, West Virginia?
262 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Putnam County between 1976 and 2026, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Putnam County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Putnam County measured 70.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Putnam 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 Putnam County, West Virginia.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/west-virginia/putnam-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.