29,369
Recorded events
55
Counties covered
133
Direct deaths
$1.3B
Property damage
West Virginia severe weather history covers 29,369 recorded events across 55 counties between 1950 and 2026.
The West Virginia severe weather history record is dominated by thunderstorm wind, which accounts for 27.6% of everything logged statewide across 55 counties. Statewide, recorded events have caused 133 direct deaths since 1950.
By hazard type
West Virginia severe weather history by hazard
| Hazard | Events | Counties | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 8,092 | 55 | 15 | $111.1M | 1955–2026 |
| Winter Weather | 3,294 | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | 1996–2026 |
| Hail | 3,127 | 55 | 0 | $33.0M | 1955–2026 |
| Flash Flood | 2,253 | 55 | 57 | $637.0M | 1996–2026 |
| Heavy Snow | 2,010 | 1 | 4 | $31.2M | 1996–2026 |
| Flood | 1,823 | 55 | 28 | $397.4M | 1996–2026 |
| Winter Storm | 1,543 | 0 | 0 | $16.4M | 1996–2026 |
| Cold/Wind Chill | 965 | 0 | 2 | $633K | 1996–2026 |
| High Wind | 936 | 2 | 1 | $12.1M | 1996–2026 |
| Strong Wind | 878 | 2 | 2 | $6.6M | 1996–2026 |
| Drought | 852 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 1997–2026 |
| Heat | 586 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 1996–2021 |
| Dense Fog | 545 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2005–2021 |
| Frost/Freeze | 513 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 1997–2021 |
| Heavy Rain | 505 | 55 | 15 | $1.2M | 1996–2025 |
| Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | 465 | 0 | 0 | $7.4M | 2000–2026 |
| Excessive Heat | 318 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2000–2025 |
| Ice Storm | 235 | 0 | 1 | $10.4M | 1997–2025 |
| Tornado | 188 | 48 | 3 | $43.7M | 1950–2026 |
| Lightning | 95 | 32 | 3 | $5.8M | 1996–2025 |
| Blizzard | 58 | 0 | 0 | $22.0M | 1996–2025 |
| Wildfire | 32 | 13 | 1 | $73K | 1999–2024 |
| Funnel Cloud | 22 | 15 | 0 | $0 | 1996–2025 |
| Debris Flow | 21 | 7 | 1 | $1.2M | 2007–2025 |
| Northern Lights | 8 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2001–2001 |
| Astronomical Low Tide | 2 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2021–2021 |
| Dust Devil | 1 | 1 | 0 | $1K | 1998–1998 |
| Freezing Fog | 1 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2007–2007 |
| Avalanche | 1 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2015–2015 |
County index
Most active counties
| County | Events | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Kanawha County | 987 | 15 |
| Berkeley County | 484 | 0 |
| Greenbrier County | 475 | 18 |
| Putnam County | 474 | 1 |
| Monongalia County | 458 | 1 |
| Preston County | 457 | 1 |
| Harrison County | 446 | 3 |
| Wood County | 446 | 6 |
| Jefferson County | 401 | 2 |
| Cabell County | 391 | 7 |
| Raleigh County | 388 | 4 |
| Marion County | 367 | 2 |
| Wayne County | 366 | 1 |
| Mercer County | 341 | 2 |
| Hampshire County | 329 | 0 |
| Boone County | 310 | 1 |
| Lincoln County | 299 | 1 |
| Marshall County | 296 | 0 |
| Mason County | 292 | 2 |
| Fayette County | 283 | 4 |
| Upshur County | 280 | 0 |
| Logan County | 277 | 3 |
| Jackson County | 276 | 2 |
| McDowell County | 272 | 7 |
| Mingo County | 271 | 1 |
Full index
Every county in West Virginia
- Kanawha County
- Berkeley County
- Greenbrier County
- Putnam County
- Monongalia County
- Preston County
- Harrison County
- Wood County
- Jefferson County
- Cabell County
- Raleigh County
- Marion County
- Wayne County
- Mercer County
- Hampshire County
- Boone County
- Lincoln County
- Marshall County
- Mason County
- Fayette County
- Upshur County
- Logan County
- Jackson County
- McDowell County
- Mingo County
- Ohio County
- Randolph County
- Morgan County
- Lewis County
- Ritchie County
- Hardy County
- Hancock County
- Roane County
- Wyoming County
- Braxton County
- Barbour County
- Mineral County
- Grant County
- Wetzel County
- Brooke County
- Webster County
- Nicholas County
- Tyler County
- Taylor County
- Summers County
- Clay County
- Monroe County
- Gilmer County
- Tucker County
- Pendleton County
- Doddridge County
- Pocahontas County
- Calhoun County
- Wirt County
- Pleasants County
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events are recorded in West Virginia?
29,369 events are on record across West Virginia, covering 55 counties between 1950 and 2026.
Which county in West Virginia has the most severe weather on record?
Kanawha County leads West Virginia with 987 recorded events. Ranking reflects reported events, so densely populated counties tend to report more than sparsely populated ones.
Where does the West Virginia severe weather history data come from?
Totals are aggregated from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of United States severe weather reports, with FEMA and U.S. Census records providing risk and population context. Dates are UTC and recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“West Virginia Severe Weather History.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/state/west-virginia/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.