Brooke County, West Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 54009 · population 22,549 · 89 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 291 records for Brooke County, West Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 224 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (143 records). The most damaging was the September 17, 2004 flood ($31.2 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1972, 16 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on January 24, 2026.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 291on 224 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 01 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $40Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- FEMA declarations
- 18latest 2026
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Brooke County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 143 since 1957. 56% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in June and July. Census land area gives no figure for Brooke County under this code, so it carries no per-area rank.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 143 | 104 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 1 | $2.1M | – |
| Winter storms | 50 | 50 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $30K | – |
| Floods | 46 | 38 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $37M | – |
| Hail | 21 | 17 | 1993-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| High wind and dust storms | 15 | 15 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | $403K | – |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 9 | 2009-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Drought | 4 | 4 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 1 | 2018-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
When was the last damaging storm in Brooke County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 11, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindHooverson Hgts, Brooke County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindHooverson Hgts, Brooke County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormBrooke County · forecast zone Brooke | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | Winter WeatherBrooke County · forecast zone Brooke | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-31 | Winter WeatherBrooke County · forecast zone Brooke | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-13 | Winter StormBrooke County · forecast zone Brooke | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-20 | Flash FloodWeirton, Brooke County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-16 | Thunderstorm WindWellsburg, Brooke County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-07-16 | Thunderstorm WindMc Kinleyville, Brooke County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-04-29 | Thunderstorm WindColliers, Brooke County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $5K |
| 2025-04-29 | Thunderstorm WindWellsburg, Brooke County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-04-29 | Thunderstorm WindFollansbee, Brooke County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-29 | Thunderstorm WindColliers, Brooke County A tree fell on a home and a man was hit in the head and transferred to the hospital. | 55 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $5K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-09-17 | FloodBrooke County · forecast zone Brooke | 0 | 0 | $31M | |
| 2005-01-05 | FloodBrooke County · forecast zone Brooke | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 1996-01-19 | FloodBrooke County · forecast zone Brooke | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 2016-07-30 | FloodFollansbee, Brooke County | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 2024-04-02 | Flash FloodBethany, Brooke County | 0 | 0 | $532K | |
| 1997-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindWeirton, Brooke County | 0 | 0 | $460K | |
| 2025-04-29 | Thunderstorm WindWellsburg, Brooke County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-04-29 | Thunderstorm WindColliers, Brooke County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $5K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Brooke County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 38 | 44 | 18 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 14 | 11 | 20 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 12 | 16 | 11 | 7 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 5 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 9 | 3 | 2 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
56% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 33 · Feb 22 · Mar 11 · Apr 27 · May 20 · Jun 65 · Jul 38 · Aug 27 · Sep 16 · Oct 3 · Nov 6 · Dec 23 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Brooke County
FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Brooke County: 12 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (5) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3639 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024-05-24 | DR-4787 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2024-05-22 | DR-4783 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2020-04-03 | DR-4517 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3450 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-04-17 | DR-4359 | Mud/Landslide | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-05-18 | DR-4220 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3358 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-06-30 | EM-3345 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2010-04-23 | DR-1903 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3221 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-02-01 | DR-1574 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2004-09-20 | DR-1558 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2003-03-14 | DR-1455 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snow, Heavy Rains, Flooding and Landslides |
| 1996-01-25 | DR-1096 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1084 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3109 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1972-07-03 | DR-344 | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Brooke County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 46 flood or flash flood records for Brooke County from 1996 to 2025, on 38 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Brooke County ranks 515th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $6.4 million on 488 claims filed in Brooke County; the most in one year was 196 in 2004. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 2 · 1979: 18 · 1980: 32 · 1981: 4 · 1982: 3 · 1983: 2 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1988: 3 · 1989: 3 · 1990: 12 · 1991: 2 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 2 · 1996: 117 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 4 · 2000: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 2 · 2004: 196 · 2005: 36 · 2011: 2 · 2016: 9 · 2018: 16 · 2019: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2024: 14; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Brooke County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Brooke County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $12.6 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $12M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $4K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $166K | 42 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $110K | 3.8 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $31K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $229K | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $64K | once in about 35 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $48K | once in about 1,715 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Brooke County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Severe thunderstorm wind in West VirginiaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The West Virginia recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Brooke CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Brooke County's FEMA declarations (CSV)18 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis