Greenbrier County, West Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 54025 · population 32,949 · 1,020 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 709 records for Greenbrier County, West Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 419 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (233 records). The deadliest single record is the June 23, 2016 flash flood: 16 deaths and $49.2 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 27 declarations naming the county since 1967, 25 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
- 709on 419 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1813 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $86Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 27latest 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 Greenbrier County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 233 since 1958. 56% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among West Virginia's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 233 | 131 | 1958-2026 | 1 | 2 | $3.0M | 47 of 53 |
| Winter storms | 155 | 132 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 5 | $1.1M | 50 of 53 |
| Floods | 132 | 66 | 1996-2025 | 16 | 0 | $63M | 50 of 53 |
| Hail | 97 | 56 | 1979-2026 | 0 | 0 | $386K | 46 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 32 | 27 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | $378K | 53 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 23 | 14 | 2007-2024 | 0 | 3 | $14K | 41 of 53 |
| Drought | 15 | 11 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $208K | 53 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 8 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $9K | 53 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 7 | 1962-2016 | 0 | 3 | $18M | 24 of 53 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 3 | 3 | 2007-2022 | 1 | 0 | $18K | 5 of 53 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2011-2015 | 0 | 0 | $10K | 22 of 53 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2025-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 53 |
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.
How many tornadoes has Greenbrier County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Greenbrier County from 1962 to 2016, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 3 injuries recorded in the county. That is 24th of 53 West Virginia counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 7 tornadoes whose track touched Greenbrier County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person, 0 of them in Greenbrier County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-04-04 02:26, as SPC files it | Meadow Bridge | F3 | 32.2 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in West Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Greenbrier County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-06-21 | Clearco, Greenbrier County | EF0 2.63 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $61K |
| 1990-06-22 | Greenbrier County | F2 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1975-04-24 | Greenbrier County | F2 6 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-04-04 | Greenbrier County | F3 18.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.5M step |
| 1970-04-23 | Greenbrier County | F0 0.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1966-08-18 | Greenbrier County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1962-03-21 | Greenbrier County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Greenbrier County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2026 thunderstorm wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindRockland, Greenbrier County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindOrgan Cave, Greenbrier County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindHopper, Greenbrier County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindOrgan Cave, Greenbrier County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindHalfway, Greenbrier County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindMc Ross, Greenbrier County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindRonceverte, Greenbrier County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindTeaberry, Greenbrier County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindNorth Caldwell, Greenbrier County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-12 | HailGolden, Greenbrier County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtGreenbrier County · forecast zone Western Greenbrier | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtGreenbrier County · forecast zone Eastern Greenbrier | 0 | 0 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-06-23 | Flash FloodRainelle, Greenbrier County Unprecedented flash flooding occurred across large parts of Greenbrier County but especially in a swath across the central part of the county where an estimated 6 to 10 inches of rain fell in less than 12 hours. The first flood-related report was received at 100 PM EDT (1200 PM EST) as a portion of Highway 20 in ... | 16 | 0 | $49M | |
| 2015-03-10 | Debris FlowWhitcomb, Greenbrier County A motorist was driving on Coffman Hill Road in the community of Ronceverte, WV when a mudslide spilled across the road, carrying with it a tree. The tree hit the vehicle, causing the fatality of the motorist. The motorist was the only one in the vehicle. | 1 | 0 | $6K | |
| 1989-04-25 | Thunderstorm WindGreenbrier County | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-03-03 | Winter WeatherGreenbrier County · forecast zone Eastern Greenbrier Slick roads due to snowfall amounts ranging from 2 to 4 inches resulted in several reports of automobile accidents, with some causing injuries. Poor roadway conditions were reported on road types ranging from interstate highways to secondary roads across the county. | 0 | 5 | $61K | |
| 2016-03-03 | Winter WeatherGreenbrier County · forecast zone Western Greenbrier Slick roads due to snowfall amounts ranging from 2 to 4 inches resulted in several reports of automobile accidents, with some causing injuries. Poor roadway conditions were reported on road types ranging from interstate highways to secondary roads across the county. | 0 | 5 | $61K | |
| 2007-04-14 | Heavy RainSam Black Church, Greenbrier County A motorist hydroplaned during a period of heavy rain on Interstate 64, spun out of control, and flipped over once reaching the median. The driver and two passengers were taken to the hospital. | 0 | 3 | $14K | |
| 1974-04-04 | TornadoGreenbrier County | F3 18.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.5M step |
| 2012-02-29 | Thunderstorm WindAnjean, Greenbrier County Thunderstorms winds blew a tree over onto a truck that was traveling past the coal mine on Anjen Road. An occupant of the truck sustained a minor injury. Damage values are estimated. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $19K |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-06-23 | Flash FloodRainelle, Greenbrier County | 16 | 0 | $49M | |
| 1996-01-19 | FloodGreenbrier County · forecast zone Greenbrier | 0 | 0 | $7.5M | |
| 2003-11-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Greenbrier County | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 2010-03-13 | Flash FloodCharmco, Greenbrier County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2020-06-19 | Flash FloodAlderson, Greenbrier County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2003-05-09 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Portion, Greenbrier County | 80 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $802K |
| 1996-01-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Greenbrier County | 0 | 0 | $753K | |
| 1998-02-06 | Heavy SnowGreenbrier County · forecast zone Greenbrier | 0 | 0 | $724K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 4, 1974 (tornado, Greenbrier County).
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 Greenbrier 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 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 44 | 82 | 86 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 19 | 36 | 69 | 31 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 12 | 22 | 40 | 58 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 50 | 21 | 12 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 8 | 12 | 12 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 6 | 16 |
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 1958 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 73 · Feb 102 · Mar 62 · Apr 67 · May 68 · Jun 105 · Jul 107 · Aug 49 · Sep 19 · Oct 6 · Nov 14 · Dec 37 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Greenbrier County
FEMA's register lists 27 declarations that include Greenbrier County: 19 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (9) and severe storm (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3639 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025-02-26 | DR-4861 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2020-04-03 | DR-4517 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3450 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-06-25 | DR-4273 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-05-21 | DR-4221 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3358 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-07-23 | DR-4071 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2012-06-30 | EM-3345 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2010-03-29 | DR-1893 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides |
| 2010-03-02 | DR-1881 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3221 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-11-21 | DR-1500 | 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 |
| 2001-06-03 | DR-1378 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, 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 |
| 1985-11-07 | DR-753 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-08-24 | EM-3051 | Drought | Drought |
| 1977-04-07 | DR-531 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-01-19 | EM-3021 | Drought | Drought |
| 1974-04-11 | DR-426 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1972-07-03 | DR-344 | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes |
| 1969-09-24 | DR-279 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969-09-03 | DR-278 | Hurricane | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1967-03-13 | DR-224 | Flood | Flooding |
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 Greenbrier County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 132 flood or flash flood records for Greenbrier County from 1996 to 2025, on 66 days, with 16 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Greenbrier County ranks 341st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $25.7 million on 943 claims filed in Greenbrier County; the most in one year was 351 in 2016. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 13 · 1979: 2 · 1984: 2 · 1985: 70 · 1989: 1 · 1994: 3 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 244 · 1998: 2 · 1999: 1 · 2001: 22 · 2002: 5 · 2003: 122 · 2004: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2009: 3 · 2010: 87 · 2013: 1 · 2015: 4 · 2016: 351 · 2017: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2025: 1; 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 Greenbrier County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Greenbrier County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $25.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively High | $979K | 2.5 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $4.7M | 5.6 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $18M | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $537K | 43 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $120K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | $3K | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $164K | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $277K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Greenbrier County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in West VirginiaEvery West Virginia tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- 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 Greenbrier CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Greenbrier County's FEMA declarations (CSV)27 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis