Kanawha County, West Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 54039 · population 180,603 · 902 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,233 records for Kanawha County, West Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 628 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (554 records). The deadliest day on its record was June 23, 2016: flood records filed for Kanawha County that day count 6 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 34 declarations naming the county since 1967, 31 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
- 1,233on 628 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1977 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $202Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 15strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 34latest 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 Kanawha County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 554 since 1957. 52% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 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 | 554 | 254 | 1957-2026 | 3 | 68 | $20M | 15 of 53 |
| Hail | 207 | 99 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 0 | $26M | 15 of 53 |
| Floods | 204 | 136 | 1996-2026 | 13 | 1 | $144M | 21 of 53 |
| Winter storms | 78 | 77 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 2 | $5.9M | 53 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 56 | 53 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 1 | $1.1M | 33 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 30 | 30 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $795K | 44 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 26 | 24 | 1997-2017 | 0 | 0 | $311K | 12 of 53 |
| Drought | 24 | 24 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 53 |
| Heat | 20 | 20 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 9 | 1969-2024 | 0 | 1 | $1.8M | 15 of 53 |
| Lightning | 11 | 10 | 2001-2018 | 1 | 4 | $169K | 8 of 53 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 3 | 3 | 2009-2015 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 3 of 53 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 3 | 1999-2014 | 1 | 0 | $31K | 8 of 53 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2001-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 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 Kanawha County had?
NOAA records 15 tornadoes in Kanawha County from 1969 to 2024, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 15th 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 15 tornadoes whose track touched Kanawha County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 15, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in West Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Kanawha County (15)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-04-02 | Ronda, Kanawha County | EF1 0.78 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $66K |
| 2024-04-02 | Hernshaw, Kanawha County | EF1 5.14 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $56K |
| 2024-04-02 | Indian, Kanawha County | EF1 5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $282K |
| 2024-04-02 | Coalridge, Kanawha County | EF1 2.25 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $75K |
| 2024-04-02 | Nitro, Kanawha County | EF2 8 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $38K |
| 2019-06-24 | Yeager Airport, Kanawha County | EF0 0.83 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $81K |
| 2019-06-24 | Alumville, Kanawha County | EF1 7.85 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $577K |
| 2016-07-04 | South Charleston, Kanawha County | EF0 1.87 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2008-03-19 | Blue Creek, Kanawha County | EF0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $55K |
| 1998-06-02 | Leewood, Kanawha County | F0 0.5 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 1998-06-02 | Charleston, Kanawha County | F1 1.5 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $181K |
| 1990-09-14 | Kanawha County | F0 0.2 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1980-07-09 | Kanawha County | F1 1.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1980-06-23 | Kanawha County | F1 0.2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1969-04-18 | Kanawha County | F1 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K 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 Kanawha County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindBarlow, Kanawha County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindSpring Hill, Kanawha County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Ruffner, Kanawha County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindBlue Creek, Kanawha County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindPocatalico, Kanawha County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindRuth, Kanawha County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindBunker Hill, Kanawha County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-10 | Flash FloodElk, Kanawha County | 0 | 0 | $500 | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtKanawha County · forecast zone Kanawha | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindWelford, Kanawha County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindClendenin, Kanawha County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-05-20 | HailClendenin, Kanawha County | 1.75 in hail | 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 | FloodKing, Kanawha County The flood of record occurred on the lower Elk River around Clendenin. Two women died. They were trying to save family heirlooms in the basement of a home in Elkview. In likely their last cell phone contact, 1 of the 2 women described the scene, as like the Titanic. An elderly man also died in his home in Elkview. ... | 4 | 0 | $44M | |
| 2000-02-18 | Flash FloodSissonville, Kanawha County A warm front surged north during the morning of Friday the 18th, dropping a half inch to an inch of rain. Meanwhile, low pressure extended from southern Ohio on down the entire length of the Ohio River during that afternoon. A southerly wind at the surface, with dew points in the 55 to 60 degree range, fed moisture ... | 3 | 0 | $857K | |
| 2016-06-23 | FloodIsland Branch, Kanawha County Severe flash flooding occurred in the northeastern portion of the county. Streams such as Jordan Creek, Doctors Creek, Thorofare Run, Little Sandy Creek, Wills Creek, and the lower reaches of Big Sandy Creek caused much destruction. Little Sandy Creek inundated one large culvert over the only road access to a shopping ... | 2 | 0 | $32M | |
| 1998-06-28 | Flash FloodSissonville, Kanawha County Three consecutive nights of thunderstorms left western and northern counties with wind damage and flooding. The first night was from Friday evening, the 26th, into early Saturday morning, the 27th. The convection on the second and third nights was further south than the first night, hitting the Parkersburg to ... | 2 | 0 | $9.1M | |
| 1991-04-09 | Thunderstorm WindKanawha County | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2010-08-04 | Thunderstorm WindCharleston, Kanawha County Several trees and large branches were blown down from the East End of Charleston on toward Kanawha State Forest. Some branches fell onto vehicles. The dark screen at the baseball field was shredded by the wind. A delayed direct death occurred in a freak accident about 2 hours after the storms had ended. A man, his 2 ... | 50 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $271K |
| 2017-12-30 | Cold/Wind ChillKanawha County · forecast zone Kanawha Following several strong cold fronts in the last week of December, a period of very cold temperatures settled into the Central Appalachians. Afternoon highs across the region topped out in the teens and twenties on most days, with overnight lows in the single digits above and below zero. A 52-year old homeless man was ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2014-03-11 | WildfireKanawha County · forecast zone Kanawha Afternoon temperatures reached into the 70 to 75 degree range along the lower Elk River Valley. Southwest winds were blowing at 10 to 15 mph. The relative humidity was around 25 percent. A 67 year old man near Clendenin was burning some debris near his home. The wind caused the fire to flare up. When firefighters ... | 1 | 0 | $31K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-06-23 | FloodKing, Kanawha County | 4 | 0 | $44M | |
| 2016-06-23 | FloodIsland Branch, Kanawha County | 2 | 0 | $32M | |
| 2003-06-16 | Flash FloodPocatalico, Kanawha County | 0 | 0 | $11M | |
| 1998-06-02 | HailCharleston, Kanawha County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $11M |
| 2003-11-12 | FloodKanawha County · forecast zone Kanawha | 1 | 0 | $11M | |
| 2006-08-30 | HailCharleston, Kanawha County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $8.8M |
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindSissonville, Kanawha County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $7.7M |
| 1997-03-01 | Flash FloodCountywide, Kanawha County | 0 | 0 | $6.4M |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 18, 1969 (tornado, Kanawha County); June 23, 1980 (tornado, Kanawha County); July 9, 1980 (tornado, Kanawha 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 Kanawha 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 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 49 | 73 | 207 | 191 |
| Hail | 1 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 27 | 68 | 57 | 38 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 13 | 30 | 53 | 108 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 9 | 25 | 34 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 16 | 14 | 25 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 10 | 11 | 6 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
52% 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 57 · Feb 105 · Mar 86 · Apr 134 · May 140 · Jun 218 · Jul 250 · Aug 108 · Sep 42 · Oct 29 · Nov 33 · Dec 31 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Kanawha County
FEMA's register lists 34 declarations that include Kanawha County: 26 major disasters, 7 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for severe storm (13) and flood (10).
| 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 |
| 2024-01-30 | DR-4756 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2021-05-20 | DR-4605 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2015-03-31 | DR-4210 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2014-01-10 | EM-3366 | Chemical | Chemical Spill |
| 2012-11-27 | DR-4093 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 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 |
| 2004-09-20 | DR-1558 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2004-06-07 | DR-1522 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2003-11-21 | DR-1500 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2003-06-21 | DR-1474 | 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 |
| 2002-05-05 | DR-1410 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Landslides |
| 2001-11-16 | FM-2391 | Fire | Wv - Southeast Fire Complex - 11/16/2001 |
| 2001-06-03 | DR-1378 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Landslides |
| 2000-02-28 | DR-1319 | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms, and Landslides |
| 1998-07-01 | DR-1229 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1997-03-07 | DR-1168 | Flood | Heavy & Wind Driven Rain, High Winds,Flooding,Slides |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1084 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3109 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1980-08-15 | DR-628 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-01-29 | DR-416 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1972-02-27 | DR-323 | Flood | Heavy Rains & 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 Kanawha County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 204 flood or flash flood records for Kanawha County from 1996 to 2026, on 136 days, with 13 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Kanawha County ranks 158th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $43.2 million on 2,479 claims filed in Kanawha County; the most in one year was 483 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 136 · 1979: 6 · 1980: 36 · 1981: 10 · 1982: 34 · 1983: 4 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 10 · 1986: 7 · 1987: 4 · 1989: 56 · 1990: 2 · 1991: 20 · 1992: 6 · 1993: 3 · 1994: 14 · 1995: 37 · 1996: 60 · 1997: 203 · 1998: 132 · 1999: 3 · 2000: 65 · 2001: 36 · 2002: 13 · 2003: 483 · 2004: 148 · 2005: 5 · 2006: 11 · 2007: 34 · 2008: 18 · 2009: 47 · 2010: 102 · 2011: 7 · 2012: 5 · 2013: 33 · 2014: 17 · 2015: 81 · 2016: 336 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 14 · 2019: 6 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 74 · 2022: 47 · 2023: 20 · 2024: 33 · 2025: 22 · 2026: 34; 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 Kanawha County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Kanawha County Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $143 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 High | $133M | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.1M | 48 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.7M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $288K | 9.6 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $159K | 2.5 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $3.1M | 4.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $921K | 2.9 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $409K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Kanawha 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 Kanawha CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Kanawha County's FEMA declarations (CSV)34 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis