Lewis County, West Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 54041 · population 17,010 · 387 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 438 records for Lewis County, West Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 345 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (130 records). The most damaging was the June 28, 1998 flash flood ($1.4 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1967, 23 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on August 3, 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
- 438on 345 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 02 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $12Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 25latest 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 Lewis County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 130 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 | 130 | 86 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | 27 of 53 |
| Winter storms | 80 | 79 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $391K | 29 of 53 |
| Hail | 62 | 41 | 1969-2026 | 0 | 0 | $357K | 18 of 53 |
| Floods | 59 | 49 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | $4.9M | 31 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 32 | 32 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $280K | 23 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 27 | 27 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $153K | 23 of 53 |
| Heat | 19 | 19 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 53 |
| Drought | 17 | 17 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 8 | 8 | 1997-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 1956-1989 | 0 | 1 | $3.8M | 20 of 53 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | $18K | 23 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 Lewis County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Lewis County from 1956 to 1989, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 20th 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 3 tornadoes whose track touched Lewis County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 3, 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 Lewis County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-06-05 | Lewis County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1978-06-27 | Lewis County | F1 5.7 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1956-03-07 | Lewis County | F2 1 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 1 | $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 Lewis County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 11, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,500 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindCrawford, Lewis County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindPricetown, Lewis County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindCamden, Lewis County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-05-27 | FloodFreemansburg, Lewis County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Flash FloodBealls Mills, Lewis County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Flash FloodCopley, Lewis County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Flash FloodCamden, Lewis County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | FloodVadis, Lewis County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Flash FloodJackson Mill, Lewis County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Flash FloodPickle Street, Lewis County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Flash FloodWeston Bennett Airport, Lewis County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindFreemansburg, Lewis County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-06-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Lewis County Two rounds of early morning thunderstorms caused 1 to 4 inches of rain. There were 3 maximum rain areas. One was in the region within a West Union to Clarksburg to Weston triangle. The second rain maximum was in the headwaters of the Buckhannon River near Helvetia and Pickens. The third area of heaviest rain was ... | 0 | 1 | $1.1M | |
| 1956-03-07 | TornadoLewis County | F2 1 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-06-28 | Flash FloodCountywide, Lewis County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 1998-06-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Lewis County | 0 | 1 | $1.1M | |
| 2000-08-18 | Flash FloodWalkersville, Lewis County | 0 | 0 | $771K | |
| 2005-08-29 | Flash FloodWest Portion, Lewis County | 0 | 0 | $756K | |
| 2010-06-24 | Thunderstorm WindWeston Bennett Airport, Lewis County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $568K |
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindWeston, Lewis County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $321K |
| 2002-04-28 | HailWeston, Lewis County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 2025-07-09 | Thunderstorm WindChurchville, Lewis County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 7, 1956 (tornado, Lewis County); June 27, 1978 (tornado, Lewis 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 Lewis 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 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 20 | 15 | 30 | 53 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 15 | 26 | 30 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 18 | 20 | 12 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 15 | 16 | 19 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 12 | 12 | 6 | 2 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 5 | 9 |
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 54 · Feb 47 · Mar 33 · Apr 35 · May 56 · Jun 74 · Jul 39 · Aug 20 · Sep 19 · Oct 16 · Nov 15 · Dec 30 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lewis County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Lewis County: 19 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (10) and flood (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-03 | DR-4932 | Flood | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3639 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 2015-05-18 | DR-4220 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-03-31 | DR-4210 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2010-06-24 | DR-1918 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides |
| 2009-05-15 | DR-1838 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides |
| 2008-06-19 | DR-1769 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and |
| 2007-05-01 | DR-1696 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3221 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-06-07 | DR-1522 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2003-11-21 | DR-1500 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2003-03-14 | DR-1455 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snow, Heavy Rains, 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 Lewis County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 59 flood or flash flood records for Lewis County from 1996 to 2026, on 49 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lewis County ranks 694th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Katrina | 2005-08-29 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.0 million on 333 claims filed in Lewis County; the most in one year was 100 in 1985. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 77 · 1979: 1 · 1980: 16 · 1981: 4 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 100 · 1989: 16 · 1990: 1 · 1992: 1 · 1994: 2 · 1996: 6 · 1998: 21 · 2000: 6 · 2001: 2 · 2002: 6 · 2003: 9 · 2005: 2 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 3 · 2009: 1 · 2011: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 46; 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 Lewis County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lewis County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $11.9 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 Moderate | $44K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $11M | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $149K | 47 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $31K | 3.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $397K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $24K | 9.8 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $50K | once in about 66 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Very Low | $96K | 1.9 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 Lewis 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 Lewis CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lewis County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis