Mason County, West Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 54053 · population 25,424 · 431 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 472 records for Mason County, West Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 373 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (162 records). The deadliest single record is the July 25, 2016 thunderstorm wind: 1 death. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1967, 19 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
- 472on 373 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 31 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $12Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 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 Mason County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 162 since 1968. 53% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1968 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 | 162 | 116 | 1968-2026 | 1 | 0 | $2.6M | 18 of 53 |
| Floods | 77 | 69 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $5.1M | 18 of 53 |
| Hail | 66 | 47 | 1983-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 16 of 53 |
| Winter storms | 50 | 50 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | 52 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 29 | 29 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $280K | 27 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 29 | 29 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $223K | 26 of 53 |
| Drought | 21 | 21 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 53 |
| Heat | 21 | 21 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 11 | 11 | 1996-2013 | 2 | 0 | $507K | 15 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 1970-2007 | 0 | 1 | $166K | 23 of 53 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2009-2016 | 0 | 0 | $134K | 16 of 53 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2001-2001 | 0 | 0 | – | 18 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 Mason County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Mason County from 1970 to 2007, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 23rd 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 Mason 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 Mason County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-06-27 | Letart, Mason County | EF1 1.16 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $11K |
| 1998-06-02 | Apple Grove, Mason County | F1 0.7 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 1 | $136K |
| 1970-04-24 | Mason County | F0 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Mason County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 27, 2026 thunderstorm wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-27 | Flash FloodFlatrock, Mason County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Flash FloodBaden, Mason County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Flash FloodPoint Pleasant, Mason County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Flash FloodPoint Pleasant Airport, Mason County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindSantown, Mason County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindSantown, Mason County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtMason County · forecast zone Mason | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtMason County · forecast zone Mason | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Flash FloodPoint Pleasant, Mason County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Heavy SnowMason County · forecast zone Mason | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindAshton, Mason County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-03-13 | Strong WindMason County · forecast zone Mason | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-07-25 | Thunderstorm WindFairview, Mason County A West Virginia DOH worker was killed during the cleanup of one tree down on Union Campground Road. The worker was removing the tree from the road when it rolled over onto him. | 35 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2013-01-30 | Heavy RainElmwood, Mason County A 50 year old woman drowned, while attempting to walk across a swollen small stream, called Beech Fork. It was dark, around 2100E. She was going to work at a juvenile center. She had to cross the stream to get to her vehicle. She had left her vehicle on higher ground, knowing the stream would be flowing above normal ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1996-05-05 | Heavy RainPoint Pleasant, Mason County A 3 year old boy fell into a backyard drainage ditch thathad been swollen by recent showery weather. The small boybecame lodged in a drainage pipe under the driveway. About75 rescue workers, using shovels and picks, recovered theboy after an hour, but he was dead. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1998-06-02 | TornadoApple Grove, Mason County Large trees were uprooted along Mount Union Ridge, mainly south of County Route 37. One mobile home was destroyed. One man was injured when a large tree hit his van, trapping him inside. The tornado crossed into Putnam County. | F1 0.7 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 1 | $136K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindPoint Pleasant, Mason County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
| 2003-02-16 | Ice StormMason County · forecast zone Mason | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 1997-03-02 | FloodMason County · forecast zone Mason | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 1997-03-01 | Flash FloodCountywide, Mason County | 0 | 0 | $552K | |
| 2013-06-13 | Heavy RainMaggie, Mason County | 0 | 0 | $507K | |
| 1996-06-23 | Flash FloodGlenwood, Mason County | 0 | 0 | $470K | |
| 2003-06-19 | Flash FloodNorth Portion, Mason County | 0 | 0 | $401K | |
| 1996-01-20 | FloodMason County · forecast zone Mason | 0 | 0 | $282K |
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 $3K, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 24, 1970 (tornado, Mason 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 Mason 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 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 31 | 34 | 48 | 38 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 19 | 20 | 30 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 23 | 18 | 12 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 6 | 15 | 24 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 10 | 11 | 6 | 2 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 10 | 6 | 12 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1968 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 44 · Feb 57 · Mar 40 · Apr 42 · May 48 · Jun 72 · Jul 59 · Aug 42 · Sep 16 · Oct 14 · Nov 16 · Dec 22 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Mason County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Mason County: 15 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) and flood (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3639 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2021-05-13 | DR-4603 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 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 |
| 2013-07-26 | DR-4132 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2003-06-21 | 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 |
| 2001-06-03 | DR-1378 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Landslides |
| 2000-02-28 | DR-1319 | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms, and Landslides |
| 1997-03-07 | DR-1168 | Flood | Heavy & Wind Driven Rain, High Winds,Flooding,Slides |
| 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 |
| 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 Mason County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 77 flood or flash flood records for Mason County from 1996 to 2026, on 69 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Mason County ranks 1132nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.1 million on 140 claims filed in Mason County; the most in one year was 31 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 15 · 1979: 31 · 1980: 3 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 2 · 1983: 1 · 1985: 5 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1991: 2 · 1994: 2 · 1996: 13 · 1997: 25 · 2000: 4 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 3 · 2004: 8 · 2005: 3 · 2008: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 4 · 2012: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2022: 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 Mason County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Mason County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $15.5 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 Moderate | $35K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $13M | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $133K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $700K | 4.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $210K | 4.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $141K | 47 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $22K | 7.8 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $145K | about once 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 Mason 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 Mason CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Mason County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis