Mercer County, West Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 54055 · population 59,638 · 419 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 514 records for Mercer County, West Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 351 days; the most frequent are floods and flash floods (113 records). The deadliest single record is the February 3, 1998 heavy rain: 2 deaths and $145,000 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
- 514on 351 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 310 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $32Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 2strongest F2
- 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 Mercer County most?
The most frequent records are floods and flash floods: 113 since 1996. 42% of its floods and flash floods since 1996 fell in May and June. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | 113 | 67 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $22M | 19 of 53 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 111 | 70 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 1 | $624K | 40 of 53 |
| Winter storms | 105 | 105 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 5 | $2.0M | 18 of 53 |
| Hail | 87 | 54 | 1994-2025 | 0 | 0 | $78K | 9 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 36 | 35 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 1 | $5.2M | 18 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 22 | 15 | 1998-2024 | 2 | 0 | $203K | 8 of 53 |
| Drought | 17 | 17 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $459K | 26 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 7 | 7 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $9K | 47 of 53 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 7 | 5 | 2015-2025 | 0 | 0 | $30K | 1 of 53 |
| Lightning | 7 | 7 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 1 | $931K | 3 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 1965-2014 | 0 | 2 | $242K | 29 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 Mercer County had?
NOAA records 2 tornadoes in Mercer County from 1965 to 2014, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries recorded in the county. 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 2 tornadoes whose track touched Mercer County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 2, 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 Mercer County (2)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-10-07 | Pinoak, Mercer County | EF1 5.54 mi x 180 yd | 0 | 2 | $218K |
| 1965-04-12 | Mercer County | F2 | 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 Mercer County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 18, 2026 thunderstorm wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindSandlick, Mercer County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindWolfe, Mercer County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindMelrose, Mercer County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindLashmeet, Mercer County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindSpeedway, Mercer County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindLittlesburg, Mercer County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $800 |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtMercer County · forecast zone Mercer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtMercer County · forecast zone Mercer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | DroughtMercer County · forecast zone Mercer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-27 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillMercer County · forecast zone Mercer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormMercer County · forecast zone Mercer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-11 | Winter WeatherMercer County · forecast zone Mercer | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-02-03 | Heavy RainCountywide, Mercer County Heavy rain and some wet snow in combination with the leftover heavy snowfall from the end of January resulted in the roof of a recycling center to collapse near Princeton. Two men were crushed to death when the roof fell on them. | 2 | 0 | $145K | |
| 2006-10-24 | Winter WeatherMercer County · forecast zone Mercer Early morning snow showers resulted in icy elevated surfaces. | 1 | 5 | $88K | |
| 2014-10-07 | TornadoPinoak, Mercer County A high end EF1 tornado, with maximum winds estimated at 105 mph, first touched down at 1139 PM EDT around two miles northeast of Matoka in a forested area, downing numerous trees. It then crossed Beeson Road where three homes sustained minor damage along with a barn and several more trees. Additional trees were then ... | EF1 5.54 mi x 180 yd | 0 | 2 | $218K |
| 2024-09-27 | High WindMercer County · forecast zone Mercer Thousands of trees were downed across the county from high winds associated with the remnants of Hurricane Helene. The trees caused numerous road closures and many fell on homes. Seven homes were destroyed, and 22 homes sustained major damage. By noon on Friday, near 24,500 customers were reported without power. One ... | 65 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $4.7M |
| 2024-05-26 | Thunderstorm WindGiatto, Mercer County Sparks from live power lines blown down by thunderstorm winds caused a structural fire, and one injury was reported. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $2K |
| 2019-06-24 | LightningGlenwood, Mercer County Lightning struck a tree, which then fell on top of a house. A limb from the tree injured one person as it fell. | 0 | 1 | $12K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-07-08 | Flash FloodCountywide, Mercer County | 0 | 0 | $5.0M | |
| 2024-09-27 | High WindMercer County · forecast zone Mercer | 65 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $4.7M |
| 2010-03-13 | Flash FloodGlenwood, Mercer County | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | |
| 2025-02-15 | Flash FloodFlat Top, Mercer County | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 2002-05-02 | Flash FloodCountywide, Mercer County | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 1998-02-06 | Heavy SnowMercer County · forecast zone Mercer | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 1996-05-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Mercer County | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 2008-03-04 | Flash FloodBramwell, Mercer County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
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 12, 1965 (tornado, Mercer 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 Mercer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 30 | 27 | 50 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 30 | 39 | 25 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 23 | 49 | 16 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 42 | 30 | 6 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 16 | 7 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 4 | 17 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
42% of its floods and flash floods since 1996 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 45 · Feb 82 · Mar 31 · Apr 41 · May 100 · Jun 65 · Jul 57 · Aug 23 · Sep 12 · Oct 12 · Nov 15 · Dec 31 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Mercer County
FEMA's register lists 27 declarations that include Mercer County: 19 major disasters, 7 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for severe storm (12) and flood (4).
| 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 |
| 2024-12-09 | DR-4851 | Tropical Storm | Post-Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2020-04-03 | DR-4517 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3450 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015-03-31 | DR-4210 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, 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 |
| 2009-05-15 | DR-1838 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1996-05-23 | DR-1115 | Flood | Flooding, Heavy Winds |
| 1996-01-25 | DR-1096 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1084 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1995-07-12 | DR-1060 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Heavy Rains, Flooding, Mudslides |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3109 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1977-04-07 | DR-531 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-01-19 | EM-3021 | Drought | Drought |
| 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 Mercer County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 113 flood or flash flood records for Mercer County from 1996 to 2025, on 67 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Mercer County ranks 569th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $5.2 million on 437 claims filed in Mercer County; the most in one year was 82 in 2001. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 17 · 1979: 13 · 1980: 6 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 4 · 1984: 6 · 1985: 2 · 1987: 7 · 1989: 1 · 1992: 3 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 2 · 1995: 39 · 1996: 49 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 82 · 2002: 56 · 2003: 55 · 2004: 19 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 5 · 2010: 26 · 2011: 1 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 19 · 2026: 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 Mercer County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Mercer County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $18.5 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 | $44K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.9M | 4.3 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $14M | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $133K | 19 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $311K | 44 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $467K | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $639K | once in about 683 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $126K | 3.2 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 Mercer 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
- Floods in West VirginiaThe state's floods and flash floods, 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 Mercer CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Mercer County's FEMA declarations (CSV)27 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis