Monroe County, West Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 54063 · population 12,370 · 473 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 271 records for Monroe County, West Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 212 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (82 records). The deadliest single record is the January 27, 1998 heavy snow, filed for the forecast zone Monroe, which covers the county: 1 death, 1 injury and $54,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1967, 17 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
- 271on 212 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 13 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $9.2Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 2strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 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 Monroe County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 82 since 1975. 54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1975 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 | 82 | 60 | 1975-2023 | 0 | 2 | $1.5M | 48 of 53 |
| Winter storms | 66 | 65 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 1 | $459K | 46 of 53 |
| Floods | 45 | 37 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | 45 of 53 |
| Hail | 41 | 32 | 1995-2024 | 0 | 0 | $8K | 38 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 16 | 14 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $146K | 52 of 53 |
| Drought | 12 | 12 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.9M | 40 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 5 | 1996-2014 | 0 | 0 | $9K | 51 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 1 | 2020-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 52 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 1976-1990 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 31 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 Monroe County had?
NOAA records 2 tornadoes in Monroe County from 1976 to 1990, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 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 Monroe 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 Monroe County (2)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990-06-22 | Monroe County | F2 4 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1976-07-11 | Monroe County | F2 4.1 mi x 33 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 Monroe County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 16, 2025 high wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | DroughtMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-16 | High WindMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-02-15 | Flash FloodPeterstown, Monroe County | 0 | 0 | $15K | |
| 2025-02-15 | FloodWayside, Monroe County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-11 | Winter StormMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-05 | Winter StormMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-06-19 | Flash FloodWolf Creek, Monroe County | 0 | 0 | $456K | |
| 2019-10-01 | DroughtMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | |
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindJohnson Xrds, Monroe County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $643K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-01-27 | Heavy SnowMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe Heavy snow developed during the morning hours on the 27th and continued until the morning hours on the 28th. Snowfall amounts were mainly from 20 to 40 inches with maximum snow depths mainly from 12 to 25 inches. Between 10 AM on the 27th and 10 AM on the 28th, Flat Top in Mercer County recorded 35 inches of snow. ... | 1 | 1 | $54K | |
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindJohnson Xrds, Monroe County Thunderstorm winds downed hundreds of trees and many power lines across the county. The greatest concentration of downed trees was to the north and west of Union. The damage extended into the Lindside area where a tree fell onto a moving vehicle. One occupant of the vehicle sustained scrapes and bruises. Damage values ... | 65 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $643K |
| 1990-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindMonroe County | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-10-01 | DroughtMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | |
| 2011-06-28 | Flash FloodWillow Bend, Monroe County | 0 | 0 | $656K | |
| 1996-01-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Monroe County | 0 | 0 | $527K | |
| 2020-06-19 | Flash FloodWolf Creek, Monroe County | 0 | 0 | $456K | |
| 2006-04-07 | Thunderstorm WindUnion, Monroe County | 80 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $439K |
| 1998-02-06 | Heavy SnowMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | $362K | |
| 1998-01-27 | Heavy SnowMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 1 | 1 | $54K | |
| 2011-04-08 | Thunderstorm WindRed Sulphur Spgs, Monroe County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $33K |
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: July 11, 1976 (tornado, Monroe County); June 22, 1990 (tornado, Monroe 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 Monroe 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 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 24 | 28 | 17 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 15 | 17 | 25 | 9 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 13 | 15 | 8 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 11 | 18 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 7 | 4 | 4 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1975 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 29 · Feb 34 · Mar 15 · Apr 23 · May 27 · Jun 43 · Jul 31 · Aug 29 · Sep 5 · Oct 11 · Nov 6 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Monroe County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Monroe County: 11 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (5) and flood (5).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1977-01-19 | EM-3021 | Drought | Drought |
| 1972-07-03 | DR-344 | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes |
| 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 Monroe County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 45 flood or flash flood records for Monroe County from 1996 to 2025, on 37 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Monroe County ranks 1366th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.7 million on 89 claims filed in Monroe County; the most in one year was 37 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 1 · 1981: 1 · 1985: 8 · 1987: 1 · 1996: 37 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 6 · 2004: 6 · 2010: 3 · 2016: 15 · 2018: 1 · 2020: 5 · 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 Monroe County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Monroe County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.3 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 | $36K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | 4.6 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $4.4M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $112K | 42 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $30K | 14 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $28K | 1 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $148K | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $499 | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Monroe 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 Monroe CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Monroe County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis