Ohio County, West Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 54069 · population 42,418 · 106 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 379 records for Ohio County, West Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 269 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (173 records). The deadliest single record is the June 14, 2025 flash flood: 9 deaths and $2.0 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1972, 21 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
- 379on 269 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 96 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $83Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 2strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 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 Ohio County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 173 since 1955. 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 | 173 | 116 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 2 | $1.9M | 1 of 53 |
| Floods | 61 | 45 | 1996-2026 | 9 | 0 | $79M | 1 of 53 |
| Winter storms | 53 | 53 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $31K | 7 of 53 |
| Hail | 37 | 27 | 1962-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 32 | 32 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $794K | 1 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 10 | 2009-2025 | 0 | 0 | $504K | 17 of 53 |
| Drought | 7 | 7 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2018-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 1961-1977 | 0 | 4 | – | 7 of 53 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 53 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | $37K | 9 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 Ohio County had?
NOAA records 2 tornadoes in Ohio County from 1961 to 1977, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 4 injuries recorded in the county. That is 7th 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 2 tornadoes whose track touched Ohio 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 Ohio County (2)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977-07-24 | Ohio County | 0 | 4 | – | |
| 1961-04-25 | Ohio County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Ohio County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2026 flash flood ($3,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodElm Grove, Ohio County | 0 | 0 | $3K | |
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodShannon, Ohio County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodBethlehem, Ohio County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindOhio County · forecast zone Ohio | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormOhio County · forecast zone Ohio | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | Winter WeatherOhio County · forecast zone Ohio | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-13 | Winter StormOhio County · forecast zone Ohio | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-26 | Flash FloodWheeling, Ohio County | 0 | 0 | $15K | |
| 2025-06-26 | Flash FloodWheeling, Ohio County | 0 | 0 | $10K | |
| 2025-06-26 | Flash FloodBethlehem, Ohio County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2025-06-15 | Flash FloodWheeling, Ohio County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2025-06-14 | Flash FloodWheeling, Ohio County | 0 | 0 | $500K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-14 | Flash FloodRoneys Pt, Ohio County Reports of flash flooding began to come in around 8:30pm, starting near Peters Run Road and Battle Run Road. The water quickly rose along Little Wheeling Creek and the tributaries into Little Wheeling Creek. Emergency management reported at 9pm that there were several water rescues involving stranded vehicles and ... | 9 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 1977-07-24 | TornadoOhio County | 0 | 4 | – | |
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindWheeling, Ohio County Emergency management reported numerous trees down throughout the county. | 60 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $6K |
| 2004-05-21 | Thunderstorm WindElm Grove, Ohio County A microburst ripped through Elm Grove. It was 150 yards wide and 600 yards long, with an estimated wind of 80 mph (69 kt). Several houses had significant damage; some roofs were blown off. Houses were damaged by flying debris. One house had severe damage, 6 had major damage, 9 had minor damage. One man was blown ... | 69 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $117K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-09-17 | FloodOhio County · forecast zone Ohio | 0 | 0 | $62M | |
| 2005-01-05 | FloodOhio County · forecast zone Ohio | 0 | 0 | $7.8M | |
| 1996-01-19 | FloodOhio County · forecast zone Ohio | 0 | 0 | $4.9M | |
| 2025-06-14 | Flash FloodRoneys Pt, Ohio County | 9 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 2024-04-02 | Flash FloodTriadelphia, Ohio County | 0 | 0 | $546K | |
| 2022-12-23 | Cold/Wind ChillOhio County · forecast zone Ohio | 0 | 0 | $504K | |
| 2025-06-14 | Flash FloodWheeling, Ohio County | 0 | 0 | $500K | |
| 2008-09-14 | High WindOhio County · forecast zone Ohio | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $343K |
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 Ohio 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 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 37 | 27 | 55 | 36 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 12 | 14 | 15 | 20 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 10 | 13 | 25 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 14 | 1 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 7 | 12 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Ohio County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 38 · Feb 35 · Mar 24 · Apr 42 · May 47 · Jun 63 · Jul 43 · Aug 30 · Sep 17 · Oct 7 · Nov 11 · Dec 22 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Ohio County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include Ohio County: 17 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (7) and severe storm (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3639 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025-07-22 | DR-4884 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2017-08-18 | DR-4331 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-05-18 | DR-4220 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2012-10-29 | EM-3358 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-06-30 | EM-3345 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2010-04-23 | DR-1903 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3221 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-02-01 | DR-1574 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2004-09-20 | DR-1558 | 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 |
| 1998-07-01 | DR-1229 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 1980-08-15 | DR-628 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1975-09-12 | DR-481 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1972-07-03 | DR-344 | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes |
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 Ohio County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 61 flood or flash flood records for Ohio County from 1996 to 2026, on 45 days, with 9 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Ohio County ranks 134th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $33.8 million on 3,123 claims filed in Ohio County; the most in one year was 1,033 in 2004. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 69 · 1979: 34 · 1980: 325 · 1981: 115 · 1982: 4 · 1983: 8 · 1984: 3 · 1985: 309 · 1989: 3 · 1990: 79 · 1991: 8 · 1992: 2 · 1994: 162 · 1996: 523 · 1998: 5 · 2003: 4 · 2004: 1,033 · 2005: 230 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 11 · 2013: 1 · 2016: 4 · 2017: 18 · 2018: 34 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 21 · 2021: 3 · 2024: 58 · 2025: 50 · 2026: 3; 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 Ohio County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Ohio County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $31.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $30M | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $352K | 43 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $11K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $275K | 3.3 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $56K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $693K | once in about 32 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $240K | 2 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $99K | once in about 42 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Ohio 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 Ohio CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Ohio County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis