Pocahontas County, West Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 54075 · population 7,845 · 940 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 570 records for Pocahontas County, West Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 453 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (259 records). 421 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the June 29, 2012 thunderstorm wind: 1 death and $964,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1967, 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
- 570on 453 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 11 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $12Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 1strongest unrated
- 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 Pocahontas County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 259 since 1996. 54% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 259 | 221 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 22 of 53 |
| Floods | 61 | 49 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $8.6M | 53 of 53 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 57 | 37 | 1989-2026 | 1 | 1 | $1.3M | 53 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 53 | 40 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $281K | 47 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 48 | 46 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $56K | 40 of 53 |
| Hail | 31 | 22 | 1971-2025 | 0 | 0 | $10K | 53 of 53 |
| Drought | 27 | 18 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 46 of 53 |
| Heat | 19 | 19 | 1996-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 14 | 14 | 1996-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 2024-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 47 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 Pocahontas County had?
NOAA records 1 tornado in Pocahontas County from 2024 to 2024, 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 1 tornado whose track touched Pocahontas County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 1, 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 Pocahontas County (1)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-25 | Hillsboro, Pocahontas County | EFU 2.21 mi x 10 yd | 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 Pocahontas County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindEdray, Pocahontas County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindBig Run, Pocahontas County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindThe Pigs Ear, Pocahontas County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindBartow, Pocahontas County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindThornwood, Pocahontas County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtPocahontas County · forecast zone Southeast Pocahontas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtPocahontas County · forecast zone Northwest Pocahontas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtPocahontas County · forecast zone Southeast Pocahontas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtPocahontas County · forecast zone Northwest Pocahontas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Winter WeatherPocahontas County · forecast zone Northwest Pocahontas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Strong WindPocahontas County · forecast zone Northwest Pocahontas | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-03-13 | Strong WindPocahontas County · forecast zone Southeast Pocahontas | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindBartow, Pocahontas County Numerous trees and large branches were blown down. Around 9,000 customers lost electricity. One house was destroyed, 1 other had major damage and 1 rental unit had minor damage. The public infrastructure damage assessment was around $167,000. In the aftermath, an indirect death can be contributed to the storm. A 65 ... | 52 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $964K |
| 1991-04-09 | Thunderstorm WindPocahontas County | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-01-19 | FloodPocahontas County · forecast zone Pocahontas | 0 | 0 | $4.7M | |
| 1996-05-16 | Flash FloodNorthern Half, Pocahontas County | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 2012-10-29 | BlizzardPocahontas County · forecast zone Pocahontas | 0 | 0 | $643K | |
| 1996-01-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Pocahontas County | 0 | 0 | $470K | |
| 2016-06-23 | FloodClawson, Pocahontas County | 0 | 0 | $369K | |
| 1998-01-27 | Heavy SnowPocahontas County · forecast zone Pocahontas | 0 | 0 | $272K | |
| 2010-01-25 | FloodSlaty Fork, Pocahontas County | 0 | 0 | $271K | |
| 2000-08-18 | Flash FloodSlaty Fork, Pocahontas County | 0 | 0 | $257K |
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 Pocahontas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 29 | 64 | 78 | 88 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 12 | 16 | 10 | 23 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 15 | 27 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 10 | 7 | 34 z |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 18 | 18 | 8 | 4 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 6 |
High wind and dust storms in the 2020-26: 34 records against 7 in the decade before, 34 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Pocahontas County days with a record above.
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 winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 109 · Feb 104 · Mar 65 · Apr 50 · May 36 · Jun 39 · Jul 15 · Aug 7 · Sep 20 · Oct 24 · Nov 32 · Dec 69 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Pocahontas County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include Pocahontas County: 16 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (6) and severe storm (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2010-04-23 | DR-1903 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 2010-03-02 | DR-1881 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2007-05-01 | DR-1696 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2000-02-28 | DR-1319 | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms, 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) |
| 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 |
| 1969-09-03 | DR-278 | Hurricane | 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 Pocahontas County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 61 flood or flash flood records for Pocahontas County from 1996 to 2025, on 49 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Pocahontas County ranks 413th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $15.1 million on 706 claims filed in Pocahontas County; the most in one year was 388 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 3 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 15 · 1984: 2 · 1985: 115 · 1989: 34 · 1990: 3 · 1994: 1 · 1996: 388 · 1998: 1 · 2001: 3 · 2002: 3 · 2003: 27 · 2007: 26 · 2008: 3 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 63 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 14 · 2018: 1 · 2021: 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 Pocahontas County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Pocahontas County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.8 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 | $42K | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $5.6M | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $184K | 41 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $672K | 5.3 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $27K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $29K | 2.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $2K | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $46K | once in about 84 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Pocahontas 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
- Winter storms in West VirginiaThe state's winter storm records, 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 Pocahontas CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Pocahontas County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis