Putnam County, West Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 54079 · population 57,374 · 346 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 672 records for Putnam County, West Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 435 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (264 records). The deadliest single record is the December 13, 2014 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Putnam, which covers the county: 1 death. FEMA has issued 24 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
- 672on 435 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 213 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $22Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 24latest 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 Putnam County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 264 since 1976. 50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1976 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 | 264 | 146 | 1976-2026 | 0 | 2 | $5.2M | 6 of 53 |
| Floods | 106 | 78 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $12M | 9 of 53 |
| Hail | 98 | 56 | 1983-2026 | 0 | 0 | $995K | 6 of 53 |
| Winter storms | 69 | 68 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $1.1M | 32 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 34 | 34 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 1 | $239K | 15 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 29 | 29 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $484K | 22 of 53 |
| Drought | 23 | 23 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 53 |
| Heat | 21 | 21 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 13 | 13 | 1999-2013 | 1 | 9 | $253K | 7 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 7 | 1969-2024 | 0 | 1 | $339K | 5 of 53 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 2014-2023 | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | 6 of 53 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 2 | 1996-2001 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 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 Putnam County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Putnam County from 1969 to 2024, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 5th 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 8 tornadoes whose track touched Putnam County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8, 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 Putnam County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-26 | Red House, Putnam County | EF0 0.29 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2024-04-02 | Buffalo, Putnam County | EF0 0.55 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2024-04-02 | Rumer, Putnam County | EF1 8.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2000-08-09 | Winfield, Putnam County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 1999-10-13 | Hurricane, Putnam County | F1 0.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $142K |
| 1998-06-02 | Pliny, Putnam County | F1 0.3 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $36K |
| 1978-12-08 | Putnam County | F0 | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1969-08-09 | Putnam County | F1 | 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 Putnam County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 14, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,500 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindBlack Betsey, Putnam County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-10 | Flash FloodHurricane, Putnam County | 0 | 0 | $500 | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtPutnam County · forecast zone Putnam | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindLanham, Putnam County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-05-20 | HailRaymond City, Putnam County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-20 | HailPoca, Putnam County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtPutnam County · forecast zone Putnam | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtPutnam County · forecast zone Putnam | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Winter WeatherPutnam County · forecast zone Putnam | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindBancroft, Putnam County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-03-13 | Strong WindPutnam County · forecast zone Putnam | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-02-22 | Winter WeatherPutnam County · forecast zone Putnam | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-12-13 | Winter WeatherPutnam County · forecast zone Putnam A woman lost control of her car on slippery Midday Hollow Road, between Eleanor and Buffalo around 0900E. Her vehicle went down an embankment and struck a tree. She was pronounced dead on the scene. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2013-07-22 | Heavy RainRobertsburg, Putnam County A 63 year old man drowned, after falling into Bear Branch, a small tributary to Eighteen Mile Creek east of Buffalo. He was removing debris from the stream around a bridge. The creek was swollen from over an inch of rain during the afternoon. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2013-06-06 | Heavy RainScary, Putnam County Shortly after a local downpour, 38 vehicles were involved in a chain reaction accident on the east bound lanes of the Interstate 64 Nitro Bridge over the Kanawha River. Witnesses said there was standing water on the bridge. There were about 7 or 8 vehicles in the middle of the pile-up that were not damaged. Luckily, ... | 0 | 9 | $253K | |
| 2013-05-22 | Thunderstorm WindMt Vernon, Putnam County A microburst occurred in a mobile home park near Marina Park and into a housing development near Marina Drive. The peak wind gust was estimated around 75 mph. Several large trees were uprooted or blown down. Two mobile homes were destroyed by fallen trees with 5 others damaged. A vehicle was turned on its side by an ... | 65 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $158K |
| 2009-12-09 | Strong WindPutnam County · forecast zone Putnam After widespread rains, a strengthening low pressure system lifted northeast, through Michigan. Its central barometric pressure dropped below 29 inches of mercury. With cooling aloft and surface temperatures still in the 50s, surface winds increased during the late morning and continued through the afternoon. Wind ... | 43 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $1K |
| 1978-12-08 | TornadoPutnam County | F0 | 0 | 1 | $25K 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-05-26 | Flash FloodLanham, Putnam County | 0 | 0 | $3.5M | |
| 2004-05-27 | Flash FloodCountywide, Putnam County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2023-07-09 | LightningScott Depot, Putnam County | 0 | 0 | $969K | |
| 2003-06-14 | Flash FloodSouth Portion, Putnam County | 0 | 0 | $963K | |
| 2014-07-14 | LightningBancroft, Putnam County | 0 | 0 | $623K | |
| 2018-08-03 | Flash FloodMt Vernon, Putnam County | 0 | 0 | $588K | |
| 2019-05-03 | HailMt Vernon, Putnam County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $577K |
| 2015-07-14 | Flash FloodRobertsburg, Putnam County | 0 | 0 | $498K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: December 8, 1978 (tornado, Putnam 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 Putnam 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 | 3 | 34 | 39 | 63 | 124 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 10 | 20 | 21 | 55 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 27 | 15 | 35 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 9 | 23 | 31 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 11 | 9 | 13 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 10 | 11 | 5 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1976 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 56 · Feb 69 · Mar 44 · Apr 83 · May 66 · Jun 89 · Jul 121 · Aug 60 · Sep 13 · Oct 19 · Nov 24 · Dec 28 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Putnam County
FEMA's register lists 24 declarations that include Putnam County: 17 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (11) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3639 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024-05-22 | DR-4783 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2015-03-31 | DR-4210 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2014-01-10 | EM-3366 | Chemical | Chemical Spill |
| 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 |
| 2007-05-01 | DR-1696 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2003-11-21 | DR-1500 | 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 |
| 1996-01-13 | 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 |
| 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 Putnam County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 106 flood or flash flood records for Putnam County from 1996 to 2026, on 78 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Putnam County ranks 762nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.3 million on 290 claims filed in Putnam County; the most in one year was 44 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 4 · 1979: 1 · 1980: 3 · 1982: 2 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 2 · 1989: 12 · 1990: 1 · 1991: 2 · 1992: 5 · 1995: 7 · 1996: 17 · 1997: 21 · 1998: 5 · 2000: 22 · 2001: 9 · 2002: 4 · 2003: 44 · 2004: 21 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 4 · 2007: 1 · 2009: 11 · 2010: 5 · 2011: 1 · 2012: 2 · 2013: 4 · 2014: 3 · 2015: 18 · 2016: 5 · 2018: 36 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2025: 4 · 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 Putnam County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Putnam County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $33.8 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 | $56K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $30M | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.0M | 4.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $191K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $264K | 48 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $118K | 4.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $47K | 8.6 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $175K | 2.9 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 Putnam 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 Putnam CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Putnam County's FEMA declarations (CSV)24 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis