Randolph County, West Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 54083 · population 27,919 · 1,040 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 698 records for Randolph County, West Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 532 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (252 records). 420 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 May 16, 1996 flash flood: 2 deaths and $2.8 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1967, 20 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
- 698on 532 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 312 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $21Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 4strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 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 Randolph County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 252 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 | 252 | 204 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 7 | $6.0M | 33 of 53 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 127 | 85 | 1962-2026 | 1 | 2 | $3.0M | 51 of 53 |
| Floods | 93 | 73 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 0 | $8.4M | 48 of 53 |
| Hail | 57 | 48 | 1955-2024 | 0 | 0 | $46K | 49 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 56 | 41 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $348K | 49 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 49 | 47 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $56K | 43 of 53 |
| Drought | 27 | 18 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 48 of 53 |
| Heat | 19 | 19 | 1996-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 41 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 13 | 13 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | $7K | 43 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 3 | 1957-1980 | 0 | 3 | $2.7M | 38 of 53 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2002-2002 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 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 Randolph County had?
NOAA records 4 tornadoes in Randolph County from 1957 to 1980, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 3 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 4 tornadoes whose track touched Randolph County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 4, 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 Randolph County (4)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980-07-09 | Randolph County | F2 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1980-07-09 | Randolph County | F1 0.8 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1967-05-21 | Randolph County | F0 0.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 3 | $3K step |
| 1957-06-29 | Randolph County | F1 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 Randolph 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-28 | Flash FloodMontrose, Randolph County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindRandolph Field El, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindGanby, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindHarman, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindDailey, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindBeverly, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindBeverly, Randolph County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindMontrose, Randolph County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindGlenmore, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindRandolph Field El, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindRandolph Field El, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindRandolph Field El, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $12K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-05-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Randolph County | 2 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindElkins, Randolph County Hundreds of trees were blown down in scattered locations throughout the county. Motorists were stranded along Route 250 by fallen trees. The public infrastructure damage assessment was around $150,000. On the order of 19,000 customers were without electricity. In the aftermath, there was 1 indirect death. A 71 year ... | 56 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2018-03-08 | Winter WeatherRandolph County · forecast zone Southeast Randolph An upper level disturbance kicked off a round of snow squalls during the afternoon of the 8th. In general, these were quick moving squalls that produced brief visibility less than one mile and a quick coating of snow. One heavier squall played a role in 17 vehicle pileup in the northbound lanes of I-77 near Beckley. ... | 0 | 7 | $588K | |
| 1967-05-21 | TornadoRandolph County | F0 0.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 3 | $3K step |
| 1991-05-06 | Thunderstorm WindRandolph County | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1991-04-09 | Thunderstorm WindRandolph County | 0 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-10-29 | BlizzardRandolph County · forecast zone Randolph | 0 | 0 | $4.8M | |
| 1996-05-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Randolph County | 2 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 1996-01-19 | FloodRandolph County · forecast zone Randolph | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindElkins, Randolph County | 56 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2019-06-30 | Flash FloodHarman, Randolph County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2011-04-27 | Thunderstorm WindElkins, Randolph County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $853K |
| 2018-03-08 | Winter WeatherRandolph County · forecast zone Southeast Randolph | 0 | 7 | $588K | |
| 1996-07-31 | Flash FloodCountywide, Randolph County | 0 | 0 | $564K |
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: June 29, 1957 (tornado, Randolph 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 Randolph 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 | – | – | – | – | 24 | 58 | 77 | 93 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 9 | 2 | 10 | 24 | 18 | 35 | 29 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 15 | 20 | 25 | 33 |
| Hail | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 6 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 13 | 9 | 32 z |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 18 | 19 | 8 | 4 |
High wind and dust storms in the 2020-26: 32 records against 9 in the decade before, 32 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 Randolph 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 122 · Feb 108 · Mar 63 · Apr 61 · May 55 · Jun 69 · Jul 47 · Aug 28 · Sep 23 · Oct 22 · Nov 32 · Dec 68 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Randolph County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Randolph County: 16 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (7) and severe storm (4).
| 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 |
| 2019-08-02 | DR-4455 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2017-08-18 | DR-4331 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2010-03-02 | DR-1881 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3221 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-09-23 | DR-1496 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 2000-02-28 | DR-1319 | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms, and Landslides |
| 1996-09-11 | DR-1137 | Severe Storm | Hurricane Fran and Associated Heavy Rains,Flooding Highwind |
| 1996-08-14 | DR-1132 | Fire | Heavy Rains, High Winds, Flooding, and Slides |
| 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 |
| 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 Randolph County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 93 flood or flash flood records for Randolph County from 1996 to 2026, on 73 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Randolph County ranks 478th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Fran | 1996-09-06 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $4.7 million on 536 claims filed in Randolph County; the most in one year was 264 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 15 · 1982: 3 · 1984: 2 · 1985: 54 · 1989: 2 · 1990: 9 · 1992: 3 · 1994: 74 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 264 · 1997: 3 · 1998: 11 · 2000: 19 · 2001: 2 · 2002: 4 · 2003: 4 · 2004: 2 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 5 · 2008: 2 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 8 · 2011: 4 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 5 · 2016: 5 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 6 · 2019: 8 · 2020: 2 · 2024: 8 · 2025: 2; 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 Randolph County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Randolph County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $18.7 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 | 2.4 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $18M | 2 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $69K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $201K | 43 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $156K | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $202K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $3K | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $75K | once in about 79 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Randolph 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 Randolph CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Randolph County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis