Ritchie County, West Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 54085 · population 8,441 · 452 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 416 records for Ritchie County, West Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 338 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (146 records). The deadliest single record is the February 8, 1996 heavy rain: 4 deaths and $9,408 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1993, 19 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on August 3, 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
- 416on 338 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 50 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $9.4Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 1strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 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 Ritchie County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 146 since 1975. 52% 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 | 146 | 103 | 1975-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.0M | 24 of 53 |
| Winter storms | 71 | 71 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $108K | 40 of 53 |
| Floods | 58 | 52 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $5.9M | 33 of 53 |
| Hail | 34 | 28 | 1967-2025 | 0 | 0 | $178K | 40 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 32 | 32 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $56K | 25 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 30 | 30 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $151K | 27 of 53 |
| Heat | 19 | 19 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 of 53 |
| Drought | 16 | 16 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 8 | 8 | 1996-2015 | 4 | 0 | $12K | 37 of 53 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2014-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 2014-2014 | 0 | 0 | $19K | 43 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 Ritchie County had?
NOAA records 1 tornado in Ritchie County from 2014 to 2014, the strongest rated EF1, 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 Ritchie 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 Ritchie County (1)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-07-27 | Finch, Ritchie County | EF1 2.34 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
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 Ritchie 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 | Flash FloodEllenboro, Ritchie County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindLeague, Ritchie County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindGlendale, Ritchie County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindHannahdale, Ritchie County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindPike, Ritchie County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindFive Forks, Ritchie County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindMountain, Ritchie County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtRitchie County · forecast zone Ritchie | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtRitchie County · forecast zone Ritchie | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindPennsboro, Ritchie County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindHighland, Ritchie County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindLeague, Ritchie County | 50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-02-08 | Heavy Rain2ne Petroleum, Ritchie County A tragedy unfolded on a family farm along Goose Creek, thatdevastated a close-knit rural community. A 67 year oldgrandfather crossed his concrete low water bridge just aftersunset in a pickup truck. He was getting his 17 year oldgranddaughter from her home, so he could take her to his house on the other side of the ... | 4 | 0 | $9K | |
| 2022-02-04 | FloodCisco, Ritchie County The body of an elderly man was found after being swept away by floodwaters due to Hughes River being out of its banks. The vehicle was spotted by passing motorists near State Route 47 in the Cisco area nearly submerged underwater. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-02-18 | Flash FloodCountywide, Ritchie County | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 1998-06-26 | Flash FloodCairo, Ritchie County | 0 | 0 | $996K | |
| 2003-07-10 | Flash FloodSouth Portion, Ritchie County | 0 | 0 | $481K | |
| 2014-07-27 | TornadoFinch, Ritchie County | EF1 2.34 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2008-06-04 | Thunderstorm WindStar Settlement, Ritchie County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 1996-02-08 | Heavy Rain2ne Petroleum, Ritchie County | 4 | 0 | $9K | |
| 2015-07-14 | Thunderstorm WindCairo, Ritchie County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2026-03-13 | Strong WindRitchie County · forecast zone Ritchie | 42 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $6K |
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 Ritchie 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 | 4 | 20 | 18 | 39 | 64 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 13 | 23 | 28 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 9 | 25 | 18 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 7 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 12 | 12 | 6 | 2 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 10 | 5 | 14 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
52% 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 53 · Feb 54 · Mar 34 · Apr 40 · May 27 · Jun 72 · Jul 47 · Aug 31 · Sep 15 · Oct 10 · Nov 12 · Dec 21 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Ritchie County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Ritchie County: 15 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (8) and snowstorm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-03 | DR-4932 | Flood | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2018-04-17 | DR-4359 | Mud/Landslide | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-05-18 | DR-4220 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-03-31 | DR-4210 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, 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 |
| 2012-03-16 | DR-4059 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides |
| 2010-04-23 | DR-1903 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms |
| 2010-03-02 | DR-1881 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2008-06-19 | DR-1769 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3221 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-11-21 | DR-1500 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2003-06-21 | DR-1474 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2000-02-28 | DR-1319 | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms, and Landslides |
| 1998-07-01 | DR-1229 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1084 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3109 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
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 Ritchie County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 58 flood or flash flood records for Ritchie County from 1996 to 2026, on 52 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Ritchie County ranks 1522nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $441,000 on 65 claims filed in Ritchie County; the most in one year was 25 in 1998. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 3 · 1980: 1 · 1985: 2 · 1989: 1 · 1994: 5 · 1996: 3 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 25 · 2000: 10 · 2001: 2 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 2 · 2011: 2 · 2013: 4 · 2019: 1 · 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 Ritchie County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Ritchie County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.9 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 | $48K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $5.3M | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $39K | 3.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $83K | 46 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $46K | once in about 39 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $32K | once in about 1,475 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $51K | 2.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Very Low | $48K | 2.4 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 Ritchie 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 Ritchie CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Ritchie County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis