Roane County, West Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 54087 · population 14,013 · 484 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 432 records for Roane County, West Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 356 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (125 records). The deadliest single record is the February 13, 2024 flood: 1 death. FEMA has issued 26 declarations naming the county since 1993, 23 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
- 432on 356 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 54 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $23Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 1strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 26latest 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 Roane County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 125 since 1967. 47% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1967 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 | 125 | 87 | 1967-2026 | 1 | 2 | $3.3M | 38 of 53 |
| Floods | 77 | 70 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 1 | $16M | 26 of 53 |
| Winter storms | 72 | 72 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.3M | 43 of 53 |
| Hail | 41 | 33 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $21K | 37 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 32 | 32 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $81K | 30 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 27 | 27 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $215K | 37 of 53 |
| Drought | 22 | 22 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 53 |
| Heat | 20 | 20 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 12 | 12 | 1998-2017 | 1 | 0 | $28K | 17 of 53 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | $13K | 27 of 53 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2001-2001 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 1989-1989 | 0 | 0 | – | 44 of 53 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2014-2014 | 0 | 1 | – | 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 Roane County had?
NOAA records 1 tornado in Roane County from 1989 to 1989, the strongest rated F1, 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 Roane 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 Roane County (1)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-06-12 | Roane County | F1 0.2 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 Roane 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindClover, Roane County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindTriplet, Roane County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindSpencer, Roane County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindSpeed, Roane County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindKettle, Roane County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtRoane County · forecast zone Roane | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Flash FloodPeniel, Roane County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Flash FloodGrace, Roane County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Flash FloodOtto, Roane County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindHarmony, Roane County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindLooneyville, Roane County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtRoane County · forecast zone Roane | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-02-13 | FloodSpencer, Roane County Tanner Run flooded the Spencer Middle School baseball field. A fatality occurred when a man fell asleep in the dugout and was swept away. Local responders found him later that afternoon after the flood waters had receded. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-05-29 | Thunderstorm WindWellington, Roane County A 55 year old female was killed when a large oak tree fell on her while she was getting her mail. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $577 |
| 2017-03-31 | Heavy RainMattie, Roane County A toddler was left unattended, playing along Green Creek in southern Roane County, near the community of Walton. It was believed that the young girl was swept away by the swollen creek. Rescuers found the girl a short distance downstream but were not able to resuscitate her. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2001-05-22 | Flash FloodCountywide, Roane County Streams overflowed and blocked county roads, plus city streets in Spencer. A 2 year old boy, playing outside at home, fell into swollen Dog Run, near Newton around 1700E. No one saw the boy fall in the stream. The stream was bankfull at the time, with no flooding at that site. The boy's body was found about 2 hours ... | 1 | 0 | $58K | |
| 1999-01-21 | Flash FloodSpencer, Roane County Rains of 2 to 2.5 inches were common between 1100 to 1900E, in a narrow band located north of a warm frontal zone. The heaviest rains, estimated at over 3 inches fell over northern Roane County. The most rain measured by cooperative observers included Ripley with 2.7 inches, Racine Locks near Letart 2.5 inches, and ... | 1 | 0 | $443K | |
| 1991-04-09 | Thunderstorm WindRoane County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2014-04-21 | WildfireRoane County · forecast zone Roane After several days of dry weather, a few brush fires were observed on the 21st into the 22nd. A brush fire in southern Roane County caused 1 firefighter from the Walton VFD to be overcome by heat exhaustion. That brush fire was in the vicinity of Lewis Station and Payne Ridge Roads. Another brush fire was along the ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2002-03-20 | FloodRoane County · forecast zone Roane A band of heavy rain, about 30 miles wide, stretched from the Huntington vicinity on northeast, toward Spencer, Burnsville, and Buckhannon. The rain fell in about a 30 hour period from the predawn hours of the 19th to after dawn on the 20th. However, the heaviest rain occurred during a 6 hour period, early on the ... | 0 | 1 | $123K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-06-13 | Flash FloodPeniel, Roane County | 0 | 0 | $3.8M | |
| 2003-02-16 | Ice StormRoane County · forecast zone Roane | 0 | 0 | $3.2M | |
| 2016-06-23 | FloodLinden, Roane County | 0 | 0 | $3.1M | |
| 1997-03-01 | Flash FloodCountywide, Roane County | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 2000-02-18 | Flash FloodCountywide, Roane County | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 1999-01-21 | Flash FloodSpencer, Roane County | 1 | 0 | $443K | |
| 2015-03-04 | FloodReedy, Roane County | 0 | 0 | $436K | |
| 1996-07-31 | Flash FloodCountywide, Roane County | 0 | 0 | $376K |
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 Roane 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 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 27 | 36 | 42 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 20 | 18 | 30 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 10 | 25 | 29 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 13 | 8 | 3 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 12 | 11 | 6 | 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 9 | 6 | 10 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
47% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1967 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 52 · Feb 56 · Mar 35 · Apr 22 · May 53 · Jun 59 · Jul 44 · Aug 38 · Sep 19 · Oct 13 · Nov 17 · Dec 24 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Roane County
FEMA's register lists 26 declarations that include Roane County: 19 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (10) and flood (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3639 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024-05-24 | DR-4787 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2024-01-30 | DR-4756 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2015-08-07 | DR-4236 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-05-21 | DR-4221 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-03-31 | DR-4210 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2014-01-10 | EM-3366 | Chemical | Chemical Spill |
| 2013-07-26 | DR-4132 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2010-03-02 | DR-1881 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2009-05-15 | DR-1838 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3221 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-06-07 | DR-1522 | 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 |
| 1998-07-01 | DR-1229 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
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 Roane County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 77 flood or flash flood records for Roane County from 1996 to 2026, on 70 days, with 3 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Roane County ranks 969th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.3 million on 189 claims filed in Roane County; the most in one year was 31 in 2013. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 5 · 1990: 1 · 1995: 3 · 1996: 2 · 1997: 18 · 1998: 15 · 1999: 14 · 2000: 18 · 2002: 17 · 2003: 18 · 2004: 10 · 2009: 6 · 2011: 1 · 2013: 31 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 19 · 2022: 1 · 2024: 8; 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 Roane County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Roane County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.9 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 | $76K | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $8.8M | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $86K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $58K | 5.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $74K | 47 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $200K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $20K | 8.8 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $250K | about once 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 Roane 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 Roane CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Roane County's FEMA declarations (CSV)26 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis