Wayne County, West Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 54099 · population 38,938 · 506 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 568 records for Wayne County, West Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 415 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (192 records). The deadliest single record is the March 2, 1997 flood, filed for the forecast zone Wayne, which covers the county: 2 deaths and $919,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 33 declarations naming the county since 1967, 31 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
- 568on 415 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 45 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $28Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 6strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 33latest 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 Wayne County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 192 since 1966. 44% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1966 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 | 192 | 127 | 1966-2026 | 0 | 1 | $3.6M | 19 of 53 |
| Floods | 103 | 76 | 1996-2025 | 4 | 0 | $17M | 22 of 53 |
| Hail | 74 | 57 | 1962-2026 | 0 | 0 | $167K | 13 of 53 |
| Winter storms | 65 | 65 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 51 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 38 | 38 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $386K | 22 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 27 | 27 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 38 of 53 |
| Drought | 22 | 22 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 53 |
| Heat | 21 | 21 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 15 | 15 | 1998-2016 | 0 | 0 | $37K | 10 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 6 | 6 | 1965-2024 | 0 | 3 | $4.8M | 12 of 53 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 2 | 2008-2009 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 53 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 1 | – | 28 of 53 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 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 Wayne County had?
NOAA records 6 tornadoes in Wayne County from 1965 to 2024, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 3 injuries recorded in the county. That is 12th 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 6 tornadoes whose track touched Wayne County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 6, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 10 people, 0 of them in Wayne County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-03-02 16:39, as SPC files it | West LibertyCrossed KY, WV | EF3 | 84.99 mi | 10 |
| 1965-04-08 20:30, as SPC files it | Catlettsburg to CeredoCrossed KY, WV | F3 | 6.9 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in West Virginia.
Every tornado record filed for Wayne County (6)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-04-02 | Spring Vly, Wayne County | EF1 0.08 mi x 280 yd | 0 | 0 | $28K |
| 2023-08-07 | Brick Church, Wayne County | EF1 3.68 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2016-07-04 | Paddle Creek, Wayne County | EF0 0.25 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2012-03-02 | Glenhayes, Wayne County | EF3 16.61 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.4M |
| 1973-06-05 | Wayne County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-04-08 | Wayne County | F3 3.6 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 3 | $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 Wayne County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindArdel, Wayne County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindOakview Hgts, Wayne County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindEloise, Wayne County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindStonecoal, Wayne County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindCenterville, Wayne County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindElmwood, Wayne County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindPrichard, Wayne County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindCenterville, Wayne County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindCrockett, Wayne County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindEloise, Wayne County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-03-02 | FloodWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 2 | 0 | $919K | |
| 2015-04-03 | Flash FloodCove Gap, Wayne County Numerous streams overflowed and blocked roads. Examples were Newcomb Creek and Lynn Creek near East Lynn, Lick and Cove Creeks near Kiahsville, plus Mill Creek near Saltpetre. Some homes near Kiahsville were impacted. A few homes along Mill Creek were flooded. Small private bridges were washed out. Road culverts were ... | 1 | 0 | $560K | |
| 2003-11-19 | FloodWayne County · forecast zone Wayne Rains of 2 to 4.2 inches fell from 2200E on the 18th through 1600E on the 19th. A strong inflow of moist air from the southeast, helped enhance these rains. The heaviest rain was over the central and southern mountains, say from the Snowshoe region on through Richwood, Beckley, Mullens, and Elkhorn. Some of the ... | 1 | 0 | $481K | |
| 1965-04-08 | TornadoWayne County | F3 3.6 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 2011-06-21 | LightningKenova, Wayne County A woman was struck on Chestnut Street and taken to a hospital. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1995-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Wayne County | 0 | 1 | $58K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-03-01 | Flash FloodCountywide, Wayne County | 0 | 0 | $3.7M | |
| 2012-03-02 | TornadoGlenhayes, Wayne County | EF3 16.61 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.4M |
| 2006-07-13 | Flash FloodCeredo, Wayne County | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 1993-02-21 | Thunderstorm WindEast Lynn, Wayne County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2004-09-17 | FloodWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | $781K | |
| 2003-11-12 | FloodWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | $642K | |
| 2003-06-16 | Flash FloodDunlow, Wayne County | 0 | 0 | $561K | |
| 2003-07-09 | Flash FloodWayne County | 0 | 0 | $561K |
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: April 8, 1965 (tornado, Wayne 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 Wayne 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 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 40 | 36 | 43 | 67 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 21 | 20 | 54 |
| Hail | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 23 | 24 | 5 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 10 | 20 | 29 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 10 | 9 | 17 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 10 | 10 | 5 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
44% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1966 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 56 · Feb 69 · Mar 55 · Apr 58 · May 63 · Jun 73 · Jul 69 · Aug 40 · Sep 19 · Oct 13 · Nov 24 · Dec 29 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Wayne County
FEMA's register lists 33 declarations that include Wayne County: 26 major disasters, 6 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for severe storm (14) and flood (9).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3639 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025-02-26 | DR-4861 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2024-05-22 | DR-4783 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2021-05-20 | DR-4605 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2018-04-17 | DR-4359 | Mud/Landslide | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2016-06-25 | DR-4273 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-05-14 | DR-4219 | Severe Storm | 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 |
| 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 |
| 2001-11-16 | FM-2391 | Fire | Wv - Southeast Fire Complex - 11/16/2001 |
| 2001-06-03 | DR-1378 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Landslides |
| 1997-03-07 | DR-1168 | Flood | Heavy & Wind Driven Rain, High Winds,Flooding,Slides |
| 1996-05-23 | DR-1115 | Flood | Flooding, Heavy Winds |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1084 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3109 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1984-05-15 | DR-706 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-12-14 | DR-569 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-04-07 | DR-531 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-01-29 | DR-416 | 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 Wayne County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 103 flood or flash flood records for Wayne County from 1996 to 2025, on 76 days, with 4 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Wayne County ranks 533rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $4.3 million on 469 claims filed in Wayne County; the most in one year was 74 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 56 · 1979: 17 · 1980: 15 · 1981: 3 · 1982: 4 · 1984: 24 · 1985: 1 · 1987: 4 · 1989: 27 · 1990: 3 · 1992: 1 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 6 · 1995: 3 · 1996: 14 · 1997: 57 · 1998: 2 · 2000: 2 · 2001: 4 · 2002: 21 · 2003: 74 · 2004: 12 · 2005: 6 · 2006: 10 · 2008: 2 · 2009: 8 · 2010: 13 · 2011: 16 · 2012: 6 · 2013: 1 · 2015: 16 · 2016: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 14 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 6 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 9; 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 Wayne County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Wayne County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $30.9 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 | $89K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.5M | 4.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $26M | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $143K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $214K | once in about 498 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $54K | 8.5 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $148K | 48 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $338K | 2.1 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 Wayne 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 Wayne CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Wayne County's FEMA declarations (CSV)33 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis