Wirt County, West Virginia
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 54105 · population 5,184 · 233 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 271 records for Wirt County, West Virginia from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 247 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (64 records). 163 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 most damaging was the February 18, 2000 flash flood ($1.0 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1967, 19 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
- 271on 247 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $7.5Mas 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 Wirt County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 64 since 1981. 44% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1981 fell in April and May. 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 | 64 | 56 | 1981-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | 20 of 53 |
| Winter storms | 63 | 63 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $678K | 17 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 32 | 32 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $56K | 9 of 53 |
| Floods | 30 | 24 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $4.3M | 37 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 25 | 25 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $112K | 12 of 53 |
| Heat | 19 | 19 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 53 |
| Drought | 16 | 16 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 53 |
| Hail | 16 | 13 | 1989-2025 | 0 | 0 | $103K | 45 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 5 | 1999-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | $102K | 30 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 Wirt County had?
NOAA records 1 tornado in Wirt County from 2010 to 2010, 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 Wirt 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 Wirt County (1)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-09-16 | Enterprise, Wirt County | EF1 0.69 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
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 Wirt 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 WindEnterprise, Wirt County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtWirt County · forecast zone Wirt | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtWirt County · forecast zone Wirt | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindElizabeth, Wirt County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-03-16 | Winter WeatherWirt County · forecast zone Wirt | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-13 | Strong WindWirt County · forecast zone Wirt | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-02-22 | Winter WeatherWirt County · forecast zone Wirt | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-20 | Strong WindWirt County · forecast zone Wirt | 39 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillWirt County · forecast zone Wirt | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormWirt County · forecast zone Wirt | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-20 | Cold/Wind ChillWirt County · forecast zone Wirt | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | Winter WeatherWirt County · forecast zone Wirt | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-02-18 | Flash FloodCountywide, Wirt County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 1997-03-02 | FloodWirt County · forecast zone Wirt | 0 | 0 | $919K | |
| 2003-02-16 | Ice StormWirt County · forecast zone Wirt | 0 | 0 | $642K | |
| 1997-03-02 | Flash FloodCountywide, Wirt County | 0 | 0 | $552K | |
| 2008-06-28 | Thunderstorm WindElizabeth, Wirt County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $480K |
| 1998-06-28 | Flash FloodCountywide, Wirt County | 0 | 0 | $362K | |
| 2010-09-16 | TornadoEnterprise, Wirt County | EF1 0.69 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 2010-09-16 | Thunderstorm WindPalestine, Wirt County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $102K |
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 Wirt 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 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 13 | 20 | 16 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 12 | 22 | 22 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 12 | 12 | 6 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 7 | 4 | 12 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 10 | 4 | 10 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 8 | 9 | 2 | 0 |
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 1981 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 46 · Feb 43 · Mar 26 · Apr 29 · May 25 · Jun 23 · Jul 16 · Aug 11 · Sep 13 · Oct 8 · Nov 11 · Dec 20 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Wirt County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Wirt County: 15 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (9) and flood (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 |
| 2018-04-17 | DR-4359 | Mud/Landslide | Severe Storms, 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 |
| 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 |
| 2009-05-15 | DR-1838 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides |
| 2008-06-19 | DR-1769 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and |
| 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 |
| 2003-03-14 | DR-1455 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snow, Heavy Rains, 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 |
| 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 Wirt County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 30 flood or flash flood records for Wirt County from 1996 to 2025, on 24 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Wirt County ranks 1504th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $535,000 on 67 claims filed in Wirt County; the most in one year was 24 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 6 · 1985: 3 · 1994: 1 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 24 · 1998: 6 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 6 · 2003: 6 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 2 · 2011: 7 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2020: 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 Wirt County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Wirt County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.9 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 Low | $16K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.6M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $12K | once in about 35 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Very Low | $13K | 6.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $17K | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $46K | 3.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $11K | once in about 1,488 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Very Low | $36K | 46 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 Wirt 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 Wirt CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Wirt County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis