Jefferson County, West Virginia: hazard risk
FEMA rates Jefferson County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 47.8 of 100, higher than 47% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 819 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 76.1 | $906K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 68.4 | $1.1M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 69.1 | $660K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 64.2 | $13M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 62.8 | $658K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 61.1 | $747K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 57.3 | $102K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 49.1 | $279K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 45.8 | $274K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 36.6 | $908K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 56.2 | $3K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 21.9 | $11K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 20.8 | $46 |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 14.8 | $11K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 12.8 | $146K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 252 | 2 | $2.0M | 2nd of 53 | 31st of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 194 | 0 | $42K | 1st of 53 | 19th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 79 | 0 | $39M | 3rd of 53 | 85th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 66 | 0 | $18K | 2nd of 53 | 355th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 56 | 0 | $1.8M | 2nd of 53 | 18th of 3,076 |
| Heat | 42 | 0 | – | 1st of 53 | 91st of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 31 | 0 | $1.1M | 4th of 53 | 199th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 13 | 0 | $4.0M | 9th of 53 | 736th of 3,063 |
| Heavy rain | 13 | 0 | – | 2nd of 53 | 133rd of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 0 | $1.2M | 2nd of 53 | 1372nd of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 5 | 0 | $1.2M | 2nd of 53 | 295th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Jefferson County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.