Preston County, West Virginia: hazard risk
FEMA rates Preston County's overall risk Very Low (score 33.8 of 100, higher than 33% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 839 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 85.4 | $27K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 59.6 | $7.5M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 55.7 | $66K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 51.6 | $487K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 45.0 | $164K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 35.0 | $122K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 27.1 | $353K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 63.9 | $2K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 55.1 | $103K |
| Drought | Very Low | 28.8 | $18K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 27.8 | $50K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 27.4 | $10K |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 26.9 | $22K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 17.9 | $43K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 17.4 | $155K |
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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 286 | 0 | $232K | 12th of 53 | 244th of 3,077 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 275 | 1 | $2.4M | 25th of 53 | 1258th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 101 | 0 | $2.7M | 35th of 53 | 654th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 81 | 0 | $219K | 36th of 53 | 2115th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 46 | 0 | $749K | 38th of 53 | 784th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 16 | 0 | – | 46th of 53 | 1194th of 3,076 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 0 | $24M | 6th of 53 | 2026th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 11 | 0 | – | 52nd of 53 | 1900th of 3,063 |
| Lightning | 4 | 0 | $688K | 11th of 53 | 1070th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 0 | – | 53rd of 53 | 2078th of 3,080 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 0 | – | 2nd of 53 | 198th of 2,080 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 0 | $39K | 9th of 53 | 298th of 2,278 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Preston County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.