Putnam County, West Virginia: hazard risk
FEMA rates Putnam County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 74.0 of 100, higher than 73% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 672 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 Moderate | 89.6 | $56K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 86.9 | $30M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 84.2 | $2.0M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 66.9 | $191K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 52.6 | $264K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 46.4 | $118K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 39.7 | $47K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 38.5 | $175K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 32.3 | $329K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 51.5 | $87K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 50.3 | $50K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 43.0 | $190K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 18.8 | $223K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 14.3 | $147K |
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 | 264 | 0 | $5.2M | 6th of 53 | 313th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 106 | 0 | $12M | 9th of 53 | 156th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 98 | 0 | $995K | 6th of 53 | 801st of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 69 | 1 | $1.1M | 32nd of 53 | 713th of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 34 | 0 | $239K | 15th of 53 | 341st of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 29 | 0 | $484K | 22nd of 53 | 213th of 3,076 |
| Drought | 23 | 0 | – | 5th of 53 | 666th of 3,063 |
| Heat | 21 | 0 | – | 11th of 53 | 440th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 13 | 1 | $253K | 7th of 53 | 232nd of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 0 | $339K | 5th of 53 | 2019th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 4 | 0 | $1.7M | 6th of 53 | 621st 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 Putnam County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.