Wetzel County, West Virginia: hazard risk
FEMA rates Wetzel County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 56.9 of 100, higher than 56% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 291 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 | 88.6 | $42K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 78.3 | $15M |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 44.4 | $162K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 28.9 | $25K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 50.9 | $65K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 28.9 | $83 |
| Hail | Very Low | 28.7 | $94K |
| Drought | Very Low | 26.3 | $13K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 23.0 | $68K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 22.8 | $30K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 19.5 | $182K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 15.9 | $133K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 13.3 | $92K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 10.6 | $3K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 7.2 | $4K |
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 | 120 | 0 | $1.4M | 23rd of 53 | 1179th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 60 | 1 | $40M | 32nd of 53 | 526th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 51 | 0 | $27K | 45th of 53 | 1046th of 3,077 |
| Hail | 34 | 0 | – | 43rd of 53 | 2332nd of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 12 | 0 | $412K | 51st of 53 | 1286th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 7 | 0 | – | 44th of 53 | 1661st of 3,063 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 0 | – | 49th of 53 | 1486th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 0 | – | 51st of 53 | 1693rd of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | $24K | 41st of 53 | 2759th 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 Wetzel County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.