Lightning Risk in West Virginia
All West Virginia counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index lightning score
Lightning risk — electrical discharges from storms that ignite fires and cause casualties — is rated for 55 of 55 West Virginia counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Kanawha County carries the state's highest lightning score at 91.3, with $1M in expected annual lightning losses.
2 West Virginia counties are rated High or Very High for lightning, and expected annual losses from lightning total roughly $13M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Lightning
| # | County | Lightning Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kanawha County | High | 47.70 / yr | $1M | |
| 2 | Fayette County | High | 46.73 / yr | $1M | |
| 3 | Greenbrier County | Medium | 43.03 / yr | $537K | |
| 4 | Raleigh County | Medium | 46.01 / yr | $540K | |
| 5 | Monongalia County | Medium | 44.49 / yr | $768K | |
| 6 | Wood County | Medium | 46.60 / yr | $552K | |
| 7 | Harrison County | Medium | 45.57 / yr | $493K | |
| 8 | Cabell County | Medium | 48.19 / yr | $432K | |
| 9 | Marion County | Medium | 44.59 / yr | $419K | |
| 10 | Mercer County | Medium | 44.09 / yr | $311K | |
| 11 | Nicholas County | Medium | 46.59 / yr | $284K | |
| 12 | Barbour County | Medium | 45.34 / yr | $302K | |
| 13 | Ohio County | Medium | 43.02 / yr | $352K | |
| 14 | Upshur County | Medium | 46.51 / yr | $254K | |
| 15 | Berkeley County | Medium | 37.44 / yr | $399K | |
| 16 | Marshall County | Low | 43.90 / yr | $272K | |
| 17 | Putnam County | Low | 47.62 / yr | $264K | |
| 18 | Pocahontas County | Low | 41.25 / yr | $184K | |
| 19 | Brooke County | Low | 42.38 / yr | $166K | |
| 20 | Boone County | Low | 48.30 / yr | $151K | |
| 21 | Jefferson County | Low | 37.58 / yr | $279K | |
| 22 | Randolph County | Low | 43.28 / yr | $201K | |
| 23 | Tyler County | Low | 46.24 / yr | $131K | |
| 24 | Wayne County | Low | 48.39 / yr | $148K | |
| 25 | Hancock County | Low | 41.59 / yr | $186K | |
| 26 | Preston County | Low | 43.15 / yr | $164K | |
| 27 | Webster County | Low | 45.78 / yr | $109K | |
| 28 | Wetzel County | Low | 44.80 / yr | $162K | |
| 29 | Jackson County | Low | 47.22 / yr | $156K | |
| 30 | Logan County | Low | 48.79 / yr | $138K | |
| 31 | Mason County | Low | 47.00 / yr | $141K | |
| 32 | Lewis County | Low | 46.74 / yr | $149K | |
| 33 | Monroe County | Low | 42.29 / yr | $112K | |
| 34 | McDowell County | Low | 47.87 / yr | $88K | |
| 35 | Wyoming County | Low | 47.52 / yr | $111K | |
| 36 | Summers County | Low | 43.73 / yr | $99K | |
| 37 | Mingo County | Low | 48.72 / yr | $84K | |
| 38 | Braxton County | Low | 47.50 / yr | $102K | |
| 39 | Taylor County | Low | 44.41 / yr | $118K | |
| 40 | Lincoln County | Low | 48.31 / yr | $85K | |
| 41 | Mineral County | Low | 38.17 / yr | $96K | |
| 42 | Pleasants County | Low | 46.04 / yr | $86K | |
| 43 | Clay County | Low | 47.63 / yr | $66K | |
| 44 | Roane County | Low | 47.23 / yr | $74K | |
| 45 | Ritchie County | Low | 46.11 / yr | $83K | |
| 46 | Hardy County | Very Low | 37.61 / yr | $62K | |
| 47 | Grant County | Very Low | 38.70 / yr | $52K | |
| 48 | Calhoun County | Very Low | 46.90 / yr | $50K | |
| 49 | Hampshire County | Very Low | 37.95 / yr | $58K | |
| 50 | Morgan County | Very Low | 37.81 / yr | $49K | |
| 51 | Pendleton County | Very Low | 38.99 / yr | $62K | |
| 52 | Gilmer County | Very Low | 46.91 / yr | $64K | |
| 53 | Tucker County | Very Low | 41.67 / yr | $45K | |
| 54 | Doddridge County | Very Low | 46.29 / yr | $55K | |
| 55 | Wirt County | Very Low | 45.87 / yr | $36K |
55 West Virginia counties with measurable lightning risk. See the national lightning ranking or all West Virginia counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which West Virginia county has the highest lightning risk?
Kanawha County has the highest FEMA lightning risk score in West Virginia at 91.3 (High), with $1M in expected annual losses and about 47.70 events per year.
How many West Virginia counties face significant lightning risk?
55 West Virginia counties record measurable lightning risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 2 of them are rated High or Very High.