Strong Wind Risk in West Virginia
All West Virginia counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index strong wind score
Strong Wind risk — damaging straight-line winds outside of tornadoes and hurricanes — is rated for 55 of 55 West Virginia counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Kanawha County carries the state's highest strong wind score at 88.8, with $2M in expected annual strong wind losses.
2 West Virginia counties are rated High or Very High for strong wind, and expected annual losses from strong wind total roughly $19M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Strong Wind
| # | County | Strong Wind Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kanawha County | High | 0.87 / yr | $2M | |
| 2 | Berkeley County | High | 6.02 / yr | $2M | |
| 3 | Cabell County | Medium | 1.40 / yr | $902K | |
| 4 | McDowell County | Medium | 2.06 / yr | $578K | |
| 5 | Jefferson County | Medium | 7.13 / yr | $1M | |
| 6 | Grant County | Medium | 2.61 / yr | $644K | |
| 7 | Wood County | Medium | 0.86 / yr | $682K | |
| 8 | Morgan County | Medium | 4.27 / yr | $569K | |
| 9 | Monongalia County | Medium | 1.68 / yr | $882K | |
| 10 | Raleigh County | Medium | 1.32 / yr | $585K | |
| 11 | Mercer County | Medium | 1.72 / yr | $467K | |
| 12 | Preston County | Low | 1.78 / yr | $487K | |
| 13 | Tyler County | Low | 1.14 / yr | $344K | |
| 14 | Marion County | Low | 1.27 / yr | $508K | |
| 15 | Boone County | Low | 1.29 / yr | $337K | |
| 16 | Mingo County | Low | 2.04 / yr | $279K | |
| 17 | Harrison County | Low | 1.08 / yr | $409K | |
| 18 | Wayne County | Low | 2.07 / yr | $338K | |
| 19 | Hampshire County | Low | 4.01 / yr | $389K | |
| 20 | Logan County | Low | 1.64 / yr | $298K | |
| 21 | Fayette County | Low | 1.00 / yr | $315K | |
| 22 | Greenbrier County | Low | 1.47 / yr | $277K | |
| 23 | Brooke County | Low | 2.34 / yr | $229K | |
| 24 | Mineral County | Low | 2.79 / yr | $274K | |
| 25 | Putnam County | Low | 1.06 / yr | $329K | |
| 26 | Hardy County | Low | 3.22 / yr | $246K | |
| 27 | Nicholas County | Low | 0.88 / yr | $208K | |
| 28 | Roane County | Low | 0.66 / yr | $200K | |
| 29 | Wyoming County | Low | 1.73 / yr | $189K | |
| 30 | Hancock County | Low | 2.36 / yr | $207K | |
| 31 | Jackson County | Low | 0.74 / yr | $179K | |
| 32 | Monroe County | Low | 1.92 / yr | $148K | |
| 33 | Ohio County | Low | 1.97 / yr | $240K | |
| 34 | Lincoln County | Low | 1.45 / yr | $158K | |
| 35 | Pendleton County | Low | 2.23 / yr | $210K | |
| 36 | Randolph County | Low | 1.19 / yr | $202K | |
| 37 | Summers County | Low | 1.43 / yr | $119K | |
| 38 | Mason County | Low | 0.78 / yr | $145K | |
| 39 | Marshall County | Low | 1.90 / yr | $164K | |
| 40 | Upshur County | Low | 0.77 / yr | $137K | |
| 41 | Barbour County | Low | 1.02 / yr | $143K | |
| 42 | Pocahontas County | Very Low | 1.41 / yr | $99K | |
| 43 | Taylor County | Very Low | 1.30 / yr | $119K | |
| 44 | Braxton County | Very Low | 0.71 / yr | $93K | |
| 45 | Lewis County | Very Low | 0.77 / yr | $99K | |
| 46 | Webster County | Very Low | 0.81 / yr | $64K | |
| 47 | Wetzel County | Very Low | 1.19 / yr | $92K | |
| 48 | Pleasants County | Very Low | 1.01 / yr | $71K | |
| 49 | Tucker County | Very Low | 1.56 / yr | $75K | |
| 50 | Calhoun County | Very Low | 0.73 / yr | $58K | |
| 51 | Ritchie County | Very Low | 0.81 / yr | $72K | |
| 52 | Clay County | Very Low | 0.74 / yr | $44K | |
| 53 | Wirt County | Very Low | 0.81 / yr | $61K | |
| 54 | Gilmer County | Very Low | 0.75 / yr | $70K | |
| 55 | Doddridge County | Very Low | 0.93 / yr | $60K |
55 West Virginia counties with measurable strong wind risk. See the national strong wind ranking or all West Virginia counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which West Virginia county has the highest strong wind risk?
Kanawha County has the highest FEMA strong wind risk score in West Virginia at 88.8 (High), with $2M in expected annual losses and about 0.87 events per year.
How many West Virginia counties face significant strong wind risk?
55 West Virginia counties record measurable strong wind risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 2 of them are rated High or Very High.