West Virginia hail risk
Kanawha County has the highest hail risk in West Virginia, scoring 83 out of 100 — rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded hail events across West Virginia have decreased 26% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kanawha County | 83 | Relatively Moderate | 53 |
| 2 | Harrison County | 74.2 | Relatively Moderate | 12 |
| 3 | Marion County | 68.5 | Relatively Low | 12 |
| 4 | Monongalia County | 64.4 | Relatively Low | 32 |
| 5 | Berkeley County | 63.7 | Relatively Low | 27 |
| 6 | Cabell County | 59.8 | Relatively Low | 26 |
| 7 | Wood County | 58.2 | Relatively Low | 28 |
| 8 | Hancock County | 51.2 | Relatively Low | 10 |
| 9 | Ohio County | 48.7 | Relatively Low | 8 |
| 10 | Marshall County | 47 | Relatively Low | 8 |
| 11 | Greenbrier County | 46 | Relatively Low | 12 |
| 12 | Jefferson County | 45.8 | Relatively Low | 18 |
| 13 | Taylor County | 45 | Relatively Low | 13 |
| 14 | Raleigh County | 44.8 | Relatively Low | 14 |
| 15 | Wayne County | 42.9 | Relatively Low | 9 |
| 16 | Mineral County | 42 | Relatively Low | 6 |
| 17 | Putnam County | 38.5 | Relatively Low | 43 |
| 18 | Mercer County | 38.3 | Relatively Low | 18 |
| 19 | Hardy County | 37.5 | Relatively Low | 2 |
| 20 | Barbour County | 37.2 | Relatively Low | 7 |
| 21 | Randolph County | 37.1 | Relatively Low | 10 |
| 22 | Brooke County | 36.7 | Relatively Low | 6 |
| 23 | Preston County | 35 | Relatively Low | 30 |
| 24 | Upshur County | 34.4 | Relatively Low | 15 |
| 25 | Nicholas County | 33.9 | Very Low | 23 |
| 26 | Grant County | 33.2 | Very Low | 5 |
| 27 | Logan County | 31.4 | Very Low | 11 |
| 28 | Braxton County | 30.8 | Very Low | 3 |
| 29 | Hampshire County | 30.8 | Very Low | 9 |
| 30 | Mason County | 30.8 | Very Low | 20 |
| 31 | Fayette County | 30.2 | Very Low | 20 |
| 32 | Wetzel County | 28.7 | Very Low | 9 |
| 33 | Lewis County | 28.6 | Very Low | 16 |
| 34 | Jackson County | 28.1 | Very Low | 19 |
| 35 | Mingo County | 27.5 | Very Low | 11 |
| 36 | Boone County | 24.7 | Very Low | 12 |
| 37 | McDowell County | 23.9 | Very Low | 12 |
| 38 | Tyler County | 23.2 | Very Low | 8 |
| 39 | Morgan County | 22.6 | Very Low | 10 |
| 40 | Lincoln County | 21.9 | Very Low | 6 |
| 41 | Wyoming County | 21.1 | Very Low | 11 |
| 42 | Pocahontas County | 18.9 | Very Low | 8 |
| 43 | Pendleton County | 18.4 | Very Low | 8 |
| 44 | Doddridge County | 18.3 | Very Low | 4 |
| 45 | Tucker County | 18 | Very Low | 10 |
| 46 | Monroe County | 17.9 | Very Low | 9 |
| 47 | Roane County | 17.5 | Very Low | 9 |
| 48 | Calhoun County | 15.2 | Very Low | 6 |
| 49 | Ritchie County | 15 | Very Low | 12 |
| 50 | Webster County | 14.9 | Very Low | 5 |
| 51 | Pleasants County | 13.6 | Very Low | 1 |
| 52 | Summers County | 13.4 | Very Low | 5 |
| 53 | Gilmer County | 11.8 | Very Low | 5 |
| 54 | Clay County | 10.9 | Very Low | 3 |
| 55 | Wirt County | 6.5 | Very Low | 6 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Hail risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in West Virginia:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest hail risk county in West Virginia?
Kanawha County, WV has the highest hail risk in West Virginia, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 83 out of 100 (rated "Relatively Moderate").
What causes hail risk in West Virginia?
Hail risk reflects expected annual losses from damaging hailstones to structures, vehicles, and crops. High scores cluster in the central plains and Front Range — a corridor sometimes called "Hail Alley" — where large-diameter hail is most frequent. Hail causes over $10 billion in US property damage in active years, much of it to roofs, vehicles, and crops.