West Virginia strong wind risk
Kanawha County has the highest strong wind risk in West Virginia, scoring 88.8 out of 100 — rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kanawha County | 88.8 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 2 | Berkeley County | 85.4 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 3 | Cabell County | 72.3 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 4 | McDowell County | 72 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 5 | Jefferson County | 68.4 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 6 | Grant County | 65.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 7 | Wood County | 62 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 8 | Morgan County | 60.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 9 | Monongalia County | 60 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 10 | Raleigh County | 59.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 11 | Mercer County | 54.4 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 12 | Preston County | 51.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 13 | Tyler County | 49.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 14 | Marion County | 47.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 15 | Boone County | 47.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 16 | Mingo County | 46.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 17 | Harrison County | 44.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 18 | Wayne County | 43.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 19 | Hampshire County | 42.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 20 | Logan County | 39.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 21 | Fayette County | 37.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 22 | Greenbrier County | 37.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 23 | Brooke County | 33 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 24 | Mineral County | 32.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 25 | Putnam County | 32.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 26 | Hardy County | 31.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 27 | Nicholas County | 30.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 28 | Roane County | 29.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 29 | Wyoming County | 27.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 30 | Hancock County | 24 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 31 | Jackson County | 23.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 32 | Monroe County | 23.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 33 | Lincoln County | 23.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 34 | Ohio County | 23.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 35 | Pendleton County | 22.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 36 | Randolph County | 22.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 37 | Summers County | 20.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 38 | Mason County | 20.1 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 39 | Marshall County | 19.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 40 | Upshur County | 18.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 41 | Barbour County | 17.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 42 | Pocahontas County | 15.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 43 | Taylor County | 15.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 44 | Braxton County | 14.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 45 | Lewis County | 14.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 46 | Webster County | 14 | Very Low | 0 |
| 47 | Wetzel County | 13.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 48 | Pleasants County | 12.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 49 | Tucker County | 11.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 50 | Calhoun County | 10.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 51 | Ritchie County | 10.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 52 | Clay County | 10.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 53 | Wirt County | 9.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 54 | Gilmer County | 8.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 55 | Doddridge County | 7.8 | Very Low | 0 |
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.
Strong Wind risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in West Virginia:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest strong wind risk county in West Virginia?
Kanawha County, WV has the highest strong wind risk in West Virginia, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 88.8 out of 100 (rated "Relatively High").
What causes strong wind risk in West Virginia?
Strong wind risk covers non-convective, non-tropical sustained high winds — including derechos and general high-wind events, but excluding tornado and hurricane winds. High scores appear in mountain passes, coastal headlands, and open plains where topography amplifies wind speeds. Damage concentrates on utility infrastructure, trees, and lightweight structures.