Cabell County, WV
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cabell County has experienced 32 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Cabell County's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, heat wave, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 51% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (73rd percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Cabell County has been designated in 32 declarations since 1967, covering 10 disaster types including severe storm (13), flood (7), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Mud/Landslide | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2015 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 32 total declarations since 1967.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 69.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 91.9 | 61 | 2 | $1.6M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 71.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 91.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 55.1 | 2 | 0 | $115K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 57.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 59.8 | 26 | 0 | $3K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 72.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 75.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 89.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 25.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 69.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 35.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 87.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Cabell County ranks in the 73rd percentile (Moderate) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 73rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 78th | High |
| Household characteristics | 39th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 31st | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 86th | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 56th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 52nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 38.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 88 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 35 in 2016–20 vs 53 in 2021–25 (+51% — frequency increasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Cabell County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cabell County, West Virginia are inland flooding, heat wave, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Cabell County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cabell County has received 32 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (13 declarations).
Has Cabell County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Cabell County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Cabell County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Wayne County, WV has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Mason County, WV has the lowest (Relatively Low). Cabell County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Cabell County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cabell County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Cabell County's composite score of 85 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 85% of US counties.