Nicholas County, WV
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Nicholas County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Nicholas County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, cold wave, and avalanche, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 100% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (28th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Nicholas County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1967, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (10), flood (5), hurricane (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 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 | Very Low | 40.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 67 | 12 | 0 | $26.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 39.5 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 9.7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 46.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 33.9 | 23 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 30.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 57.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 36.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 89.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 64.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 26.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 90.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 71.9 | — | — | — |
| 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
Nicholas County ranks in the 28th percentile (Low) 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 | 28th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 41st | Low |
| Household characteristics | 56th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 1st | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 19th | Very low |
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 | 75th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 74th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 84.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 36 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 12 in 2016–20 vs 24 in 2021–25 (+100% — 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 Nicholas County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Nicholas County, West Virginia are landslide, cold wave, and avalanche. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Nicholas County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Nicholas County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Nicholas County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Nicholas 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 Nicholas County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Kanawha County, WV has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Clay County, WV has the lowest (Very Low). Nicholas County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Nicholas County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Nicholas 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. Nicholas County's composite score of 58 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 58% of US counties.