Ohio County, WV
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ohio County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Ohio County's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, landslide, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 41% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Ohio County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1972, covering 7 disaster types including flood (7), severe storm (7), snowstorm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Mud/Landslide | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2015 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1972.
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 | 15.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 85.3 | 27 | 9 | $3.6M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 28.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 32.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 33.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 52.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 48.7 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 23.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 4.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 39.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 6.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 58.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 26.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 75.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 15.9 | — | — | — |
| 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
Ohio County ranks in the 47th 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 | 47th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 40th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 43rd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 25th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 71st | Moderate |
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 | 27th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 26th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 46.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 35 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 22 in 2016–20 vs 13 in 2021–25 (-41% — frequency decreasing).
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 Ohio County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ohio County, West Virginia are inland flooding, landslide, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Ohio County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ohio County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (7 declarations).
Has Ohio County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Ohio County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024), Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Ohio County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Washington County, PA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Brooke County, WV has the lowest (Relatively Low). Ohio County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Ohio County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ohio 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. Ohio County's composite score of 70 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 70% of US counties.