Ritchie County, WV
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ritchie County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1993, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Ritchie County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, hurricane, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 22% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (26th 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. Ritchie County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1993, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (8), snowstorm (4), flood (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, And Landslides |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 total declarations since 1993.
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 | 3.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 44.4 | 30 | 1 | $220K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 21.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 18.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 45.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 15 | 12 | 0 | $26K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 10.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 12 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 14.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 13.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 24.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 35 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 88.7 | 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
Ritchie County ranks in the 26th 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 | 26th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 44th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 57th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 1st | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 12th | 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 | 31st | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 30th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 84.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 41 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 23 in 2016–20 vs 18 in 2021–25 (-22% — 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 Ritchie County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ritchie County, West Virginia are landslide, hurricane, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Ritchie County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ritchie County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1993, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (8 declarations).
Has Ritchie County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Ritchie County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1993.
How does Ritchie County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Tyler County, WV has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Wirt County, WV has the lowest (Very Low). Ritchie County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Ritchie County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ritchie 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. Ritchie County's composite score of 16 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 16% of US counties.