KinwarnWest Virginia tornado warnings
The National Weather Service issued 162 tornado warnings, 3,041 severe thunderstorm warnings and 921 flash flood warnings for West Virginia from 2016 to 2025, about 16, 304 and 92 a year. That ranks 32nd of 52 states and territories for tornado warnings. Marshall County had the most of any county: 20 tornado warnings.
West Virginia warnings and radar right now
Checking the National Weather Service for West Virginia…
West Virginia counties ranked by tornado warnings
Warnings that listed each county, 2016 to 2025, and tornadoes recorded in the county since 1950. A warning can list several counties, so the county numbers add up to more than the state total.
| County | Tornado warnings | Severe thunderstorm | Flash flood | Tornadoes since 1950 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall County | 20 | 160 | 29 | 3 |
| Ohio County | 16 | 135 | 32 | 2 |
| Jackson County | 15 | 186 | 43 | 3 |
| Kanawha County | 13 | 277 | 100 | 15 |
| Mason County | 13 | 186 | 47 | 3 |
| Monongalia County | 12 | 168 | 44 | 8 |
| Brooke County | 12 | 161 | 31 | 0 |
| Ritchie County | 11 | 162 | 50 | 1 |
| Wood County | 11 | 148 | 42 | 10 |
| Wetzel County | 11 | 116 | 23 | 1 |
| Greenbrier County | 10 | 125 | 26 | 7 |
| Putnam County | 9 | 180 | 62 | 8 |
| Lincoln County | 9 | 177 | 73 | 6 |
| Doddridge County | 9 | 119 | 55 | 2 |
| Berkeley County | 8 | 256 | 15 | 14 |
| Roane County | 8 | 176 | 54 | 1 |
| Morgan County | 8 | 175 | 5 | 2 |
| Preston County | 8 | 164 | 29 | 13 |
| Nicholas County | 8 | 137 | 47 | 4 |
| Fayette County | 8 | 127 | 49 | 5 |
| Wayne County | 7 | 166 | 65 | 6 |
| Wirt County | 7 | 99 | 32 | 1 |
| Hancock County | 6 | 190 | 24 | 1 |
| Boone County | 6 | 163 | 71 | 0 |
| Calhoun County | 6 | 120 | 39 | 0 |
| Hampshire County | 5 | 228 | 16 | 4 |
| Cabell County | 5 | 153 | 68 | 5 |
| Monroe County | 5 | 131 | 22 | 2 |
| Gilmer County | 5 | 116 | 44 | 1 |
| Harrison County | 5 | 108 | 69 | 6 |
| Pocahontas County | 5 | 96 | 27 | 1 |
| Jefferson County | 4 | 264 | 12 | 7 |
| Clay County | 4 | 136 | 40 | 0 |
| Logan County | 4 | 132 | 58 | 0 |
| Webster County | 4 | 131 | 39 | 0 |
| Marion County | 4 | 122 | 42 | 8 |
| Summers County | 4 | 105 | 17 | 2 |
| Pleasants County | 4 | 104 | 33 | 2 |
| Mingo County | 4 | 98 | 46 | 1 |
| Tyler County | 4 | 94 | 31 | 1 |
| McDowell County | 4 | 67 | 47 | 2 |
| Hardy County | 3 | 174 | 19 | 0 |
| Braxton County | 3 | 135 | 52 | 1 |
| Lewis County | 3 | 124 | 59 | 3 |
| Raleigh County | 3 | 113 | 39 | 7 |
| Pendleton County | 3 | 112 | 15 | 2 |
| Randolph County | 2 | 133 | 46 | 4 |
| Grant County | 2 | 127 | 19 | 2 |
| Upshur County | 2 | 109 | 37 | 1 |
| Wyoming County | 2 | 97 | 38 | 1 |
| Mercer County | 2 | 92 | 22 | 2 |
| Mineral County | 1 | 153 | 12 | 2 |
| Barbour County | 1 | 85 | 26 | 4 |
| Tucker County | 0 | 66 | 20 | 3 |
| Taylor County | 0 | 61 | 22 | 3 |
West Virginia warnings by year
Each warning counts once for the state, however many counties it covered. 2008 is the first full year the National Weather Service drew an outline around every warning.
Tornadoes since 1950
181 tornadoes have been recorded in West Virginia since 1950. They killed 3 people and injured 122. June had the most (51).
| Year | Tornado | Severe thunderstorm | Flash flood |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 to Oct 19 | 46 | 592 | 246 |
| 2025 | 27 | 420 | 186 |
| 2024 | 31 | 336 | 65 |
| 2023 | 14 | 243 | 55 |
| 2022 | 13 | 361 | 110 |
| 2021 | 11 | 302 | 129 |
| 2020 | 3 | 280 | 61 |
| 2019 | 14 | 395 | 90 |
| 2018 | 8 | 219 | 101 |
| 2017 | 22 | 190 | 52 |
| 2016 | 19 | 295 | 72 |
| 2015 | 10 | 200 | 72 |
| 2014 | 10 | 214 | 58 |
| 2013 | 4 | 222 | 70 |
| 2012 | 17 | 338 | 51 |
| 2011 | 38 | 451 | 87 |
| 2010 | 13 | 269 | 85 |
| 2009 | 11 | 219 | 45 |
| 2008 | 12 | 374 | 30 |
What stands out in West Virginia
2011 was the busiest year for tornado warnings in West Virginia since 2008, with 38 tornado warnings. The busiest year for flash flood warnings was 2025, with 186.
Since 2008, 15 flash flood warnings for West Virginia were raised to a flash flood emergency for at least part of the warned area: the Weather Service’s rarest warning, used when a severe threat to life is happening or about to happen.
20 severe thunderstorm warnings for West Virginia carried the “destructive” tag (winds of 80 mph or more, or hail 2.75 inches or larger) since the tag started in August 2021. Only those severe thunderstorm warnings set off Wireless Emergency Alerts on phones.
7 tornadoes in West Virginia since 1950 were rated F3 or EF3, the strongest recorded there. The most recent was on March 2, 2012.
National Weather Service warnings from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive through October 19, 2026; tornado ratings from the Storm Prediction Center and NOAA Storm Events.
States next to West Virginia
Tornado warnings for each neighboring state, 2016 to 2025.
- Kentucky 800 tornado warnings
- Virginia 621 tornado warnings
- Ohio 593 tornado warnings
- Pennsylvania 445 tornado warnings
- Maryland 256 tornado warnings
Get alerts for a home anywhere in West Virginia.
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West Virginia tornado warnings: questions people ask
How many tornado warnings does West Virginia get a year?
About 16 a year: the National Weather Service issued 162 tornado warnings for West Virginia from 2016 to 2025, 32nd of 52 states and territories.
Which West Virginia county gets the most tornado warnings?
Marshall County has the most: 20 tornado warnings listed it from 2016 to 2025, ahead of Ohio County with 16. A warning can list several counties, so county counts add up to more than the state total.
Which West Virginia city gets the most tornado warnings?
Charleston has the most among cities and towns with 10,000 people or more: the outlines of 5 tornado warnings covered its center from 2016 to 2025.
When is tornado season in West Virginia?
June and July: 48% of the 181 tornadoes recorded in West Virginia since 1950 came in those two months. Tornadoes have struck West Virginia in every month of the year.
About these numbers
Counts are National Weather Service warnings that listed a West Virginia county, through October 19, 2026. How Kinwarn counts · West Virginia data (CSV)
Cite: Kinwarn. “West Virginia tornado warnings.” kinwarn.com/west-virginia. National Weather Service data through October 19, 2026.
Sources: IEM warning archive · NWS 2007 outlines · SPC tornado database · Census places · Census population estimates · NWS tornado alerts