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Tornadoes are relatively uncommon in West Virginia, averaging roughly two per year. Although tornadoes have occurred in every month of the year in West Virginia; they are most common between the months ofApril andJuly.[1] The strongest tornadoes confirmed in West Virginia were two F4 tornadoes, both in the northern part of the state and both occurring onJune 23, 1944.
As of June 2024, there have been at least 192 tornadoes confirmed in the state of West Virginia since 1875. Recorded events have increased in frequency due to more cameras and cell phones, as well as drone surveying tools. In 2024, there were 18 tornadoes in the state, breaking the record for most annual tornadoes, previously set in 1998 with 14 twisters.[2] From 1993 to 2022, the state averaged two tornadoes per year.[3]
August 11, 1875 – The first ever recorded tornado event occurred when a twister touched down inRitchie County.[2]
June 23, 1944 – A tornado outbreak produced at least 3 major tornadoes in West Virginia, including the deadliest ever recorded in the state, the1944 Shinnston tornado.[4][5]
April 4, 1974 – Six tornadoes were confirmed in the early morning hours of April 4; all of the tornadoes were in southern West Virginia. The highest rating was an F3. There was one fatality in Fayette County.[7]
July 1996 – Three tornadoes touched down within two weeks of each other. The first tornado occurred on July 19 in Preston County.[8] The other two occurred on July 30. One inWetzel County[9] and the other in Marion County.[10] All three tornadoes were rated F1.
January 1998 – Two tornadoes touched down within a day of each other. The first was an F2 in Wood County on January 8.[11] The second was an F1 on January 9 in Marshall County.[12]
June 2, 1998 – Six tornadoes touched down across West Virginia. At the time, it tied the record set in1974 for the largest tornado outbreak ever to occur in the state. A record which would stand until a tornado outbreak inApril 2024 produced 10 tornadoes.[13]
August 9, 2000 – Three tornadoes touched down in western West Virginia. The first one was an F1 tornado that touched down inLawrence County, Ohio before crossing theOhio River intoCabell County causing damage in theLesage area.[15] The second tornado was an F0 tornado that occurred nearWinfield in Putnam County. No structures were damaged but debris was blown onto roadways in the tornado's path.[16] The third tornado was another F1 tornado that occurred nearBranchland in Lincoln County. The NCDC report stated that "Trees were chopped off midway up their trunk, plus bark was peeled off of other trees. Dwellings suffered roof damage. At least 2 mobile homes were destroyed along Peyton Branch Road."[17]
May 21, 2001 – An F0 tornado touched down near theWadeville area of Wood County. Two barns were damaged and a mobile home was destroyed.[18]
April 28, 2002 – An F1 tornado touched down about one-half mile northeast of the town ofSt. Joseph inMarshall County. It traveled about 1 mile before dissipating. The tornado destroyed a barn and damaged several others. Shingles were blown from a house. There were numerous trees toppled or snapped. This storm was also responsible for producing very large hail.[19]
July 2003 – Two tornadoes touched down only a day apart. The first tornado was an F0 that occurred on July 9 in Jefferson County, causing damage to trees and buildings along a 4 mile stretch.[20] The second tornado occurred in Wood County the next day, on July 10. This tornado was an F2 that caused significant damage to theLubeck area. No deaths or injuries occurred.[21]
May 21, 2004 – An F0 tornado touched down in Berkeley County causing minor tree damage in theArden area.[22]
March 9, 2008 – An EF0 tornado touched down inYoungs Bottom in Kanawha County, the tornado downed several trees, caused structural damage to several structures, and rolled a camper into a telephone pole. A pontoon boat was lifted onto a fence.[27]
May and July 2008 – Two tornadoes touched down inPreston County within two months of each other. The first one happened on May 31 in theArr area; the second tornado touched down on July 30 in theGlade Farms area. Both tornadoes were rated EF0.
September 16, 2010 – An EF3 tornado occurred in Wood and Wirt Counties. This tornado was the strongest tornado in an outbreak that resulted in five tornadoes in Ohio. One person died on the West Virginia side of the Ohio River. The last direct death from a tornado in West Virginia was in June 1982. A sixth tornado affectedWirt County, West Virginia.[30][31]
April 27, 2011 – West Virginia was on the northern fringe of the large severe weather outbreak that occurred across the southern states, northeast into Virginia. A strengthening low pressure center tracked from Arkansas to Ohio. A strong wind flow existed aloft. During most of the daylight hours on April 27, the convection remained weak in West Virginia. As mid and upper level dynamics increased late in the afternoon and early evening, a large area of showers streaked northeast into West Virginia. Heavier convection was embedded on the southeastern inflow flank of this large area of rain. This affected the mountainous counties. Straight line wind damage was common inRaleigh County north intoRandolph County. The most damage was in the city ofElkins from straight line winds. A short lived EF1 tornado was confirmed inNicholas County, which was the only tornado confirmed in West Virginia from the outbreak. This was also the first tornado confirmed in Nicholas County since 1969.[32]
March 2, 2012 – Three tornadoes occurred in West Virginia. Including an EF3 tornado (the same tornado that severely damagedWest Liberty, Kentucky which crossed the state line from Kentucky into West Virginia, causing damage to theCove Gap area before dissipating inLincoln County nearRanger. A second EF1 tornado tracked through the central part of Lincoln County. The third tornado was a long tracked EF3 tornado that damagedSalyersville, Kentucky and briefly crossed intoMingo County as it was dissipating.[33] There were no fatalities in West Virginia from this tornado outbreak.
June 2014 – A brief EF1 tornado touched down on June 4 and damaged a structure and also caused considerable tree damage in theOna area of Cabell County. Four days later on June 8, another EF1 tornado touched down inBerkeley County.[34][35]
June 18, 2015 – An EF1 tornado briefly touched down inUpshur County causing damage to trees and to a couple of buildings in theQueens area.
December 23, 2015 – A short-lived EF0 tornado struckWood County. This tornado was only the third tornado on record to strike West Virginia in the month of December, and the first since 1978.[36][37]
June 23, 2016 – A brief EF1 tornado touched down in theKenna area ofJackson County. The brief tornado lifted and rolled asingle-wide trailer, injuring its two occupants; minor damage occurred elsewhere along its path. The tornado was part of the same storm system that caused devastating flooding across the state.[42][43]
June 23, 2017 – Three tornadoes touched down in northern West Virginia. The tornadoes were associated with the remnants ofTropical Storm Cindy.[47][48][49]
June 27, 2018 – A short lived weak EF0 tornado touched down inMonongalia County. Winds were estimated to be between 65 and 70 mph.[51]
June 24, 2019 – Two tornadoes touched down inKanawha County; an EF1 tornado touched down nearAlum Creek and traveled northeast dissipating near theKanawha River. Shortly after, a second tornado, this one an EF0; caused damage nearYeager Airport.[52]
May 3, 2021 – A short lived EF1 tornado touched down in theRanson community inJefferson County. Along Robelei Drive just west ofWest Virginia Route 115/Mildred Street. One homeowner with a personal home anemometer measured an unofficial 68 mph wind gust. In addition, one person was injured.[53]
June 14, 2021 – A short lived EF0 tornado touched down inMarion County nearFairmont. Considerable tree damage was reported, especially along Stoney Road.
August 1, 2022 – A short lived EF2 tornado touched down along theMarshall-Ohio County line before crossing intoPennsylvania and dissipating shortly thereafter.[55][56]
April 2, 2024 – 10 tornadoes touched down throughout the state; making this the largest tornado outbreak in state history. The strongest tornado during this event was a high end EF2 inFayette County. Many of the tornadoes were as the result of aderecho which moved through the state during the mid-morning hours. Aside from the tornadoes, there was also widespread straight line wind damage as well. No one died but two people were injured by the tornadoes.[58][59]
May 9, 2024 – An EF1 tornado struck rural areas ofWood County which flipped a mobile home, causing minor injuries to one person.[60]
May 26, 2024 – A brief EF0 tornado was confirmed in theWinfield area ofPutnam County as a large squall line moved through.[61][62]
September 25, 2024 – A brief tornado was captured on video nearHillsboro inPocahontas County. The tornado was rated EFU because the tornado did not cause any damage; and as such, the maximum winds are unknown. This was the first tornado on record to be confirmed in the county.[64]
^"Storm Events Database".ncdc.noaa.gov. National Centers for Environmental Information. RetrievedJune 17, 2024.
^"Storm Events Database".ncdc.noaa.gov. National Centers for Environmental Information. RetrievedJune 17, 2024.
^"Storm Events Database".ncdc.noaa.gov. National Centers for Environmental Information. RetrievedJune 18, 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.