Enter any address in Lewis County, West Virginia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Lewis County, WV. Over the last 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data shows 32 flash flood events and 17 flood events. Recent examples include flash flooding on May 13, 2025, and June 26, 2025, where heavy rainfall caused creeks and streams to overflow their banks.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $8,581 and an average water depth of 1.6 feet. Properties in Zone X, while fewer in number, have shown higher average payouts of $15,167 with an average water depth of 1.6 feet. Homeowners in Zone A and Zone X, as well as those in areas with unknown flood risk, should pay the most attention to flood preparedness.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
34 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Lewis County, West Virginia has recorded 49 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 32 flash floods and 17 river or area floods. The county has received 24 federal disaster declarations, 6 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1967–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Jun 22, 2016 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Apr 8, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Mar 3, 2015 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Hurricane | Oct 29, 2012 |
| Severe Storms | Severe Storm | Jun 29, 2012 |
| Severe Storms And Straight-line Winds | Severe Storm | Jun 29, 2012 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, And Landslides | Flood | Jun 12, 2010 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jan 31, 2025 | 0.15K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 26, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 13, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 16, 2022 | 0.50K |
| Flood | Jan 1, 2022 | 0.50K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 13, 2021 | 3.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 11, 2021 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 22, 2020 | 4.00K |
| Flood | Dec 16, 2019 | 4.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 27, 2018 | 2.00K |
Flood — Jan 31, 2025
An advancing low pressure system set forth ample amounts of lift and moisture to round out the month of January. Widespread rainfall first entered into the southwestern coalfields of West Virginia on the morning of January 31st, and continued to invade northeastward and up into the higher terrain of the state. Local creeks and streams quickly spilled out of their banks on that day in conjunctio...
Flash Flood — Jun 26, 2025
For the end of June, a stretch of active weather occurred due to a cold front that rippled across Ohio and Pennsylvania and then sank into northern West Virginia while high pressure sprawled across the southeastern United States. A low pressure system pushed the front back to the north before pivoting east out of the Great Lakes region and dragging yet another front towards the middle Ohio Vall...
Flash Flood — May 13, 2025
A frontal boundary stalled over the state of West Virginia beginning on May 11th, then dissolved over the area while a disturbance approached from the southwest on the 12th. Widespread precipitation progressed northward across the area on the 12th, followed by rounds of scattered showers and thunderstorms continuing to impact the area over the next couple of days as an upper level trough and su...
Flash Flood — Jun 16, 2022
As a heat wave ensued across the Central Appalachians during the middle of June, the atmosphere remained primed for afternoon showers and thunderstorms. On June 16th, the strongest storms resided across the northern portions of West Virginia, where numerous trees were blown down and quarter sized hail fell. A few instances of heavy downpours within the storms occurred, leading to high water alo...
Flood — Jan 1, 2022
A warm front stalled along northern West Virginia early on January 1st as a low pressure system developed along the Ohio Valley. These features brought widespread moderate to heavy rainfall to the area. A cold front associated with this low pressure system crossed through the Ohio Valley early on January 2nd, with rain continuing ahead of the front and tapering off as the front passed through W...
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Lewis County, West Virginia:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Lewis County, West Virginia that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.