Enter any address in Ohio County, West Virginia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms dominates Ohio County, West Virginia. Between 2000 and 2020, NOAA data recorded 43 flash flood events and 15 general flood events. Recent examples include significant flash flooding in Little Wheeling Creek and its tributaries on June 14th and 15th, 2025, following slow-moving thunderstorms that produced heavy rainfall. Another instance of flash flooding occurred in Wheeling on June 26th, 2025, due to training storms.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $11,365 and an average water depth of 1.5 feet. However, properties in Zone X, despite fewer claims, have seen higher average payouts and significantly deeper water, with Zone X_UNSHADED averaging 6.8 feet of water depth and Zone X_SHADED averaging 5.0 feet.
Homeowners in areas prone to flash flooding, particularly those near creeks and tributaries, should pay close attention to flood risk. Additionally, residents in areas designated as Zone A, or those in X zones with documented high water depths, should be particularly aware of potential flood impacts.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
31 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Ohio County, West Virginia has recorded 58 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 43 flash floods and 15 river or area floods. The county has received 23 federal disaster declarations, 7 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1972–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Jun 14, 2025 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Apr 11, 2024 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Apr 2, 2024 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Mud/Landslide | Feb 14, 2018 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Jul 28, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Apr 8, 2015 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Hurricane | Oct 29, 2012 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 26, 2025 | 15.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 26, 2025 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 26, 2025 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 15, 2025 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 14, 2025 | 500.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 14, 2025 | 2.00M (9 deaths) |
| Flash Flood | Apr 11, 2024 | 333.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 2, 2024 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 2, 2024 | 570.00K |
| Flood | Apr 2, 2024 | 1.00K |
Flash Flood — Jun 26, 2025
A warm, moist airmass remained in place through the latter half of the month which allowed for daily shower and thunderstorm chances. Training storms was the primary factor to the resultant flash flooding as cells developed upshear of the initial updrafts in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. One of these storms did result in yet another round of flash flooding for portions of Wheeling WV.
Flash Flood — Jun 15, 2025
Following the catastrophic flooding that occurred in portions of Wheeling, WV late on the 14th, another round of slow moving storms developed along a stationary boundary over portions of northern West Virginia. With climatologically high precipitable water values, rainfall was efficient, allowing for 2-4 inch/hr rates. This impacted several counties in northern West Virginia but the hardest hit...
Flash Flood — Jun 14, 2025
On the evening of June 14th, a slow moving thunderstorm passed over portions of Ohio County just east of the city of Wheeling. It's slow movement and interaction with another storm allowed for very heavy rainfall in a short period of time. In addition, precipitable water values were very high - in the 90th percentile. A local IFLOWS gage near Valley Grove recorded over 3 inches in an hour. This...
Flash Flood — Apr 11, 2024
A strong mid-level trough and an associated frontal zone crossed through the|Mid-South and took aim on the OH Valley. Strong forcing associated the energy aloft coupled with a gradually destabilizing boundary layer out ahead it set the stage for areas of locally heavy showers and thunderstorms for several hours and prompted dangerous flash flooding. A flash flood emergency was issued for portio...
Flash Flood — Apr 2, 2024
Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms prompted a widespread flash flood problems across the Ohio River Valley on April 2nd to April 3rd. The synoptic pattern across the CONUS was a slow moving and deep elongated trough over the Great Plains phasing with a ejecting trough over the Midwest that created an area of converging moisture over eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Overall, over ...
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 Ohio 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 Ohio 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.