Enter any address in Putnam County, West Virginia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall is the dominant flood character in Putnam County, WV. Between 1994 and 2024, NOAA data recorded 63 flash flood events and 42 flood events. Recent events include widespread rainfall on January 31, 2025, which caused local creeks and streams to overflow their banks and created high water issues in low-lying areas due to backed-up culverts.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with 125 claims filed. However, properties in Zone X_SHADED have seen the deepest average water depth at 4.2 feet, despite having fewer claims. Homeowners in low-lying areas, near creeks and streams, and those in zones with higher average water depths should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
88 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Putnam County, West Virginia has recorded 105 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 63 flash floods and 42 river or area floods. The county has received 24 federal disaster declarations, 4 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 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Apr 2, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 10, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Mar 3, 2015 |
| Chemical Spill | Chemical | Jan 9, 2014 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Hurricane | Oct 29, 2012 |
| Severe Storms | Severe Storm | Jun 29, 2012 |
| Severe Storms And Straight-line Winds | Severe Storm | Jun 29, 2012 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jan 31, 2025 | 0.15K |
| Flood | Jan 31, 2025 | 1.50K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 28, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 16, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 15, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 9, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 6, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 6, 2025 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Feb 6, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 4, 2025 | 0.00K |
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 28, 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...
Flood — Feb 16, 2025
Light precipitation started to arrive on the evening of February 14th due to an approaching low pressure system, with more substantial rain spreading across the area overnight into the 15th as a warm front approached from the south. This promoted a brief instance of thunderstorms on the morning of February 15th, with damaging winds knocking down trees and power lines to parts of the state. Whil...
Flash Flood — Feb 15, 2025
Light precipitation started to arrive on the evening of February 14th due to an approaching low pressure system, with more substantial rain spreading across the area overnight into the 15th as a warm front approached from the south. This promoted a brief instance of thunderstorms on the morning of February 15th, with damaging winds knocking down trees and power lines to parts of the state. Whil...
Flash Flood — Jul 9, 2025
Active weather returned to West Virginia on July 9th in the midst of a cold front slowly approaching from the west. Additional moisture was ushered into the region from the remnants of a tropical system tracked north through the Carolinas and Virginia. While the bulk of precipitation associated with the tropical system stayed well east of the mountains, scattered showers and thunderstorms sprou...
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 Putnam 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 Putnam 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.