Enter any address in Raleigh County, West Virginia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the dominant flood character in Raleigh County. Between 2004 and 2023, NOAA data recorded 39 flash flood events and 32 flood events, resulting in 4 fatalities. Recent events include flooding on February 8, 2025, attributed to persistent rainfall bands moving across the region.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $11,264 and an average water depth of 2.0 feet. Properties in Zone X, though fewer in number, have shown a higher average payout of $10,505, with an average water depth of 5.5 feet. Homeowners in Zone A and Zone X, as well as those in Zone UNKNOWN, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
58 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Raleigh County, West Virginia has recorded 71 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 39 flash floods and 32 river or area floods. The county has received 29 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 (1967–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Severe Storm, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Feb 15, 2025 |
| 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 |
| 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 | Severe Storm | Mar 12, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Snowstorm | Dec 18, 2009 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jan 31, 2025 | 3.50K |
| Flood | Jan 31, 2025 | 0.25K |
| Flood | Jan 31, 2025 | 0.15K |
| Flood | Feb 15, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 15, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 8, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 6, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 5, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 4, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 1, 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...
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 — 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...
Flood — Feb 8, 2025
Rain entered the area late on the night of the 7th, then a band of precipitation continued to feed across southern West Virginia and parts of northeast Kentucky and southwest Virginia through the morning of the 8th. This band lifted north with a warm front during the afternoon, then additional scattered precipitation preceded a west to east moving cold front during the evening and night. ||Whi...
Flood — Feb 6, 2025
Showers first entered into West Virginia on the evening of February 5th as a disturbance skirted by to the south. Precipitation continued into the next day, in addition to a few severe thunderstorms that developed ahead of a cold front in the early afternoon. Strong wind gusts from storms caused numerous downed trees and power line damage across Boone and Lincoln Counties during the early after...
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 Raleigh 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 Raleigh 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.