Enter any address in Ritchie County, West Virginia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding events are the most common type of flooding in Ritchie County, WV, with 41 occurrences recorded in the last 30 years. Flooding events have also occurred, resulting in one death. Recent examples include flash flooding on June 15, 2025, and flooding on April 12, 2024.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $4,894 and an average water depth of 1.0 foot. However, Zone X and Zone X_UNSHADED have seen higher average payouts, suggesting that properties in these areas, despite potentially lower average water depths, can still incur significant damage. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in Zone X and Zone X_UNSHADED, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
41 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Ritchie County, West Virginia has recorded 56 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 41 flash floods and 15 river or area floods. The county has received 20 federal disaster declarations, 2 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1993–2026)
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 | Mud/Landslide | Feb 14, 2018 |
| 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, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, And Landslides | Severe Storm | Feb 29, 2012 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 15, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 14, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 6, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 12, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 11, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 11, 2024 | 3.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 10, 2022 | 8.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 10, 2022 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Feb 4, 2022 | 0.00K (1 deaths) |
| Flood | Feb 28, 2021 | 15.00K |
Flash Flood — Jun 15, 2025
The middle of the month proved to be active across the state of West Virginia in response to a stalled frontal boundary across Ohio, southern Pennsylvania, and northern West Virginia while an upper level disturbance pivoted overhead. Showers and storms began to develop in the moist and unstable environment by the night of June 13th. A lull in precipitation occurred the morning of the 14th, then...
Flash Flood — Jun 14, 2025
The middle of the month proved to be active across the state of West Virginia in response to a stalled frontal boundary across Ohio, southern Pennsylvania, and northern West Virginia while an upper level disturbance pivoted overhead. Showers and storms began to develop in the moist and unstable environment by the night of June 13th. A lull in precipitation occurred the morning of the 14th, then...
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...
Flood — Apr 12, 2024
Showers and thunderstorms developed on the afternoon of April 11th due to the combination of unseasonably warm temperatures and a passing disturbance. Storms crossed in from the Ohio River Valley during the early afternoon and continued an eastward progression into the evening. A swath of tree damage and power outages were observed from Mingo County to the eastern half of the West Virginia from...
Flash Flood — Apr 11, 2024
Showers and thunderstorms developed on the afternoon of April 11th due to the combination of unseasonably warm temperatures and a passing disturbance. Storms crossed in from the Ohio River Valley during the early afternoon and continued an eastward progression into the evening. A swath of tree damage and power outages were observed from Mingo County to the eastern half of the West Virginia from...
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 Ritchie 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 Ritchie 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.