Enter any address in Upshur County, West Virginia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding and riverine flooding have both been significant in Upshur County, WV, with 38 flood events and 37 flash flood events recorded over the last 30 years. Recent events include flooding in January 2025, where rainfall caused local creeks and streams to overflow their banks and created high water issues in low-lying areas due to backed-up culverts. Similar conditions were observed in February 2025, with precipitation leading to overflowing waterways.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows a substantial number of claims in Zone A, with an average payout of $6,864. However, claims in Zone UNKNOWN have a higher average payout of $8,830 and an average water depth of 2.4 feet. Properties located in Zone A, as well as those in areas designated as Zone UNKNOWN, should pay close 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.
Upshur County, West Virginia has recorded 75 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 37 flash floods and 38 river or area floods. The county has received 21 federal disaster declarations, 5 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 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 | May 3, 2009 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Apr 14, 2007 |
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 | 0.25K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 26, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 15, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 9, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 7, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 6, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 4, 2025 | 10.00K |
| Flood | Feb 1, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 1, 2025 | 3.00K |
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 — 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 — 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...
Flash Flood — Jun 7, 2025
At the start of the month, a stationary front hovered over Ohio and Pennsylvania on the 5th and 6th of June. The front briefly resumed a southeast march into West Virginia on the 7th before stalling across the area once again. An upper level disturbance finally pushed the front to the north and then sent a cold front through the middle Ohio Valley and central Appalachians on the 8th. ||In the m...
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 Upshur 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 Upshur 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.