List of West Virginia tornadoes

Last updated

Tornadoes are relatively uncommon in West Virginia, averaging roughly two per year. Although tornadoes have occurred in every month of the year in West Virginia; they are most common between the months of April and July. [1] The strongest tornadoes confirmed in West Virginia were two F4 tornadoes, both in the northern part of the state and both occurring on June 23, 1944.

Contents

Climatology

As of June 2024, there have been at least 192 tornadoes confirmed in the state of West Virginia since 1875. Recorded events have increased in frequency due to more cameras and cell phones, as well as drone surveying tools. In 2024, there were 18 tornadoes in the state, breaking the record for most annual tornadoes, previously set in 1998 with 14 twisters. [2] From 1993 to 2022, the state averaged two tornadoes per year. [3]

There are five West Virginia counties that have never reported a tornado. [1] Conversely, Kanawha County has experienced the most events, with 16 tornadoes since 1875. [2] [1]

Events

Pre-1950

1950-1959

1960-1969

1970-1979

1980-1989

1990-1999

2000-2009

[28] [29]

2010-2019

2020-present

Climatological statistics

The following is a chart showing West Virginia tornadoes by month or by time period. Although at the moment, it only includes 10 of the tornadoes that impacted in April 2024; 2 in May 2024; and 3 in June. [65]

Recorded tornadoes affecting West Virginia by month
MonthNumber of tornadoes
January
2
February
1
March
12
April
29
May
18
June
55
July
38
August
22
September
11
October
6
November
1
December
3
Recorded tornadoes affecting West Virginia by time period
PeriodNumber of tornadoes
1800s
8
1900–49
14
1950s
8
1960s
19
1970s
29
1980s
18
1990s
31
2000s
17
2010s
32
2020s
25

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Natural Hazard Risk Assessment".
  2. 1 2 3 "2024: A Record Year for Tornadoes in West Virginia (Updated June 17th)". Charleston, West Virginia National Weather Service. June 17, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  3. "West Virginia had a whopping 5 tornadoes last week, more than double the yearly average". Associated Press News. April 8, 2024. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  4. Grazulis, Thomas P. (23 April 1990). Significant Tornadoes. Environmental Films. ISBN   9781879362024 . Retrieved 1 February 2025.
  5. Meffert, Christian (22 February 2024). "'Devilish mechanizations of man or war': One of the deadliest tornados in U.S. history was in West Virginia". WOWK-TV .
  6. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  7. Multiple links specific to each tornado:
  8. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  9. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  10. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  11. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  12. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  13. Storm Data (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. June 1998. pp. 572, 573, 574, 579, 580, 581. ISSN   0039-1972.
  14. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  15. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  16. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  17. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  18. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  19. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  20. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  21. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  22. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  23. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  24. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  25. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  26. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  27. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  28. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  29. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  30. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  31. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  32. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 18, 2024.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  33. "Summary of the March 2nd 2012 Tornadic Supercells".
  34. https://www.weather.gov/media/rlx/survey/Ona.pdf
  35. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  36. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  37. https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?eventType=%28C%29+Tornado&beginDate_mm=02&beginDate_dd=01&beginDate_yyyy=1950&endDate_mm=03&endDate_dd=31&endDate_yyyy=2024&county=ALL&hailfilter=0.00&tornfilter=0&windfilter=000&sort=DT&submitbutton=Search&statefips=54%2CWEST+VIRGINIA
  38. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  39. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  40. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  41. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  42. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  43. Tornado Confirmed Near Kenna in Jackson County West Virginia. National Weather Service Office in Charleston, West Virginia (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. June 24, 2016. Archived from the original on September 13, 2016. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  44. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  45. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  46. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  47. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  48. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  49. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  50. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  51. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  52. "June 24, 2019 Kanawha County WV Tornadoes **UPDATED*".
  53. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. National Climactic Data Center. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  54. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  55. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  56. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  57. "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information".
  58. "Information on the Record Breaking April 2nd Tornadoes and Wind Damage".
  59. "IEM :: LSR from NWS RLX". mesonet.agron.iastate.edu.
  60. "IEM :: PNS from NWS RLX".
  61. "Two tornadoes confirmed by NWS in W.Va. And Ohio". WSAZ News. 27 May 2024.
  62. "National Weather Service". Archived from the original on 2024-06-14.
  63. "IEM :: PNS from NWS LWX".
  64. "National Weather Service". Archived from the original on 30 September 2024.
  65. "Data Explorer". tornadoarchive.com. Tornado Archive. Retrieved June 15, 2024.