Hazard Plain Automated baseline

Upshur County, WV

Risk-assessment baseline packet

County FIPS:
54097
Release:
2026-10
Data as of:
2026-09-30
Storm Events data through:
2026-06-30

Hazard Plain is an independent product built from public federal data. It is not a FEMA document and is not reviewed or endorsed by FEMA or any state agency.

Hazard Plain release 2026-10, as of 2026-09-30.

Summary

Plan status as of 2026-09-30: Approved, expires 2029-04-02. Plan: RPDC 07 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 109653), approved 2024-04-03.

Since the plan was approved on 2024-04-03: 2 new hazard declarations (2 incidents) and 138 NOAA Storm Events records; details under "What changed since your last plan".

Highest expected annual loss (FEMA National Risk Index, modeled total; see B1-a): Inland Flooding ($10,082,260 a year), Cold Wave ($636,995) and Lightning ($254,220).

The tables that follow are organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B (B1-a to B2-c); each heading says which item its tables support.

Plan clock

Status:
Approved, expires 2029-04-02
Plan:
RPDC 07 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 109653)
Approved:
2024-04-03
Days to expiry:
915

What changed since your last plan (approved 2024-04-03)

New federal declarations:
2 new hazard declarations (2 incidents): EM-3639-WV (Severe Winter Storm), DR-4932-WV (Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides)
Storm Events records since approval:
138 records (data through 2026-06-30)
Repetitive loss now:
FMA RL 0, SRL 14 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 54
Repeat-flood change:
this release sets the baseline count.

Sources: 1, 2, 4, 6 (numbered list at the end)

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county

Source: 1

JurisdictionTypeStatusPlanApprovedExpiresDays to expirynegative = days since expiryNotes
Upshur CountyCountyApproved, expires 2029-04-02RPDC 07 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 109653)2024-04-032029-04-02915this jurisdiction approved 2024-04-11
Buckhannon cityCityApproved, expires 2029-04-02RPDC 07 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 109653)2024-04-032029-04-02915this jurisdiction approved 2024-04-18

Plan 109653 covers 29 other participants, named in the Excel file.

State plan status and tribal plans in this state: see the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-a: hazard identification

Hazards NRI does not cover (local data needed)

  • dam failure (incl. upstream dams)
  • levee failure
  • flash flood as its own subtype
  • ice jams
  • debris flows
  • erosion (riverine and coastal)
  • land subsidence and sinkholes
  • expansive soils

The 18 National Risk Index hazards, ranked by expected annual loss (EAL)

Sources: 5, 6

Rank by EALHazardNRI risk ratingEAL ratingEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL total (see note)modeled dollars per yearStorm Events records, 1996 to 2026-06-30countStorm Events coverage note
1Inland FloodingRelatively LowRelatively Low$9,950,853$15,030$116,377$10,082,26079
2Cold WaveRelatively LowRelatively Low$5,494$208$631,294$636,99536Includes 2 Frost/Freeze records (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition; counted in this table and in B1-d, not in the B1-e descriptor).
3LightningRelatively ModerateRelatively Low$13,292n/a$240,928$254,2202
4Strong WindRelatively LowRelatively Low$64,074$168$72,433$136,674192Includes 13 High Wind and 27 Strong Wind records (NOAA non-thunderstorm wind types, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition).
5HailRelatively LowVery Low$94,719$444$21,211$116,37446
6TornadoVery LowVery Low$37,431$23$49,766$87,2211
7EarthquakeVery LowVery Low$64,377n/a$17,178$81,556Storm Events does not record earthquakes.
8DroughtRelatively LowRelatively Lown/a$65,503n/a$65,50318
9HurricaneVery LowVery Low$46,652$1,092$1,806$49,5510Declared 1 time; no Storm Events record of this type.
10LandslideRelatively ModerateRelatively Low$2,177n/a$45,901$48,0780Declared 9 times; no Storm Events record of this type.
11Winter WeatherRelatively LowRelatively Low$27,554$1$11,574$39,129135
12Ice StormRelatively LowVery Low$23,316n/a$187$23,5031
13Heat WaveVery LowVery Low$6$1$16,944$16,95117
14WildfireVery LowVery Low$2,155$1$634$2,7900Declared 1 time; no Storm Events record of this type.
15AvalancheVery LowVery Low$0n/a$85$850No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).

Total = buildings + agriculture + population equivalence; FEMA values each expected death (or 10 injuries) at $13.7 million (2024 dollars).

NRI risk rating combines expected annual loss with social vulnerability and community resilience; EAL rating rates expected annual loss alone. Both compare this county with all U.S. counties.

Local data needed: state and local landslide and wildfire records (Storm Events records these hazards only in part).

Not applicable to this county per NRI, with no federal declaration and no Storm Events record since 1996: coastal flooding, tsunami and volcanic activity. That is the evidence for leaving them out of the plan.

The state hazard mitigation plan also lists hazards for this county; FEMA asks the plan to explain any hazard it leaves out.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-b: hazard location

Affects the whole county (national data give no location within it): Cold Wave, Drought, Hail, Heat Wave, Ice Storm, Lightning, Strong Wind and Winter Weather.

Inland Flooding: The FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is the required location source for flooding. See the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (https://msc.fema.gov) for this county.

Hazards that vary within the county: highest-rated census tracts

Source: 5

HazardHighest-rated census tractsNRI risk rating, score 0 to 100
Avalanchetract 9670 (Very Low, 16.4); tract 9671 (Very Low, 15.6)
Earthquaketract 9667 (Relatively Low, 50.7); tract 9669 (Relatively Low, 48.5); tract 9666 (Very Low, 29.4)
Hurricanetract 9666 (Relatively Low, 53.1); tract 9668 (Relatively Low, 52.8); tract 9670 (Relatively Low, 52.2)
Landslidetract 9670 (Relatively Moderate, 98.9); tract 9671 (Relatively Moderate, 98.5); tract 9666 (Relatively Moderate, 97.7)
Tornadotract 9668 (Relatively Low, 32.0); tract 9670 (Relatively Low, 31.3); tract 9666 (Relatively Low, 30.1)
Wildfiretract 9666 (Relatively Low, 69.7); tract 9670 (Very Low, 65.4); tract 9671 (Very Low, 60.1)

Up to 3 census tracts per hazard, highest National Risk Index rating first, then highest score; a tract number is the Census tract number (for example 9670 is Census Tract 9670). FEMA's Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool maps the National Risk Index for every tract: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/resilience-analysis-and-planning-tool

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-c: hazard extent

Extent: scale, observed range and worst recorded event per hazard

Sources: 6, 7

HazardScaleRecordscount and yearsObserved rangeWorst recorded eventMost damaging (when different)How it applies to jurisdictionsNote
Avalanchenone (count and damage only)0
Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chillwind chill34 records, 1996 to 2026 (34 zone-level)1 day to 31 days (median 3 days); 27 with a recorded valueMarch 2001 (1 monthly summary record), zone-levelExtreme Cold/Wind Chill, 2014-01-27, $25,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2014 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).Cold/Wind Chill records from May to September (a frost night, not a cold wave) are counted but not used for the longest run.
Frost/Freeze (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition)crop damage2 records, 2003 to 2004 (2 zone-level)No crop damage reported in 2 records.Countywide (zone-level records).
DroughtU.S. Drought Monitor scale (D0 to D4)18 records, 1997 to 2026 (18 zone-level)25 days to 153 days (median 61 days); 7 with a recorded value153 days (5 months), 1999-06-01 to 1999-10-31, a run of 5 consecutive Storm Events drought records, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Storm Events enters a drought at D2 or worse east of the Rockies and D3 or worse from the Rockies west (NWS Instruction 10-1605); NRI drought counts D3 and D4 only.
EarthquakeModified Mercalli (local data)0Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hailhail size (inches)52 records, 1975 to 20250.75 in to 2 in (median 0.88 in); 52 with a recorded value2 in hail, 2025-05-04Hail, 2012-03-28, $25,000 property; $0 crops (2012 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Buckhannon city (12 records).
Excessive Heat, Heatheat index (in event narratives)17 records, 1996 to 2002 (17 zone-level)1 day to 2 days (median 1.5 days); 2 with a recorded value2 consecutive days, 1998-09-14 to 1998-09-15, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Heat records from November to March (unseasonable warmth, not a heat wave) are counted but not used for the longest run.
Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical DepressionSaffir-Simpson0Storm Events files every zone of a storm's episode under the storm's type; flooding from the storm is filed as Flood or Flash Flood records.
Ice StormSperry-Piltz ice scale (local data)1 record, 2003 (1 zone-level)Ice Storm, 2003-02-16, $300,000 property; crops not reported (2003 dollars); NWS zone WVZ039Countywide (zone-level records).
Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flooddamage and flood days (flood depth: FIRM)79 records, 1996 to 2026 (10 zone-level)Flash Flood, 1996-05-16, $400,000 property; crops not reported (1996 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Buckhannon city (14 records). Zone-level records (10) apply countywide.Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. Storm Events damage is often $0 or blank for floods, major ones included; FEMA Public Assistance by declaration (B1-d) shows which floods cost the most.
Debris Flownone (count and damage only)0
Lightningannualized frequency (the measure FEMA's Local Mitigation Planning Handbook names)2 records, 2006 to 2010Lightning, 2010-04-05, $250,000 property; $0 crops (2010 dollars), 1 direct injuryEvent records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Buckhannon city (1 record).Storm Events lists lightning with damage or casualties.
High Wind and Strong Wind (outside NRI's Strong Wind definition)wind speed (kt and mph)40 records, 1999 to 2026 (39 zone-level)34 kt (39 mph) to 50 kt (58 mph) (median 42.5 kt (49 mph)); 28 with a recorded value50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust, High Wind, 2024-01-12; same speed and measurement basis also recorded on 2006-12-01, 2023-04-01; NWS zone WVZ039Strong Wind, 2019-02-24, $50,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2019 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Buckhannon city (1 record). Zone-level records (39) apply countywide.
Thunderstorm Windwind speed (kt and mph)171 records, 1957 to 202640 kt (46 mph) to 87 kt (100 mph) (median 50 kt (58 mph)); 143 with a recorded value87 kt (100 mph) estimated gust, Thunderstorm Wind, 2026-06-18Thunderstorm Wind, 2012-06-29, $1,000,000 property; $0 crops (2012 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Buckhannon city (25 records).
TornadoEnhanced Fujita (Fujita before Feb 2007)1 record, 2015F/EF1; 1 with a recorded valueEF1 tornado, 2015-06-17, 1.77 mi within this county, 150 yd wide, $300,000 property; $0 crops (2015 dollars)No event record names a jurisdiction in the plan.Before 1996 a tornado is listed once, under the county where it began, with its whole path's rating and length; from 1996 on, each county lists its own segment. Length is not used to rank tornadoes (see Methods).
Wildfireacres burned (local data)0
Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleetnone in data (snowfall: local data)135 records, 1996 to 2026 (134 zone-level)Blizzard, 2012-10-29, $3,000,000 property; $0 crops (2012 dollars); NWS zone WVZ039No event record names a jurisdiction in the plan. Zone-level records (134) apply countywide.

In event narratives only (local data needed): wind chill, temperature, heat index, ice thickness, acres burned and snow depth; any physical measure of avalanche, debris flow and lightning.

Storm Events records are more complete after 1996; before 1996 only Tornado (from 1950), Hail and Thunderstorm Wind (from 1955) exist. Zone-level records from zones that no NWS zone-county file places in this county (mostly before 2020) are not counted here (the Methods page explains the zone matching).

Dollars are nominal (as reported), labeled with the year; not adjusted for inflation.

A monthly summary record covers most or all of a month; it does not count days at wave conditions.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-d: previous occurrences

Federal declarations for this county: 22 declarations covering 17 separate hazard incidents counted in this packet (declarations for the same incident count once; non-natural and evacuation-only declarations are not counted).

Federal disaster declarations for this county

Sources: 1, 2, 3

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazardCounty Public Assistancefederal share obligated, nominal dollarsFlagsNotes
2026-08-032026-07-21DR-4932-WVMajor disasterSevere Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesInland Flooding (primary); also designated: Landslide, Strong Wind, TornadoPA not declared for this countynew since last plan; within last 5 years
2026-01-242026-01-23EM-3639-WVEmergencySevere Winter StormWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recordednew since last plan; within last 5 years
2020-04-032020-01-20DR-4517-WVMajor disasterCOVID-19 PandemicNon-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recorded
2020-03-132020-01-20EM-3450-WVEmergencyCOVID-19Non-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4517
2016-06-252016-06-22DR-4273-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesInland Flooding (primary); also designated: Landslideno Public Assistance recorded
2015-03-312015-03-03DR-4210-WVMajor disasterSevere Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesInland Flooding; Landslide; Winter Weatherno Public Assistance recorded
2012-11-272012-10-29DR-4093-WVMajor disasterHurricane SandyHurricane$69,965.40
2012-10-292012-10-29EM-3358-WVEmergencyHurricane SandyHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4093
2012-07-232012-06-29DR-4071-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms and Straight-Line WindsStrong Wind$71,837.73
2012-06-302012-06-29EM-3345-WVEmergencySevere StormsHazard not mapped (severe storm title names no single hazard); not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4071
2009-05-152009-05-03DR-1838-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and LandslidesInland Flooding; Landslideno Public Assistance recorded
2007-05-012007-04-14DR-1696-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesInland Flooding; Landslideno Public Assistance recorded
2005-09-052005-08-29EM-3221-WVEmergencyHurricane Katrina EvacuationHurricane: evacuation support, not a local hazard event; not countedno Public Assistance recorded
2003-11-212003-11-11DR-1500-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, and LandslidesInland Flooding; Landslideno Public Assistance recorded
2003-03-142003-02-16DR-1455-WVMajor disasterSevere Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snow, Heavy Rains, Flooding and LandslidesInland Flooding; Landslide; Winter Weather$8,605.51
2000-02-282000-02-18DR-1319-WVMajor disasterFlooding, Severe Storms, and LandslidesInland Flooding (primary); also designated: Landslideno Public Assistance recorded
1996-08-141996-07-18DR-1132-WVMajor disasterHeavy Rains, High Winds, Flooding, and SlidesWildfire (primary); also designated: LandslidePA not declared for this county
1996-05-231996-05-15DR-1115-WVMajor disasterFlooding, Heavy WindsInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded
1996-01-131996-01-06DR-1084-WVMajor disasterBlizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm)Winter Weatherno Public Assistance recorded
1993-03-171993-03-13EM-3109-WVEmergencySevere Snowfall & Winter StormWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recorded
1985-11-071985-11-03DR-753-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded
1967-03-131967-03-13DR-224-WVMajor disasterFloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded

County Public Assistance: applicants the FEMA record places in this county, including any state agencies FEMA files there; statewide rows are listed on the state page; federal share obligated, nominal dollars.

Statewide declarations

Source: 2

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazard
1964-03-201964-03-20DR-165-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland Flooding
1963-03-131963-03-13DR-147-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland Flooding
1962-03-091962-03-09DR-125-WVMajor disasterSevere Storm, High Tides & FloodingInland Flooding (primary); also designated: Coastal Flooding
1961-07-231961-07-23DR-117-WVMajor disasterFloodsInland Flooding
1957-01-311957-01-31DR-67-WVMajor disasterFloodInland Flooding
1954-08-041954-08-04DR-21-WVMajor disasterFloodInland Flooding

FEMA recorded these with designated area Statewide and no county, so they are listed on every county page in the state and not counted with county rows. Local data needed: whether each one affected this county.

Previous occurrences by hazard, with explicit no-event rows

Sources: 2, 6, 7

HazardStorm Events records, all years on file(years in the Period column)Since plan approvalrecordsIn the 12 months before plan approvalrecordsLast 5 yearsrecordsDeclared incidents, all yearsseparate disastersDeclared since approvalseparate disastersPeriodStatement
Avalanche0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Cold Wave36203001996 to 2026-06-30Includes 2 Frost/Freeze records.
Drought18909001996 to 2026-06-30
Earthquake000000Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hail52516001955 to 2026-06-30
Heat Wave17000001996 to 2026-06-30
Hurricane0000101996 to 2026-06-30No Storm Events records of this type; 1 federal declared incident (see declarations table)
Ice Storm1000001996 to 2026-06-30
Inland Flooding79223291111996 to 2026-06-30
Landslide0000911996 to 2026-06-30No Storm Events records of this type; 9 federal declared incidents (see declarations table)
Lightning2000001996 to 2026-06-30
Strong Wind2118222114211955 to 2026-06-30Includes 13 High Wind and 27 Strong Wind records.
Tornado1000111950 to 2026-06-30
Wildfire0000101996 to 2026-06-30No Storm Events records of this type; 1 federal declared incident (see declarations table)
Winter Weather13518328511996 to 2026-06-30

Notable Storm Events records

Sources: 1, 6, 7

DateEvent typeMagnitude or extentDamagenominal dollarsDeaths, injuriesdirect onlyLocationFlagsWhy listed
2026-06-18Thunderstorm Wind87 kt (100 mph) estimated gust$0 property; $0 crops (2026 dollars)0, 0CARTERnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Thunderstorm Wind
2025-05-04Hail2 in$0 property; $0 crops (2025 dollars)0, 0KESLING MILLnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Hail
2024-01-12High Wind50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust$5,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2024 dollars)0, 0NWS zone WVZ039 (UPSHUR), zone-levelin the 12 months before plan approval; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: High Wind and Strong Wind
2015-06-17TornadoEF1, 1.77 mi within this county, 150 yd wide$300,000 property; $0 crops (2015 dollars)0, 0QUEENSB1-c worst recorded: Tornado
2012-10-29Blizzard$3,000,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2012 dollars)0, 0NWS zone WVZ039 (UPSHUR), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleet
2010-04-05Lightning$250,000 property; $0 crops (2010 dollars)0, 1BUCKHANNON to BUCKHANNON LEWIS ARPdeaths or injuries recorded
2003-02-16Ice Storm$300,000 property; crops not reported (zone total, 2003 dollars)0, 0NWS zone WVZ039 (UPSHUR), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Ice Storm
2001-03-01Cold/Wind Chilldamage not reported0, 0NWS zone WVZ039 (UPSHUR), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
1999-06-01Droughtdamage not reported0, 0NWS zone WVZ039 (UPSHUR), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Drought
1996-05-16Flash Flood$400,000 property; crops not reported (1996 dollars)0, 0COUNTYWIDEB1-c worst recorded: Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flood
1991-04-09Thunderstorm Windspeed not recordeddamage not recorded (pre-1996 record)0, 1location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded
1987-04-27Thunderstorm Windspeed not recordeddamage not recorded (pre-1996 record)0, 2location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded

The full list is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-d Storm Events history" (552 rows).

Location is the place NOAA recorded, as written in its data; it need not be a jurisdiction in this plan.

Local data needed: state-declared emergencies, from your state emergency management agency (federal data do not include them).

FEMA's declaration data list no tribal or special-area declarations for this state.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-e: probability of future events

Probability: FEMA annualized frequency and descriptor per hazard

Sources: 5, 6

HazardFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)unit per rowUnitIn plain termsDescriptorDescriptor basisNRI events or days in its record period (hail, wind and tornado are area-weighted, so can be fractional)NRI periodLocationNote
Avalanche0.01events per yearabout 1 in 100 yearsPossibleFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)01994 to 2023 (30 years)see B1-f0.01 is NRI's minimum avalanche frequency for a county in an avalanche susceptibility zone; NRI records no avalanche here, so the descriptor reflects the floor, not local events.
Cold Wave1.74event-days per yearabout 1.74 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 11 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (36.7%)332005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Drought3.71event-days per yearabout 3.71 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 6 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (20%)982000 to 2025 (25.25 years; D3 and D4 only)countywide
Earthquake0.000658annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county has at least minor-damage shaking in a year: 0.0658%not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor (Storm Events does not record earthquakes).
Hail1.66events per yearabout 1.66 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)63.0 (modeled)1986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Heat Wave0.526event-days per yearabout 0.526 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 7 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (23.3%)112005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Hurricane0.00884events per yearabout 1 in 113 yearsUnlikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)01851 to 2024 (Atlantic)see B1-fNRI counts hurricane and tropical storm tracks passing within storm-force wind range; federal declarations are in B1-d.
Ice Storm0.0301event-days per yearabout 0.0301 days per yearPossibleStorm Events event-days in 1 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (3.33%)21946-12-31 to 2014-02-12 (67 years)countywide
Inland Flooding1.79event-days per yearabout 1.79 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 23 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (76.7%)501996 to 2023 (28 years)see B1-f
Landslide0.917events per year (modeled)about 0.92 per yearLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Lightning46.5days per year with a strikeabout 46.5 days per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1995 to 2023 (29 years; CONUS)countywide
Strong Wind0.769events per yearabout 0.77 per yearLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)301986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Tornado0.0268events per yearabout 1 in 37 yearsPossibleFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1950 to 2023 (EF2+); 1986 to 2023 (EF0-1)see B1-f
Wildfire0.0000667annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county burns in a year: 0.00667%Storm Events records in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor: no Storm Events record 1996 to 2025
Winter Weather13.9event-days per yearabout 13.9 days per yearHighly likelyStorm Events event-days in 30 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (100%)2652005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide

FEMA annualized frequency (modeled) is the National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025) estimate of how often a hazard affects this county in a year; it is not recorded events divided by years, and its unit differs by hazard (events, event-days, or days with a lightning strike per year). For earthquake, wildfire, coastal flooding and tsunami the value is the chance (or number of events) at a location in the county, not across the county, so no "1 in N years" is given and the descriptor comes from Storm Events where it has a record (none for earthquake). The Methods page gives each hazard's method, from FEMA's National Risk Index Technical Documentation v1.20.

Where NRI gives event-days, the descriptor comes from the share of years with a Storm Events record; NRI's source records more events, so the two differ.

Descriptor scale used in this packet (defined per unit)

Sources: 5, 6

UnitDescriptorDefinition
events per yearHighly likely1 or more per year
events per yearLikelyabout once in 1 to 10 years
events per yearPossibleabout once in 10 to 100 years
events per yearUnlikelyless than once in 100 years
annual probabilityLikely10% to under 100% chance in a given year
annual probabilityPossible1% to under 10% chance in a given year
annual probabilityUnlikelyunder 1% chance in a given year
event-days (share of years)Highly likelyevent-days recorded in 90% or more of years
event-days (share of years)Likelyevent-days recorded in 10% to under 90% of years
event-days (share of years)Possibleevent-days recorded in some years but under 10% of years
lightning strike-daysHighly likelycloud-to-ground strikes on 1 or more days per year

Intensity bands: historical frequency (Storm Events)

Source: 6

HazardBandYearsEventscounty-coded recordsYears in periodEvents per yearevents / years
Hail1.00-1.99 in1996 to 202521300.7
Hail2.00 in+1996 to 20251300.0333
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)50-64 kt1996 to 202599303.3
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)65 kt+1996 to 20252300.0667
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)unmeasured or below 50 kt1996 to 202532301.07
TornadoEF0-11996 to 20251300.0333
TornadoEF2-31996 to 20250300
TornadoEF4-51996 to 20250300
Tornadounrated (EFU)1996 to 20250300

The bands show how often events of each severity were recorded in this county, to profile how severe events have been (FEMA's probability item asks for the range of intensities).

Hail smaller than 1 inch is not counted: on 2010-01-05 the National Weather Service raised its severe-hail threshold from 3/4 inch to 1 inch, so smaller reports became less common after 2009 (NWS Service Change Notice 09-52). NRI hail frequency uses a 0.75 inch threshold.

Optional: future conditions. Not a required item in the 2025 FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide; some states ask for it. The federal Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA) site gives county exposure to future climate conditions (https://resilience.climate.gov/).

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-f: hazards that vary across jurisdictions

Range of census tract risk within the county

Source: 5

HazardTractsrated of allNRI risk score, 0 to 100Tracts by rating
MinMedianMax
Avalanche2 of 615.616.016.4Very Low 2, Not Applicable 4
Cold Wave6 of 662.573.178.5Relatively High 2, Relatively Moderate 4
Drought3 of 688.491.393.2Relatively Moderate 1, Relatively Low 2, No Rating 3
Earthquake6 of 617.728.750.7Relatively Low 2, Very Low 4
Hail6 of 668.271.473.3Relatively Moderate 5, Relatively Low 1
Heat Wave6 of 63.34.35.2Very Low 6
Hurricane6 of 650.452.053.1Relatively Low 5, Very Low 1
Ice Storm6 of 642.845.363.3Relatively Low 6
Inland Flooding6 of 688.093.698.3Very High 1, Relatively High 5
Landslide6 of 639.194.098.9Relatively Moderate 3, Relatively Low 2, Very Low 1
Lightning6 of 683.491.995.1Relatively High 6
Strong Wind6 of 657.263.168.4Relatively Moderate 6
Tornado6 of 626.929.632.0Relatively Low 3, Very Low 3
Wildfire6 of 632.754.469.7Relatively Low 1, Very Low 5
Winter Weather6 of 673.076.179.4Relatively High 2, Relatively Moderate 4

Drought: Agriculture is all of NRI's expected annual loss for this hazard in the county, so the tract range mostly reflects where crop and livestock value is.

Rated tracts only: No Rating (score 0.0), Not Applicable and Insufficient Data tracts are counted but not used for the minimum, median and maximum.

The score ranks a tract against all U.S. tracts (100 = highest). The rating is FEMA's category for the tract's risk value, computed differently, so the two can disagree.

Frequency data for cold wave, drought, hail, heat wave, ice storm, lightning, strong wind and winter weather are county-wide or coarse (49 km grid or NWS zone), the same for every jurisdiction; the tract range mostly reflects where buildings and people are (crop and livestock value where a line above names agriculture).

Each jurisdiction (starting figures from federal data)

Sources: 1, 3, 4, 6

JurisdictionTypePlan statusRepetitive lossFMA RL and SRL (44 CFR 77.2); repeat-flood, any definitionPublic Assistance to this jurisdictionFEMA records matched by applicant name; federal share obligated, nominal dollarsEvent records naming this placeall years; since its plan
Upshur CountyCountyApproved, expires 2029-04-02FMA RL 0, SRL 4; any 11$13,394.830 total; 0 since its plan
Buckhannon cityCityApproved, expires 2029-04-02FMA RL 0, SRL 10; any 43$33,148.8653 total; 8 since its plan

Repetitive-loss counts are for whole NFIP communities, which can extend beyond this county (see the note in B2-c).

County Public Assistance in B1-d also includes applicants filed under the county that are not jurisdictions in this plan (for example state agencies, special districts and nonprofits), so the jurisdiction rows add up to less.

Supports FEMA checklist items B2-a and B2-b: vulnerability and potential impacts

Local data needed

The table below gives county-level starting figures; the plan describes impacts for each jurisdiction and its own assets.

  • Critical facilities and lifelines per hazard
  • A problem statement per jurisdiction per hazard
  • Changes in development in hazard-prone areas since the last approval, or a statement of none (E1-a)
  • Future assets

County-level starter: exposure, expected annual loss and damage since the plan

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

HazardBuilding exposuremodeled dollarsAgriculture exposuremodeled dollarsPopulation exposedpeopleEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL as % of exposurebuildings; agriculture where notedStorm Events damage since 2024-04-03county-coded records, property plus crops, nominal dollarsZone-level damage since planproperty plus crops, reported for the zonePublic Assistance since plannominal dollars; see noteNote
Avalanche$0n/aunder 1$0n/a$85building exposure is 0 in NRI
Cold Wave$4,292,576,319$6,179,46923,791$5,494$208$631,2940.000128%$0
Droughtn/a$2,952,399n/an/a$65,503n/a2.22% (agriculture)$0NRI has no building exposure for this hazard; agriculture shown
Earthquake$7,059,485,796n/a23,816$64,377n/a$17,1780.000912%
Hail$4,292,576,319$6,179,46923,791$94,719$444$21,2110.00221%$0
Heat Wave$4,292,576,319$6,179,46923,791$6$1$16,944under 0.0001%
Hurricane$4,292,576,319$6,179,46923,791$46,652$1,092$1,8060.00109%
Ice Storm$4,292,576,319n/a23,791$23,316n/a$1870.000543%
Inland Flooding$4,283,161,123$990,9332,096$9,950,853$15,030$116,377n/a (see note)$33,400no Public Assistance recorded (1 declaration)NRI counts the full building value of any census block with some flood loss; this is not the value of buildings in the floodplain. Use local FIRM overlays for B2-a/B2-b.
Landslide$783,979,143n/a4,898$2,177n/a$45,9010.000278%no Public Assistance recorded (1 declaration)
Lightning$4,292,576,319n/a23,791$13,292n/a$240,9280.00031%
Strong Wind$4,292,576,319$6,179,46923,791$64,074$168$72,4330.00149%$126,750$18,500no Public Assistance recorded (1 declaration)Storm Events damage since the plan includes 8 zone-level Strong Wind records ($18,500): a NOAA non-thunderstorm wind type, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition.
Tornado$4,292,576,319$6,179,46923,791$37,431$23$49,7660.000872%no Public Assistance recorded (1 declaration)
Wildfire$939,900,506$1,650,6386,240$2,155$1$6340.000229%
Winter Weather$4,292,576,319$6,179,46923,791$27,554$1$11,5740.000642%$0$0no Public Assistance recorded (1 declaration)

Totals since 2024-04-03 (Storm Events through 2026-06-30): 102 county-coded records, 102 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $160,150; 36 zone-level records, 36 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $18,500 reported for the zone; Public Assistance: none recorded on the 2 counted declarations.

FEMA does not split Public Assistance by hazard. A declaration mapped to several hazards is listed under each of them with its full amount, so the per-hazard column does not add up to the total; the unit total counts each declaration once.

NRI computes earthquake exposure on its own basis, so it exceeds the county building value in B2-a.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-a: vulnerability (county context)

County context

Source: 5

MeasureValue
Population23,791
Building value (total, not at risk)$4,292,576,319
Agriculture value (total, not at risk)$6,179,469
NRI risk rating (all hazards)Relatively Low
Expected annual loss, buildings and agriculture, all hazards$10,414,569
Expected annual loss, population equivalence, all hazards (NRI values each statistical life at $13.7M; a modeled value of expected deaths and injuries, not property damage)$1,226,319
Social vulnerability ratingRelatively High
Community resilience ratingRelatively Moderate
NRI versionDecember 2025

FEMA's all-hazard expected annual loss adds buildings, agriculture and population equivalence; this table gives the property part and the population-equivalence part as separate rows.

Social vulnerability: higher means people are more likely to be harmed and slower to recover. Community resilience: lower means the community is less able to recover. High social vulnerability and low resilience both raise the NRI risk rating.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-c: repetitive loss properties

Repetitive loss in this county, both definitions

Sources: 1, 4

DefinitionPropertiesSevere repetitive lossProperties
Repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)0Severe repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)14
Repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition46Severe repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition6

The state NFIP coordinator's list, the source FEMA's Handbook names, often uses the NFIP insurance definition (second row).

Repeat-flood properties: county total and NFIP communities

Sources: 1, 4

ScopeRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
County total0144665466
of which: Upshur County (unincorporated area)04931110
of which: Buckhannon city0103734356

Repeat-flood properties by jurisdiction in the plan (NFIP community)

Sources: 1, 4

JurisdictionNFIP community IDRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
Upshur County54019804931110
Buckhannon city5401990103734356

Counts by occupancy group for each jurisdiction are in the Excel file, sheet "B2-c Jurisdictions".

Jurisdiction rows are whole NFIP communities and need not add up to the county total: a community that extends into another county is counted in full on each jurisdiction row, while the county table counts only its part in this county.

County repeat-flood properties by occupancy group

Sources: 1, 4

Occupancy groupRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
single-family residential0123954656
2 to 4 unit residential0110210
other residential0000000
non-residential0161600
not reported0000000

FEMA's occupancy groups have no institutional class; institutional properties are counted in non-residential or other residential in the table by occupancy group.

FMA RL and FMA SRL are the Flood Mitigation Assistance definitions (44 CFR 77.2), the ones the FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide cites. NFIP repetitive loss (the FEMA insurance definition) is 2 or more claims over $1,000 in 10 years, and a property can leave that group once it is mitigated. Also shown: NFIP severe repetitive loss, any category, mitigated and currently insured. The Methods page gives the OpenFEMA field details.

Counts are aggregates of FEMA's public NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (FEMA's data date 2026-08-02; file version 2026-08-04). No property is identified. County assignment is FEMA's geocode.

In this county 0 properties are FMA repetitive loss but not NFIP repetitive loss, and 46 properties are NFIP repetitive loss but not FMA repetitive loss.

Exact counts; no count suppression.

Sources

Tables cite these sources by number. The full list, for the plan's bibliography (FEMA review item A4-a):

  1. FEMA, OpenFEMA HazardMitigationPlanStatuses v1, version 2026-09-29T134039Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/HazardMitigationPlanStatuses (API)
  2. FEMA, OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, version 2026-09-29T162832Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v2/DisasterDeclarationsSummaries (API)
  3. FEMA, OpenFEMA PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries v1, version 2026-09-29T150754Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries (API)
  4. FEMA, OpenFEMA NfipMultipleLossProperties v1, version 2026-08-04T164045Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/NfipMultipleLossProperties (API)
  5. FEMA, FEMA National Risk Index 1.20.0 (December 2025), county and census tract tables, version 1.20.0, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_Counties.zip (download, 25 MB), https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_CensusTracts.zip (download, 635 MB)
  6. NOAA NCEI, NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, details files (csvfiles v1.0), version c20260918, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/swdi/stormevents/csvfiles/
  7. NOAA National Weather Service, NWS county-public forecast zones correlation file, version bp03mr20 to bp16ap26 (11 files; newest bp16ap26), pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.weather.gov/gis/ZoneCounty
  8. U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2024 Gazetteer, 2020 place by county, CT county-to-cousub crosswalk, version 2024-gazetteer, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_counties_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_cousubs_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_place_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_unsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_elsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_scsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/codes2020/national_place_by_county2020.txt, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ct_change/ct_cou_to_cousub_crosswalk.xlsx (used to match place names and codes; no table prints its values)

What this packet is and what the plan adds

This packet is the federal data for the plan's risk assessment (the summary on page 1 says how it is organized); the plan and FEMA's review decide whether each item is met.

The plan adds what only the community has: local data on assets, critical facilities, development and each jurisdiction's impacts; local hazard history, including state-declared emergencies; the mitigation strategy; and adoption.

How the federal data are built: National Risk Index values are FEMA's model, not counts of events. Storm Events is more complete from 1996; zone-level records are placed by forecast zone, not by location in the county. Public Assistance for a jurisdiction is matched by applicant name. The Methods page gives every rule and the known edge cases.

OpenFEMA disclaimer

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

Reuse, citation and corrections

Reuse and citation: Hazard Plain text and tables are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/); credit Hazard Plain and the release. The underlying federal data are public domain; OpenFEMA data are also subject to the OpenFEMA terms and conditions.

Cite this: Hazard Plain (2026). Upshur County, WV: risk-assessment baseline packet, release 2026-10 (data as of 2026-09-30; County FIPS 54097). Automated baseline. https://hazardplain.org/wv/54097/ Built from FEMA OpenFEMA, the FEMA National Risk Index and NOAA NCEI Storm Events; source versions in the packet's Sources list.

Corrections: to report an error, name the packet, the table and what your records show. Contact: [email protected]