Hazard Plain Automated baseline

Cabell County, WV

Risk-assessment baseline packet

County FIPS:
54011
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 2029-09-05. Plan: RPDC 02 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 109809), approved 2024-09-06.

Since the plan was approved on 2024-09-06: 1 new hazard declaration (1 incident) and 61 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 ($41,077,031 a year), Heat Wave ($2,985,297) and Tornado ($1,285,915).

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 2029-09-05
Plan:
RPDC 02 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 109809)
Approved:
2024-09-06
Days to expiry:
1,071

What changed since your last plan (approved 2024-09-06)

New federal declarations:
1 new hazard declaration (1 incident): EM-3639-WV (Severe Winter Storm)
Storm Events records since approval:
61 records (data through 2026-06-30)
Repetitive loss now:
FMA RL 6, SRL 25 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 97
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
Cabell CountyCountyApproved, expires 2029-09-05RPDC 02 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 109809)2024-09-062029-09-051,071this jurisdiction approved 2025-02-13
Barboursville villageVillageApproved, expires 2029-09-05RPDC 02 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 109809)2024-09-062029-09-051,071this jurisdiction approved 2025-08-07
Huntington cityCityApproved, expires 2029-09-05RPDC 02 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 109809)2024-09-062029-09-051,071this jurisdiction approved 2024-09-09
Milton townTownApproved, expires 2029-09-05RPDC 02 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 109809)2024-09-062029-09-051,071this jurisdiction approved 2024-09-03
Huntington Sanitary BoardWater/Sewer AuthorityApproved, expires 2029-09-05RPDC 02 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 109809)2024-09-062029-09-051,071
Huntington Stormwater UtilityWater/Sewer AuthorityApproved, expires 2029-09-05RPDC 02 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 109809)2024-09-062029-09-051,071
Huntington Water Quality BoardWater/Sewer AuthorityApproved, expires 2029-09-05RPDC 02 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 109809)2024-09-062029-09-051,071

Plan 109809 lists 27 other participants not on this page, 1 of them not covered by it yet (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 ModerateRelatively Moderate$39,669,703$29,661$1,377,667$41,077,031106
2Heat WaveRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$185$4$2,985,108$2,985,29721
3TornadoRelatively LowRelatively Low$489,727$28$796,160$1,285,9154
4Strong WindRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$294,340$1,111$606,827$902,278192Includes 11 High Wind and 22 Strong Wind records (NOAA non-thunderstorm wind types, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition).
5EarthquakeRelatively LowRelatively Low$593,228n/a$183,358$776,586Storm Events does not record earthquakes.
6Ice StormRelatively HighRelatively High$242,907n/a$489,286$732,1922
7LightningRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$39,286n/a$392,898$432,1844
8HailRelatively LowRelatively Low$232,244$333$97,372$329,94971
9Cold WaveRelatively LowRelatively Low$25,696$98$267,879$293,67228Includes 2 Frost/Freeze records (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition; counted in this table and in B1-d, not in the B1-e descriptor).
10Winter WeatherRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$59,268$1$90,062$149,33157
11WildfireRelatively LowRelatively Low$119,046$12$25,246$144,3050Declared 2 times; no Storm Events record of this type.
12HurricaneVery LowRelatively Low$127,431$743$3,859$132,0320Declared 1 time; no Storm Events record of this type.
13LandslideRelatively ModerateRelatively Low$5,415n/a$32,270$37,6850Declared 15 times; no Storm Events record of this type.
14DroughtRelatively LowRelatively Lown/a$35,927n/a$35,92721

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 wildfire and landslide 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: avalanche, 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
Earthquaketract 109 (Relatively Low, 66.9); tract 15 (Relatively Low, 64.2); tract 3 (Relatively Low, 63.2)
Hurricanetract 109 (Relatively Low, 51.8); tract 15 (Very Low, 50.2); tract 106 (Very Low, 50.1)
Landslidetract 105 (Relatively Moderate, 97.8); tract 107.01 (Relatively Moderate, 97.7); tract 106 (Relatively Moderate, 97.3)
Tornadotract 21 (Relatively Moderate, 53.8); tract 109 (Relatively Low, 50.8); tract 15 (Relatively Low, 50.6)
Wildfiretract 105 (Relatively Moderate, 90.3); tract 107.02 (Relatively Moderate, 88.7); tract 106 (Relatively Moderate, 88.6)

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 109 is Census Tract 109). 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
Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chillwind chill26 records, 1996 to 2026 (26 zone-level)1 day to 31 days (median 4 days); 23 with a recorded valueMarch 2001 (1 monthly summary record), zone-levelExtreme Cold/Wind Chill, 2014-01-06, $400,000 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)21 records, 1997 to 2026 (21 zone-level)25 days to 184 days (median 61 days); 7 with a recorded value184 days (6 months), 1999-05-01 to 1999-10-31, a run of 6 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)90 records, 1977 to 20250.75 in to 2.25 in (median 0.88 in); 90 with a recorded value2.25 in hail, 2025-04-14Hail, 1998-05-24, $250,000 property; crops not reported (1998 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Huntington city (23 records), Barboursville village (8 records), Milton town (6 records).
Excessive Heat, Heatheat index (in event narratives)21 records, 1996 to 2011 (21 zone-level)1 day to 4 days (median 1.5 days); 6 with a recorded value4 consecutive days, 2011-07-20 to 2011-07-23, 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)2 records, 1999 to 2021 (2 zone-level)Ice Storm, 2021-02-15, $50,000 property; $0 crops (2021 dollars); NWS zone WVZ006Countywide (zone-level records).
Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flooddamage and flood days (flood depth: FIRM)106 records, 1996 to 2026 (11 zone-level)Flood, 2004-09-17, $1,000,000 property; crops not reported (2004 dollars); NWS zone WVZ006Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Huntington city (24 records), Milton town (13 records), Barboursville village (7 records). Zone-level records (11) 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)4 records, 1996 to 2014Lightning, 2014-06-24, $8,000 property; $0 crops (2014 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Huntington city (2 records).Storm Events lists lightning with damage or casualties.
High Wind and Strong Wind (outside NRI's Strong Wind definition)wind speed (kt and mph)33 records, 1996 to 2026 (32 zone-level)31 kt (36 mph) to 54 kt (62 mph) (median 39 kt (45 mph)); 22 with a recorded value54 kt (62 mph) measured, High Wind, 2002-03-09; NWS zone WVZ006Strong Wind, 2019-02-24, $100,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2019 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Huntington city (1 record). Zone-level records (32) apply countywide.
Thunderstorm Windwind speed (kt and mph)193 records, 1955 to 202640 kt (46 mph) to 70 kt (81 mph) (median 50 kt (58 mph)); 136 with a recorded value70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust, Thunderstorm Wind, 2024-04-02; same speed and measurement basis also recorded on 2018-07-31, 2024-04-02Thunderstorm Wind, 2012-06-29, $3,000,000 property; $0 crops (2012 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Huntington city (63 records), Milton town (16 records), Barboursville village (15 records).
TornadoEnhanced Fujita (Fujita before Feb 2007)4 records, 2000 to 2024F/EF1; 4 with a recorded valueF1 tornado, 2000-08-09, 0.5 mi within this county, 75 yd wide, $275,000 property; crops not reported (2000 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Barboursville village (1 record).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)57 records, 1996 to 2026 (57 zone-level)Winter Storm, 1998-02-03, $250,000 property; crops not reported (1998 dollars); NWS zone WVZ006Winter Storm, 2009-01-27, $250,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2009 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).

In event narratives only (local data needed): wind chill, temperature, heat index, ice thickness, acres burned and snow depth; any physical measure of 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: 32 declarations covering 27 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
2026-01-242026-01-23EM-3639-WVEmergencySevere Winter StormWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recordednew since last plan; within last 5 years
2024-05-222024-04-02DR-4783-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesInland Flooding; Landslide; Strong Wind; TornadoPA not declared for this countyin the 12 months before plan approval; within last 5 years
2021-05-202021-02-27DR-4605-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland Flooding$2,929,462.28FEMA's declaration record does not list Public Assistance, but FEMA's PA project summaries show obligations for this county
2021-05-132021-02-10DR-4603-WVMajor disasterSevere Winter StormsIce Storm$3,496,760.60
2020-04-032020-01-20DR-4517-WVMajor disasterCOVID-19 PandemicNon-natural, not counted$41,711,904.75
2020-03-132020-01-20EM-3450-WVEmergencyCOVID-19Non-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4517
2018-04-172018-02-14DR-4359-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesLandslide (primary); also designated: Inland Flooding$4,205,377.25
2015-05-212015-04-13DR-4221-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesInland Flooding (primary); also designated: Landslideno Public Assistance recorded
2015-05-142015-04-03DR-4219-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesInland Flooding; Landslide$21,200.86
2015-03-312015-03-03DR-4210-WVMajor disasterSevere Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesInland Flooding; Landslide; Winter Weather$492,543.54
2014-01-102014-01-09EM-3366-WVEmergencyChemical SpillNon-natural, not counted$7,653.74
2012-10-292012-10-29EM-3358-WVEmergencyHurricane SandyHurricaneno Public Assistance recorded
2012-07-232012-06-29DR-4071-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms and Straight-Line WindsStrong Wind$184,163.31
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
2007-05-012007-04-14DR-1696-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesInland Flooding; Landslide$9,044.27
2005-09-052005-08-29EM-3221-WVEmergencyHurricane Katrina EvacuationHurricane: evacuation support, not a local hazard event; not countedno Public Assistance recorded
2004-09-202004-09-16DR-1558-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, and LandslidesInland Flooding; Landslide$3,278.22
2004-06-072004-05-27DR-1522-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, and LandslidesInland Flooding; LandslidePA not declared for this county
2003-11-212003-11-11DR-1500-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, and LandslidesInland Flooding; LandslidePA not declared for this county
2003-06-212003-06-11DR-1474-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$25,765.51
2001-11-162001-11-16FM-2391-WVFire managementWv - Southeast Fire Complex - 11/16/2001Wildfireno Public Assistance recorded
2001-06-032001-05-15DR-1378-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding and LandslidesInland Flooding; LandslidePA not declared for this county
2000-02-282000-02-18DR-1319-WVMajor disasterFlooding, Severe Storms, and LandslidesInland Flooding (primary); also designated: Landslide$24,668.85
1998-07-011998-06-26DR-1229-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland Flooding; Winter WeatherPA not declared for this county
1997-03-071997-02-28DR-1168-WVMajor disasterHeavy & Wind Driven Rain, High Winds,Flooding,SlidesInland 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
1996-01-131996-01-06DR-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
1978-12-141978-12-14DR-569-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded
1977-04-071977-04-07DR-531-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded
1967-03-131967-03-13DR-224-WVMajor disasterFloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded

School districts and special districts in this county: $474,805.81 (included in the county total above). Public Assistance matched by applicant name to the school districts and special districts FEMA lists as plan participants in this county. They have no row of their own in the jurisdiction table, so their total is listed here. These dollars are already included in the county PA column of the declarations table (the FEMA record places each applicant in this county), so this line is not added to it.

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.

Public Assistance filed under this county for declarations that do not list it: 2 rows, $2,875,149.88

Sources: 2, 3

FEMA numberDeclaredTitleApplicantPA obligatedfederal share obligated, nominal dollars
DR-4861-WV2025-02-26Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesWest Virginia Division of Highways / District 2$2,713,777.46
DR-4787-WV2024-05-24Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesWest Virginia Division of Highways / District 2$161,372.42

FEMA's Public Assistance summaries file these applicants under this county, but FEMA's declaration rows for these disasters do not designate it (an electric cooperative or district serving several counties, for example). Not in any declaration row above and not counted.

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
Cold Wave28203001996 to 2026-06-30Includes 2 Frost/Freeze records.
Drought21527001996 to 2026-06-30
Earthquake000000Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hail907415001955 to 2026-06-30
Heat Wave21000001996 to 2026-06-30
Hurricane0000101996 to 2026-06-30No Storm Events records of this type; 1 federal declared incident (see declarations table)
Ice Storm2000101996 to 2026-06-30
Inland Flooding106201291901996 to 2026-06-30
Landslide00001501996 to 2026-06-30No Storm Events records of this type; 15 federal declared incidents (see declarations table)
Lightning4000001996 to 2026-06-30
Strong Wind226141438201955 to 2026-06-30Includes 11 High Wind and 22 Strong Wind records.
Tornado4022101950 to 2026-06-30
Wildfire0000201996 to 2026-06-30No Storm Events records of this type; 2 federal declared incidents (see declarations table)
Winter Weather5713321611996 to 2026-06-30

Notable Storm Events records

Sources: 1, 6, 7

DateEvent typeMagnitude or extentDamagenominal dollarsDeaths, injuriesdirect onlyLocationFlagsWhy listed
2025-04-14Hail2.25 in$0 property; $0 crops (2025 dollars)0, 0GREEN BOTTOMnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Hail
2024-04-02Thunderstorm Wind70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust$15,000 property; $0 crops (2024 dollars)0, 0HUNTINGTONin the 12 months before plan approval; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Thunderstorm Wind
2022-05-06Flash Flood$900,000 property; $0 crops (2022 dollars)1, 0WEST HUNTINGTON to BOWEN RIDGEwithin last 5 yearsdeaths or injuries recorded
2021-02-15Ice Storm$50,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2021 dollars)0, 0NWS zone WVZ006 (CABELL), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Ice Storm
2016-07-14Flash Flood$500,000 property; $0 crops (2016 dollars)1, 0HODGES to WEST HUNTINGTONdeaths or injuries recorded
2014-06-24Lightning$8,000 property; $0 crops (2014 dollars)0, 0GUYAN ESTATESB1-c worst recorded: Lightning
2011-07-20Heat$0 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2011 dollars)0, 0NWS zone WVZ006 (CABELL), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Excessive Heat, Heat
2007-12-10Flood$30,000 property; $0 crops (2007 dollars)1, 0MILTON to CULLODENdeaths or injuries recorded
2004-09-17Flood$1,000,000 property; crops not reported (zone total, 2004 dollars)0, 0NWS zone WVZ006 (CABELL), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flood
2002-03-09High Wind54 kt (62 mph) measured$25,000 property; crops not reported (zone total, 2002 dollars)0, 0NWS zone WVZ006 (CABELL), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: High Wind and Strong Wind
2001-03-01Cold/Wind Chilldamage not reported0, 0NWS zone WVZ006 (CABELL), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
2000-08-09TornadoF1, 0.5 mi within this county, 75 yd wide$275,000 property; crops not reported (2000 dollars)0, 0LESAGEB1-c worst recorded: Tornado

The full list is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-d Storm Events history" (559 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
Cold Wave0.842event-days per yearabout 0.842 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 11 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (36.7%)162005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Drought3.48event-days per yearabout 3.48 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 6 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (20%)1262000 to 2025 (25.25 years; D3 and D4 only)countywide
Earthquake0.00119annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county has at least minor-damage shaking in a year: 0.119%not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor (Storm Events does not record earthquakes).
Hail3.13events per yearabout 3.13 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)118.7 (modeled)1986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Heat Wave4.68event-days per yearabout 4.68 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 9 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (30%)792005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Hurricane0.0231events per yearabout 1 in 43 yearsPossibleFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)81851 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 Storm0.438event-days per yearabout 0.438 days per yearPossibleStorm Events event-days in 2 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (6.67%)301946-12-31 to 2014-02-12 (67 years)countywide
Inland Flooding2.79event-days per yearabout 2.79 days per yearHighly likelyStorm Events event-days in 27 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (90%)781996 to 2023 (28 years)see B1-f
Landslide0.744events per year (modeled)about 0.74 per yearLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Lightning48.2days per year with a strikeabout 48.2 days per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1995 to 2023 (29 years; CONUS)countywide
Strong Wind1.4events per yearabout 1.4 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)541986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Tornado0.0419events per yearabout 1 in 24 yearsPossibleFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1950 to 2023 (EF2+); 1986 to 2023 (EF0-1)see B1-f
Wildfire0.00114annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county burns in a year: 0.114%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 Weather8.37event-days per yearabout 8.37 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 23 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (76.7%)1592005-11-12 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 202532301.07
Hail2.00 in+1996 to 20252300.0667
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)50-64 kt1996 to 2025114303.8
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)65 kt+1996 to 20254300.133
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)unmeasured or below 50 kt1996 to 202539301.3
TornadoEF0-11996 to 20254300.133
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
Cold Wave34 of 3420.223.529.4Relatively Low 34
Drought3 of 3484.587.192.2Relatively Moderate 1, Relatively Low 2, No Rating 31
Earthquake34 of 3424.741.266.9Relatively Low 17, Very Low 17
Hail34 of 3445.555.768.7Relatively Low 34
Heat Wave34 of 3454.176.590.3Relatively High 6, Relatively Moderate 27, Relatively Low 1
Hurricane34 of 3440.044.951.8Relatively Low 1, Very Low 33
Ice Storm34 of 3468.685.292.5Relatively High 6, Relatively Moderate 27, Relatively Low 1
Inland Flooding34 of 3413.678.099.4Very High 5, Relatively High 12, Relatively Moderate 11, Relatively Low 5, Very Low 1
Landslide34 of 349.660.797.8Relatively Moderate 3, Relatively Low 10, Very Low 21
Lightning34 of 3434.354.075.9Relatively Moderate 23, Relatively Low 11
Strong Wind34 of 3439.064.280.9Relatively Moderate 29, Relatively Low 5
Tornado34 of 3429.441.153.8Relatively Moderate 1, Relatively Low 32, Very Low 1
Wildfire18 of 3424.276.490.3Relatively Moderate 4, Relatively Low 7, Very Low 7, No Rating 16
Winter Weather34 of 3449.263.678.4Relatively Moderate 34

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 planNotes
Cabell CountyCountyApproved, expires 2029-09-05FMA RL 1, SRL 9; any 28$6,386.090 total; 0 since its plan
Barboursville villageVillageApproved, expires 2029-09-05FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$259,955.6531 total; 1 since its plan
Huntington cityCityApproved, expires 2029-09-05FMA RL 4, SRL 10; any 45$261,109.97113 total; 4 since its planWhole community, including the part in Wayne County; in-county portion (county table): FMA RL 4, FMA SRL 10, NFIP RL 41, NFIP SRL 9, any category 41.
Milton townTownApproved, expires 2029-09-05FMA RL 1, SRL 6; any 27$9,75435 total; 4 since its plan

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

School districts and special districts get a plan clock row only.

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 2024-09-06county-coded records, property plus crops, nominal dollarsZone-level damage since planproperty plus crops, reported for the zonePublic Assistance since plannominal dollars; see noteNote
Cold Wave$22,502,010,215$3,458,17094,158$25,696$98$267,8790.000114%$0
Droughtn/a$1,906,322n/an/a$35,927n/a1.88% (agriculture)$0NRI has no building exposure for this hazard; agriculture shown
Earthquake$41,465,377,910n/a94,350$593,228n/a$183,3580.00143%
Hail$22,502,010,215$3,458,17094,158$232,244$333$97,3720.00103%$0
Heat Wave$22,502,010,215$3,458,17094,158$185$4$2,985,108under 0.0001%
Hurricane$22,499,498,735$3,458,17094,147$127,431$743$3,8590.000566%
Ice Storm$22,499,738,537n/a94,141$242,907n/a$489,2860.00108%
Inland Flooding$22,494,184,822$1,831,8425,864$39,669,703$29,661$1,377,667n/a (see note)$500NRI 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$2,402,660,397n/a13,786$5,415n/a$32,2700.000225%
Lightning$22,502,010,215n/a94,158$39,286n/a$392,8980.000175%
Strong Wind$22,502,010,215$3,458,17094,158$294,340$1,111$606,8270.00131%$15,000$17,500Storm Events damage since the plan includes 6 zone-level Strong Wind records ($17,500): a NOAA non-thunderstorm wind type, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition.
Tornado$22,502,010,215$3,458,17094,158$489,727$28$796,1600.00218%
Wildfire$1,057,099,037$1,707,68311,926$119,046$12$25,2460.0113%
Winter Weather$22,502,010,215$3,458,17094,158$59,268$1$90,0620.000263%$0no Public Assistance recorded (1 declaration)

Totals since 2024-09-06 (Storm Events through 2026-06-30): 35 county-coded records, 35 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $15,500; 26 zone-level records, 26 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $17,500 reported for the zone; Public Assistance: none recorded on the 1 counted declaration.

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
Population94,158
Building value (total, not at risk)$22,502,010,215
Agriculture value (total, not at risk)$3,458,170
NRI risk rating (all hazards)Relatively Moderate
Expected annual loss, buildings and agriculture, all hazards$41,966,391
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)$7,347,993
Social vulnerability ratingRelatively Moderate
Community resilience ratingRelatively High
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)6Severe repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)25
Repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition94Severe repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition21

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 total625942197136
of which: Cabell County (unincorporated area)192672816
of which: Huntington city41041941021
of which: Milton city162652709
of which: Unknown (community ID Unknown in FEMA data)0010100

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

Sources: 1, 4

JurisdictionNFIP community IDRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredpropertiesNote
Cabell County540016192672816
Barboursville village5400170000000
Huntington city540018410451045022Whole community, including the part in Wayne County; in-county portion (county table): FMA RL 4, FMA SRL 10, NFIP RL 41, NFIP SRL 9, any category 41.
Milton town540019162652709

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 residential522831886135
2 to 4 unit residential0000000
other residential0000000
non-residential131131101
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 1 property is FMA repetitive loss but not NFIP repetitive loss, and 89 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). Cabell County, WV: risk-assessment baseline packet, release 2026-10 (data as of 2026-09-30; County FIPS 54011). Automated baseline. https://hazardplain.org/wv/54011/ 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: contact@hazardplain.org