Hazard Plain Automated baseline

Raleigh County, WV

Risk-assessment baseline packet

County FIPS:
54081
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 2027-08-09. Plan: RPDC 01 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108436), approved 2022-08-10.

Since the plan was approved on 2022-08-10: 2 new hazard declarations (2 incidents) and 158 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 ($16,486,472 a year), Cold Wave ($759,696) and Earthquake ($649,121).

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 2027-08-09
Plan:
RPDC 01 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108436)
Approved:
2022-08-10
Days to expiry:
313
Update underway:
none recorded in FEMA's plan tracker

What changed since your last plan (approved 2022-08-10)

New federal declarations:
2 new hazard declarations (2 incidents): DR-4861-WV (Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides), EM-3639-WV (Severe Winter Storm)
Storm Events records since approval:
158 records (data through 2026-06-30)
Repetitive loss now:
FMA RL 0, SRL 4 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 47
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
Raleigh CountyCountyApproved, expires 2027-08-09RPDC 01 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108436)2022-08-102027-08-09313this jurisdiction approved 2022-08-16
Beckley cityCityApproved, expires 2027-08-09RPDC 01 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108436)2022-08-102027-08-09313this jurisdiction approved 2022-08-23
Lester townTownApproved, expires 2027-08-09RPDC 01 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108436)2022-08-102027-08-09313this jurisdiction approved 2022-09-20
Mabscott townTownApproved, expires 2027-08-09RPDC 01 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108436)2022-08-102027-08-09313this jurisdiction approved 2023-02-17
Sophia townTownApproved, expires 2027-08-09RPDC 01 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108436)2022-08-102027-08-09313this jurisdiction approved 2022-09-15
Beckley Sanitary BoardWater/Sewer AuthorityApproved, expires 2027-08-09RPDC 01 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 108436)2022-08-102027-08-09313this jurisdiction approved 2024-08-19

Plan 108436 covers 26 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 ModerateRelatively Moderate$14,759,578$561$1,726,334$16,486,47274
2Cold WaveRelatively LowRelatively Low$103,601$196$655,898$759,6963
3EarthquakeRelatively LowRelatively Low$507,492n/a$141,629$649,121Storm Events does not record earthquakes.
4Strong WindRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$356,215$1,079$227,559$584,853192Includes 3 High Wind and 23 Strong Wind records (NOAA non-thunderstorm wind types, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition).
5LightningRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$17,204n/a$522,383$539,5877
6WildfireRelatively LowRelatively Low$149,958$20$60,546$210,5243
7HailRelatively LowRelatively Low$115,872$79$55,989$171,94098
8Winter WeatherRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$80,597under $1$79,934$160,53263
9TornadoVery LowVery Low$70,698$20$51,725$122,4421
10Ice StormRelatively ModerateRelatively Low$87,599n/a$34,159$121,7581
11HurricaneVery LowVery Low$72,993$602$3,662$77,2570Declared 1 time; no Storm Events record of this type.
12LandslideRelatively ModerateRelatively Low$75n/a$61,029$61,1050Declared 10 times; no Storm Events record of this type.
13Heat WaveVery LowVery Low$1under $1$23,977$23,9790No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
14AvalancheRelatively LowVery Low$1n/a$12,550$12,5510No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
15DroughtVery LowVery Lown/a$2,219n/a$2,21910

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 records (Storm Events records this hazard 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 3 (Very Low, 69.1); tract 11 (Very Low, 68.8); tract 15 (Very Low, 68.5)
Earthquaketract 2 (Relatively Moderate, 77.9); tract 6 (Relatively Low, 75.5); tract 3 (Relatively Low, 70.5)
Hurricanetract 11 (Relatively Low, 52.4); tract 2 (Very Low, 50.5); tract 12 (Very Low, 50.4)
Landslidetract 12 (Relatively Moderate, 99.0); tract 9 (Relatively Moderate, 98.4); tract 11 (Relatively Moderate, 98.0)
Tornadotract 11 (Very Low, 25.4); tract 8.02 (Very Low, 24.5); tract 2 (Very Low, 24.2)
Wildfiretract 8.02 (Relatively Moderate, 92.7); tract 11 (Relatively Moderate, 91.4); tract 9 (Relatively Moderate, 91.2)

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 3 is Census Tract 3). 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 chill3 records, 2022 to 2026 (3 zone-level)3 days to 21 days (median 12 days); 2 with a recorded value21 consecutive days, 2026-01-20 to 2026-02-09, zone-levelExtreme Cold/Wind Chill, 2022-12-23, $1,500,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2022 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).
Frost/Freeze (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition)crop damage0
DroughtU.S. Drought Monitor scale (D0 to D4)10 records, 2024 to 2026 (10 zone-level)91 days to 122 days (median 91 days); 3 with a recorded value122 days (4 months), 2024-08-01 to 2024-11-30, a run of 4 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)120 records, 1962 to 20260.75 in to 3 in (median 1 in); 120 with a recorded value3 in hail, 1962-07-23Hail, 2002-04-28, $700,000 property; crops not reported (2002 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Beckley city (20 records), Lester town (5 records), Sophia town (2 records), Mabscott town (1 record).
Excessive Heat, Heatheat index (in event narratives)0
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, 2018 (1 zone-level)Ice Storm, 2018-11-15, $50,000 property; $0 crops (2018 dollars); NWS zone WVZ516Countywide (zone-level records).
Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flooddamage and flood days (flood depth: FIRM)74 records, 1996 to 2026Flash Flood, 2001-07-08, $40,000,000 property; crops not reported (2001 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Beckley city (4 records), Sophia town (1 record).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)7 records, 2001 to 2017Lightning, 2012-07-23, $30,000 property; $0 crops (2012 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Beckley 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)26 records, 2018 to 2026 (26 zone-level)30 kt (35 mph) to 50 kt (58 mph) (median 43 kt (49 mph)); 26 with a recorded value50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust, High Wind, 2024-01-12; same speed and measurement basis also recorded on 2023-04-01, 2024-01-09; NWS zone WVZ516Strong Wind, 2019-02-24, $50,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2019 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).
Thunderstorm Windwind speed (kt and mph)191 records, 1964 to 202645 kt (52 mph) to 65 kt (75 mph) (median 50 kt (58 mph)); 160 with a recorded value65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust, Thunderstorm Wind, 2003-08-17Thunderstorm Wind, 2012-06-29, $3,500,000 property; $0 crops (2012 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Beckley city (18 records), Lester town (3 records), Mabscott town (2 records), Sophia town (1 record).
TornadoEnhanced Fujita (Fujita before Feb 2007)7 records, 1959 to 2014F/EF0 to F/EF3 (median F/EF1); 7 with a recorded valueF3 tornado, 1974-04-04, 9.2 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 33 yd wide, $2,500,000 property; crops not recorded (1974 dollars), 12 direct injuriesNo 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)3 records, 1999 to 2001No damage reported in 3 records.No event record names a jurisdiction in the plan.
Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleetnone in data (snowfall: local data)63 records, 2016 to 2026 (63 zone-level)Winter Weather, 2022-12-22, $5,000 property; $0 crops (2022 dollars); NWS zone WVZ516Countywide (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 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.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-d: previous occurrences

Federal declarations for this county: 29 declarations covering 24 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
2025-02-262025-02-15DR-4861-WVMajor disasterSevere Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesInland Flooding; Landslide; Strong Wind$417,475.45new since last plan; within last 5 years
2020-04-032020-01-20DR-4517-WVMajor disasterCOVID-19 PandemicNon-natural, not counted$66,152.89
2020-03-132020-01-20EM-3450-WVEmergencyCOVID-19Non-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4517
2015-03-312015-03-03DR-4210-WVMajor disasterSevere Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesInland Flooding; Landslide; Winter Weather$278,243.38
2012-11-272012-10-29DR-4093-WVMajor disasterHurricane SandyHurricane$96,508.27
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$418,670.46
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
2010-03-292010-03-12DR-1893-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and LandslidesInland Flooding; Landslide$2,048,363.02
2010-03-022009-12-18DR-1881-WVMajor disasterSevere Winter Storm and SnowstormWinter Weather$102,870.88
2009-05-152009-05-03DR-1838-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and LandslidesInland Flooding; Landslide$50,380.03
2005-09-052005-08-29EM-3221-WVEmergencyHurricane Katrina EvacuationHurricane: evacuation support, not a local hazard event; not countedno Public Assistance recorded
2004-06-072004-05-27DR-1522-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, and LandslidesInland Flooding; Landslide$23,259.54
2003-11-212003-11-11DR-1500-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, and LandslidesInland Flooding; Landslide$69,611.46
2003-03-142003-02-16DR-1455-WVMajor disasterSevere Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snow, Heavy Rains, Flooding and LandslidesInland Flooding; Landslide; Winter Weather$6,717.45
2002-05-052002-05-02DR-1410-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding and LandslidesInland Flooding; LandslidePA not declared for this county
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; Landslide$301,460.97
1996-05-231996-05-15DR-1115-WVMajor disasterFlooding, Heavy WindsInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded
1996-01-251996-01-19DR-1096-WVMajor disasterFloodingInland Flooding (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
1980-08-151980-08-15DR-628-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland FloodingPA not declared for this county
1977-04-071977-04-07DR-531-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded
1977-01-191977-01-19EM-3021-WVEmergencyDroughtDroughtno Public Assistance recorded
1974-04-111974-04-11DR-426-WVMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland FloodingPA not declared for this county
1972-02-271972-02-27DR-323-WVMajor disasterHeavy Rains & 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: $1,870,330.56 (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.

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 Wave3303001996 to 2026-06-30
Drought1010010101996 to 2026-06-30
Earthquake000000Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hail120426001955 to 2026-06-30
Heat Wave0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
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 Flooding74306351611996 to 2026-06-30
Landslide00001011996 to 2026-06-30No Storm Events records of this type; 10 federal declared incidents (see declarations table)
Lightning7000001996 to 2026-06-30
Strong Wind217791089211955 to 2026-06-30Includes 3 High Wind and 23 Strong Wind records.
Tornado7000001950 to 2026-06-30
Wildfire3000101996 to 2026-06-30
Winter Weather6332436611996 to 2026-06-30

Notable Storm Events records

Sources: 1, 6, 7

DateEvent typeMagnitude or extentDamagenominal dollarsDeaths, injuriesdirect onlyLocationFlagsWhy listed
2026-01-20Cold/Wind Chill$0 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2026 dollars)0, 0NWS zone WVZ516 (SOUTHEAST RALEIGH), zone-levelnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
2024-08-01Drought$0 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2024 dollars)0, 0NWS zone WVZ515 (NORTHWEST RALEIGH), zone-levelnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Drought
2024-01-12High Wind50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust$10,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2024 dollars)0, 0NWS zone WVZ516 (SOUTHEAST RALEIGH), zone-levelnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: High Wind and Strong Wind
2022-12-22Winter Weather$5,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2022 dollars)0, 0NWS zone WVZ516 (SOUTHEAST RALEIGH), zone-levelnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleet
2018-11-15Ice Storm$50,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2018 dollars)0, 0NWS zone WVZ516 (SOUTHEAST RALEIGH), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Ice Storm
2012-07-23Lightning$30,000 property; $0 crops (2012 dollars)0, 0COOL RIDGEB1-c worst recorded: Lightning
2010-03-13Flood$4,000,000 property; $0 crops (2010 dollars)2, 0BESOCO to PLUTOdeaths or injuries recorded
2003-08-17Thunderstorm Wind65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust$30,000 property; crops not reported (2003 dollars)0, 0DAMERONB1-c worst recorded: Thunderstorm Wind
2001-07-08Flash Flood$40,000,000 property; crops not reported (2001 dollars)0, 0WEST PORTIONB1-c worst recorded: Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flood
1997-06-01Flash Flood$200,000 property; crops not reported (1997 dollars)2, 0WESTERN PORTIONdeaths or injuries recorded
1974-04-04TornadoF3, 9.2 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 33 yd wide$2,500,000 property; crops not recorded (1974 dollars)0, 12location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded
1962-07-23Hail3 indamage not recorded (pre-1996 record)0, 0location not recordedB1-c worst recorded: Hail

The full list is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-d Storm Events history" (505 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 Wave1.98event-days per yearabout 1.98 days per yearPossibleStorm Events event-days in 1 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (3.33%)37.72005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Drought0.831event-days per yearabout 0.831 days per yearPossibleStorm Events event-days in 2 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (6.67%)212000 to 2025 (25.25 years; D3 and D4 only)countywide
Earthquake0.00137annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county has at least minor-damage shaking in a year: 0.137%not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor (Storm Events does not record earthquakes).
Hail2.98events per yearabout 2.98 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)113.0 (modeled)1986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Heat Wave0.163event-days per yearabout 0.163 days per yearStorm Events event-days in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)2.542005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywideNo Storm Events heat wave record, 1996 to 2025
Hurricane0.0152events per yearabout 1 in 66 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 Storm0.396event-days per yearabout 0.396 days per yearPossibleStorm Events event-days in 1 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (3.33%)271946-12-31 to 2014-02-12 (67 years)countywide
Inland Flooding1.68event-days per yearabout 1.68 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 23 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (76.7%)471996 to 2023 (28 years)see B1-f
Landslide1.7events per year (modeled)about 1.7 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Lightning46days per year with a strikeabout 46 days per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1995 to 2023 (29 years; CONUS)countywide
Strong Wind1.32events per yearabout 1.32 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)511986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Tornado0.0395events per yearabout 1 in 25 yearsPossibleFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1950 to 2023 (EF2+); 1986 to 2023 (EF0-1)see B1-f
Wildfire0.00371annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county burns in a year: 0.371%LikelyStorm Events records in 3 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (10%)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Winter Weather14.7event-days per yearabout 14.7 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 10 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (33.3%)2802005-11-12 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 202553301.77
Hail2.00 in+1996 to 20250300
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)50-64 kt1996 to 2025113303.77
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)65 kt+1996 to 20251300.0333
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)unmeasured or below 50 kt1996 to 202532301.07
TornadoEF0-11996 to 20250300
TornadoEF2-31996 to 20251300.0333
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
Avalanche7 of 1766.067.869.1Very Low 7, Not Applicable 10
Cold Wave17 of 1738.350.660.7Relatively Moderate 11, Relatively Low 6
Drought4 of 1769.175.580.9Relatively Low 1, Very Low 3, No Rating 13
Earthquake17 of 1736.554.677.9Relatively Moderate 1, Relatively Low 14, Very Low 2
Hail17 of 1748.460.365.7Relatively Low 17
Heat Wave17 of 172.22.84.5Very Low 17
Hurricane17 of 1741.748.052.4Relatively Low 1, Very Low 16
Ice Storm17 of 1748.966.974.3Relatively Moderate 7, Relatively Low 10
Inland Flooding17 of 1712.064.399.5Very High 2, Relatively High 2, Relatively Moderate 10, Relatively Low 2, Very Low 1
Landslide17 of 1757.291.299.0Relatively Moderate 4, Relatively Low 10, Very Low 3
Lightning17 of 1774.287.193.6Relatively High 13, Relatively Moderate 4
Strong Wind17 of 1757.974.981.8Relatively Moderate 17
Tornado17 of 1711.320.725.4Very Low 17
Wildfire17 of 1728.682.592.7Relatively Moderate 5, Relatively Low 7, Very Low 5
Winter Weather17 of 1770.783.889.5Relatively High 13, 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
Raleigh CountyCountyApproved, expires 2027-08-09FMA RL 0, SRL 2; any 36$12,017.280 total; 0 since its plan
Beckley cityCityApproved, expires 2027-08-09FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 5$136,801.9044 total; 5 since its plan
Lester townTownApproved, expires 2027-08-09FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$2,630.788 total; 0 since its plan
Mabscott townTownApproved, expires 2027-08-09FMA RL 0, SRL 2; any 4$34,271.683 total; 0 since its plan
Sophia townTownApproved, expires 2027-08-09FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 1$41,361.284 total; 0 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 2022-08-10county-coded records, property plus crops, nominal dollarsZone-level damage since planproperty plus crops, reported for the zonePublic Assistance since plannominal dollars; see noteNote
Avalanche$3,418,895n/a3$1n/a$12,550under 0.0001%
Cold Wave$15,023,795,864$3,881,82574,558$103,601$196$655,8980.00069%$1,500,000
Droughtn/a$950,525n/an/a$2,219n/a0.233% (agriculture)$0NRI has no building exposure for this hazard; agriculture shown
Earthquake$25,481,754,036n/a74,591$507,492n/a$141,6290.00199%
Hail$15,023,795,864$3,881,82574,558$115,872$79$55,9890.000771%$0
Heat Wave$15,023,795,864$3,881,82574,558$1under $1$23,977under 0.0001%
Hurricane$14,911,478,217$3,394,58673,861$72,993$602$3,6620.00049%
Ice Storm$15,023,795,864n/a74,558$87,599n/a$34,1590.000583%
Inland Flooding$15,007,248,043$120,2843,361$14,759,578$561$1,726,334n/a (see note)$25,050$417,475.45NRI 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$1,896,016,088n/a10,534$75n/a$61,029under 0.0001%$417,475.45
Lightning$15,023,795,864n/a74,558$17,204n/a$522,3830.000115%
Strong Wind$15,023,795,864$3,881,82574,558$356,215$1,079$227,5590.00237%$88,900$46,250$417,475.45Storm Events damage since the plan includes 2 zone-level High Wind records ($15,000) and 15 zone-level Strong Wind records ($31,250): NOAA non-thunderstorm wind types, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition.
Tornado$15,023,795,864$3,881,82574,558$70,698$20$51,7250.000471%
Wildfire$483,093,998$796,5439,460$149,958$20$60,5460.031%
Winter Weather$15,023,795,864$3,881,82574,558$80,597under $1$79,9340.000536%$5,000no Public Assistance recorded (1 declaration)

Totals since 2022-08-10 (Storm Events through 2026-06-30): 95 county-coded records, 95 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $113,950; 63 zone-level records, 63 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $1,551,250 reported for the zone; Public Assistance: $417,475.45 on 2 counted declarations, 1 of them with Public Assistance.

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
Population74,558
Building value (total, not at risk)$15,023,795,864
Agriculture value (total, not at risk)$3,881,825
NRI risk rating (all hazards)Relatively Low
Expected annual loss, buildings and agriculture, all hazards$16,326,662
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)$3,657,374
Social vulnerability ratingRelatively High
Community resilience ratingRelatively Low
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)4
Repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition47Severe repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition4

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 total044744706
of which: Raleigh County (unincorporated area)023623602
of which: Beckley city0050503
of which: Rhodell town (community ID not in plan data)0010100
of which: Sophia town0010101
of which: Mabscott town0242400

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

Sources: 1, 4

JurisdictionNFIP community IDRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
Raleigh County540169023623602
Beckley city5401700050503
Lester town5401710000000
Mabscott town5402860242400
Sophia town5401740010101

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 residential023823804
2 to 4 unit residential0000000
other residential0010100
non-residential0282802
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 47 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). Raleigh County, WV: risk-assessment baseline packet, release 2026-10 (data as of 2026-09-30; County FIPS 54081). Automated baseline. https://hazardplain.org/wv/54081/ 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