West Virginia Weather: Tornado Climatology

165 tornadoes have been recorded in West Virginia between the years of 1950 and 2022. This means that the Mountain State averages 2.26 tornadoes per year. However, there has been a high deviance from the average at times during this time frame, with many years not having a single tornado recorded within the state, while 17 tornadoes were reported in 1998 (the year of record for this time in West Virginia), most of which were the result of an impressive regional tornado outbreak spanning a few states.

Tap on the image above to zoom in. Many years have not experienced a single tornado being recorded in West Virginia, most recently in 2020. However, 1998 is the year of record over the last 73 years, with 17 being recorded that year, 9 of which occurred on the same day on June 2nd.

Most Tornadoes in a Single Day in West Virginia (1950-2022)

9: June 2nd, 1998
8: April 3rd, 1974
4: July 9th, 1980
4: March 2nd, 2012
3: August 9th, 2000
3: September 17th, 2014
3: July 8th, 2014
3: July 27th, 2014
3: June 21st, 2016
3: July 4th, 2016
3: June 23, 2017

Tornado Count by Decade in West Virginia (1950-2022)

Tornadoes Per Year in West Virginia

The 2010s has featured the most tornadoes in West Virginia, with 36 tornadoes. So far in the 2020s, West Virginia has experienced a below average number of tornadoes, with an average of around 1.7 per year as compared to 3.6 in the 2010s.

Tornadoes have occurred in West Virginia in each month of the year. June is by far the most common month for tornadoes in West Virginia, with over 30 percent of tornadoes from 1950 to 2022 (50 out of 165 tornadoes) occurring during that month. That is followed by July, with about 22 percent of tornadoes occurring during the same year span (37 out of 165 tornadoes), with April rounding out the third most common month at a little over 12 percent (21 out of 165 tornadoes). February has only provided one tornado in West Virginia from 1950 to 2022 (February 25th, 2021). January has only provided two tornadoes and December 3, including one on Christmas Day in Preston County on December 25th, 1964.

Tornadoes by Damage Ranking in West Virginia (1950-2022)

EF0/F0: 50
EF1/F1: 77
EF2/F2: 24
EF3/F3:10
EF4/F4: 0
EF5/F5: 0
Not Rated: 4

Total Death from Tornadoes in West Virginia (1950-2022): 3

1 death: April 3rd, 1974 F-3 tornado in Fayette County
1 death: June 16th, 1982 F-1 tornado in Monongalia County
1 death: September 16th, 2020 EF-3 tornado in Wood County

Total Injuries from Tornadoes in West Virginia (1950-2022): 119

15 injuries: June 3rd, 1980 F-3 tornado in Preston County
12 injuries: April 19th, 1959 F-2 tornado in Raleigh County
12 injuries: April 3rd, 1974 F-3 tornado in Raleigh County
10 injuries: September 16th, 2020 EF-3 tornado in Wood County
9 injuries: April 3rd, 1974 F-1 tornado in Wyoming County

Costliest Tornadoes in West Virginia (1950-2022) - Total Cost: 42.267 Million Dollars

5.0 Million: June 2nd, 1998 F-2 tornado in Preston County (plus 2 million in crop damages)
2.5 Million: August 22nd, 1970 F-2 tornado in Harrison County
2.5 Million: April 3rd. 1974 F-1 tornado in McDowell County
2.5 Million: April 3rd, 1974 F-1 tornado in Wyoming County
2.5 Million: April 3rd, 1974 F-3 tornado in Raleigh County
2.5 Million: April 3rd, 1974 F-3 tornado in Fayette County
2.5 Million: April 3rd, 1974 F-3 tornado in Greenbrier County
2.5 Million: June 3rd, 1980 F-3 tornado in Monongalia County
2.5 Million: June 3rd, 1980 F-3 tornado in Preston County
1.9 Million: March 2nd, 2012 EF-3 tornado in Wayne County
1.5 Million: July 10th, 2003 F-2 tornado in Wood County