Weirton
Population 18,133 (2025)
40 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Weirton since 1950, 0 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on May 21, 2025.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 195040
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger4
- Major flood years since 1978, Hancock County4
At a glance
Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Hancock County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Hancock County.
Strongest tornado
F2
June 4, 1975, 45.3 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm Isabel, 2003, 27.3 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 1.9 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
June 4, 1975
F2, 45.3 mile path
30 yards wide.
Most recent
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
EF1, 13.9 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| May 21, 2025 | EF1 | 13.9 | 0 | 0 |
| May 21, 2025 | EF0 | 2.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 26, 2024 | EF1 | 6.8 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 2024 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EF1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EF2 | 15.3 | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 12, 2023 | EF1 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 21, 2021 | EF2 | 15.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 21, 2021 | EF1 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 16, 2021 | EF1 | 2.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 16, 2021 | EF0 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 29, 2021 | EF1 | 2.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 29, 2021 | EF1 | 2.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 29, 2021 | EF2 | 6.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 10, 2020 | EF1 | 9.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 7, 2020 | EF0 | 3.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 5, 2017 | EF1 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 23, 2013 | EF0 | 3.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 19, 2013 | EF0 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 10, 2013 | EF1 | 9.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 2010 | EF1 | 3.8 | 0 | 0 |
| May 23, 2000 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1998 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1998 | F1 | 32.0 | 50 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1998 | F1 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 12, 1992 | F0 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 22, 1990 | F1 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 9, 1987 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 29, 1987 | F1 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 4, 1983 | F1 | 0.2 | 1 | 0 |
| Jun 6, 1980 | F1 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| May 31, 1980 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 3, 1979 | F1 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 24, 1977 | F0 | 0.5 | 4 | 0 |
| Jun 4, 1975 | F2 | 45.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 10, 1973 | F1 | 2.0 | 3 | 0 |
| Sep 3, 1970 | F1 | 1.3 | 5 | 0 |
| Apr 12, 1965 | F1 | 0.1 | 1 | 0 |
| May 12, 1956 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 1954 | F2 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
- Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
3 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
September 19, 2003
Isabel, Tropical storm
27.3 miles at closest approach, winds near 44 mph.
Most recent
October 31, 2012
Sandy, Post-tropical
43.1 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Sandy | 2012 | 43.1 | Post-tropical |
| Isabel | 2003 | 27.3 | Tropical storm |
| Opal | 1995 | 72.2 | Post-tropical |
| Hugo | 1989 | 23.2 | Tropical storm |
| Frederic | 1979 | 35.1 | Tropical storm |
| Audrey | 1957 | 71.8 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 41.2 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 84.0 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 98.2 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1888 | 61.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1878 | 72.7 | Post-tropical |
- Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.
National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.
Wildfire and smoke
No large wildfire has been mapped within 25 miles since satellite mapping began in 1984.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 54 days
Heavy smoke on 13 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
14.7 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
11 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 32 so far in 2026.
- A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Floods and flood insurance
365 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $4.0 million paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Hancock County, the county that contains Weirton.
Most claims in one year
2004: 146 claims
$2.9 million paid.
2nd most
1980: 77 claims
$263,000 paid.
3rd most
1979: 41 claims
$155,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 26062 | 214 | $1.9 million |
| 26047 | 109 | $1.7 million |
| 26034 | 28 | $316,000 |
| 26050 | 8 | $118,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood20
- Flood15
- Heavy Rain2
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).
OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.
River crests
River gauges in Hancock County, the county that contains Weirton.
Most severe crest
March 19, 1936
Ohio River at East Liverpool, 29.90 ft
15.90 feet above the 14.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
September 19, 2004
Ohio River at East Liverpool, 21.00 ft
Major flooding.
| Mar 19, 1936 | Ohio River at East Liverpool | 29.90 | +15.90 |
| Dec 31, 1942 | Ohio River at East Liverpool | 27.70 | +13.70 |
| Jan 20, 1996 | Ohio River at East Liverpool | 24.80 | +10.80 |
| Mar 11, 1964 | Ohio River at East Liverpool | 22.00 | +8.00 |
| Jan 26, 1937 | Ohio River at East Liverpool | 21.30 | +7.30 |
| Mar 7, 1945 | Ohio River at East Liverpool | 21.00 | +7.00 |
| Apr 27, 1937 | Ohio River at East Liverpool | 21.00 | +7.00 |
| Sep 19, 2004 | Ohio River at East Liverpool | 21.00 | +7.00 |
| Oct 17, 1954 | Ohio River at East Liverpool | 20.80 | +6.80 |
| Jan 23, 1959 | Ohio River at East Liverpool | 18.50 | +4.50 |
| Jan 28, 1952 | Ohio River at East Liverpool | 18.40 | +4.40 |
River gauges
| Ohio River at East Liverpool | 14.0 | 29.90 ft | 11 |
- Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 64 of 1,581 months since 1895 (4%); the longest spell lasted 12 months.
The drought index is for Hancock County, the county that contains Weirton.
64
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
21
Months in extreme drought
4%
Share of all months, severe or worse
2
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
January 1931
−5.73, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
12 months
July 1991 to June 1992.
Latest month
September 2026
+3.25, very wet
Last severe month: February 2026.
- The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.
NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.
Earthquakes and landslides
1 earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.0 in 2011.
2
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
1
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
December 31, 2011
Magnitude 4.0
3 km NW of Youngstown, Ohio; 49.8 miles away, 3.1 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
March 30, 2024
Magnitude 3.0
2 km SSW of Maple Ridge, Ohio; 42.7 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Dec 31, 2011 | 4.0 | 49.8 |
- Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
- Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Mapped landslides
Landslides mapped in Hancock County.
1,653
Landslides mapped, probable or better
2
With a recorded date
2
Source inventories
Mapped by WV GS (1,651), NASA (2).
- Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.
USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
313 events in the National Weather Service record for Hancock County, 281 of them since 1996.
22
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
1
Hail, 2 inches or larger
109
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
46
Winter weather events since 1996
0
Heat events since 1996
5
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
May 14, 2014
2.00 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
May 30, 1987
86 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 3 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Sep 17, 2004Flood, Hancock$36.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
At 1257 PM EDT on 17th, Kings Creek flooded in Weirton, where many businesses wiped out by flooding on Main St and Freedom Way. As of 9 AM EDT on 18th, Rte 2 was still closed by mud slides; several other roads remained flooded. Total of 480 structures damaged or destroyed. Route 2 closed by mud slides from Weirton to Wheeling. Other roads flooded or closed: Route 30, Kings Creek Rd, Shady Glen Rd. Most small stream flooded ended by 7 PM on 18th, the Ohio River flood continued: Wellsville rose above flood stage (11 ft) at 5 AM EDT on 18th, crested 19.0 ft 2 AM on 19th, and fell below flood stage 7 PM EDT on 19th. New Cumberland WV rose above flood stage (36 ft) at 330 AM EDT on…
- Jan 19, 1996Flood, Hancock$1.9 million
National Weather Service narrative
Flooding from the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers met nearly simultaneously at the Point in Pittsburgh. The flood waters then flowed down the Ohio River. Widespread one to two inch rains, plus runoff from snowmelt in the West Virginia and Maryland mountains, combined to create major flooding along the Ohio River. The Ohio River went above flood stage at East Liverpool, Ohio around 10 pm EST on the 19th. The river crested 10.8 feet above the 14 foot flood stage at East Liverpool. Subsequent rises downstream on the Ohio River were not as pronounced, (5.4 feet above flood stage at Hannibal, Ohio). Nonetheless, damages due to flooding to cities, industry, bridges, and communities,…
- Apr 2, 2024Flood$880,000
National Weather Service narrative
Flooding noted along roads near Kings Creek, North 12th Street, and Greentree Lane. Hancock County declared $881,000 in damage from storms between April 2-6th.
- Apr 11, 2024Flash Flood$394,000
National Weather Service narrative
Hancock County declared $394,000 in damage from storms between April 11th-12th. However, no flash flood storm reports were made during the event.
- Jan 5, 2005Flood, Hancock$300,000
National Weather Service narrative
By 945 PM on 5th, numerous roads were closed by flooding and mud slides after 2.5 inches of rain. Road flooding continued through noon on the 6th. On the Ohio River, New Cumberland was above flood stage (36 ft), from 1130 AM on 6th to 10 PM on 7th; it crested 49.1 2 PM on 7th. On the Ohio River, Wellsville OH was above flood stage (11 ft), from 1 PM on 6th to 6 PM on 7th; it crested 15 ft 2 AM on 7th. On the Ohio River, Steubenville was above flood stage (36 ft), from 7 PM on 6th to 5 PM on 7th; it crested 38.1 ft 5 AM on 7th. 21 homes were damaged. Nine homes suffered major damage; 15 minor.
- Jun 28, 2008Thunderstorm Wind$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
Newspaper reported large trees and power lines down, some blocking roads in and around Weirton.
- Feb 11, 2009High Wind, Hancock$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
A powerful cold front moved across the Ohio Valley on the evening of the 11th as strong low pressure moved north across the Great Lakes. A convective line along the cold front produced widespread damage across eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, and Garrett county Maryland with thunderstorm wind gusts of 60 to 70 MPH and a peak wind gust of 92 MPH at Allegheny County Airport near Pittsburgh. High winds gusting to 60 MPH behind the front in a strong pressure gradient produced wind damage across the entire region into midday on the 12th. In all across eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia and Garrett county Maryland over one half million…
- Sep 14, 2008High Wind, Hancock$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
Low pressure from the remains of Hurricane Ike moved across central Ohio to Lake Erie on the evening of September 14th and produced very strong winds into the early morning of September 15th across eastern Ohio, northern West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania. Widespread damage to trees and power lines was reported across the region with power outages and damage to some structures from falling trees. Power was not restored to some rural areas for one week after the storm. At the peak of the storm more than 2 million homes were without power. For a period of about 8 hours, sustained winds during the storm were from 30 to 50 MPH, with gusts well over 60 MPH. The highest reported…
- Apr 16, 2010Thunderstorm Wind$75,000
National Weather Service narrative
Trained spotters and law enforcement reported trees and power lines down in and around Weirton.
- Jan 30, 2008High Wind, Hancock$50,000
National Weather Service narrative
A large area of low pressure over the Great Lakes pushed a strong cold front across the region during the morning of January 30th. The strong pressure gradient along and behind the front produced wind gusts near 60 MPH in many locations across western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, eastern Ohio, and Garrett county Maryland. This produced numerous reports of trees and power lines down across the region.
- Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.
Weather records
From Steubenville, 3.9 miles from the city centre, with records from 1941.
- All-time high
- 102°FJul 16, 1988
- All-time low
- −22°F3 times, most recently Jan 19, 1994
- Warmest night
- 78°F3 times, most recently Aug 15, 1995
- Coldest day
- −3°FJan 19, 1994
- Wettest day
- 6.81 inJul 7, 1943
- Snowiest day
- 15.0 inFeb 7, 2010
- Hottest year
- 1998mean 54.9°F
- Coldest year
- 1958mean 50.1°F
- Wettest year
- 200460.61 in
- Driest year
- 202526.75 in
- Snowiest season
- 79.7 in1950-51
Median first snow
November 28
Earliest: October 20, 1952
Median last snow
March 24
Latest: May 9, 1966
1 of 44 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Steubenville (USC00338025), 992 ft elevation, 3.9 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1941 to October 28, 2026; 87.1% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.
NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.
Federal disaster declarations
18 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Winter Storm, January 24, 2026.
Declarations for Hancock County.
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3639-WV |
| May 24, 2024 | Flood | DR-4787-WV |
| May 22, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4783-WV |
| Apr 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4517-WV |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3450-WV |
| Apr 17, 2018 | Mud/Landslide | DR-4359-WV |
| Oct 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3358-WV |
| Jun 30, 2012 | Severe Storm | EM-3345-WV |
| Apr 23, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1903-WV |
| Sep 5, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3221-WV |
| Feb 1, 2005 | Severe Storm | DR-1574-WV |
| Sep 20, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1558-WV |
| Mar 14, 2003 | Severe Storm | DR-1455-WV |
| Jan 25, 1996 | Flood | DR-1096-WV |
| Jan 13, 1996 | Snowstorm | DR-1084-WV |
| Mar 17, 1993 | Snowstorm | EM-3109-WV |
| Aug 15, 1980 | Flood | DR-628-WV |
| Jul 3, 1972 | Flood | DR-344-WV |
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).
OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
- Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
- Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
- Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
- Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
- Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USC00338025.
- River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
- Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
- Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.
Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.