Summers County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Summers County: 0.
2. 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.

Every storm within 100 miles

1. 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.

Smoke overhead

1. 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.

Claims by ZIP code

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

1. 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.

1. 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.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

1. 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 county boundary (or inside the county).
2. 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

Mapped by WV GS (2,365), NASA (1).

1. 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.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Jun 23, 2016Flash Flood$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Flash flooding was less severe in Summers County than in neighboring Greenbrier as rainfall was considerably less, ranging generally from 2 to 4 inches over the northeastern sections of the county. Still, initial surveys by emergency management show 190 homes (permanent) and 150 camps/rv's/trailers (seasonal) structures damaged or destroyed. The Greenbrier River which runs through the central part of the county, flooded into the Major category along its entire reach (see Episode for details) causing significant floodplain damage. The City of Hinton had street damage of up to $5,000 and County of Summers, Camp Summer had flood water up to 4 feet deep in most buildings, some damage…

2. May 16, 2010Flash Flood$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Very heavy rains fell along the Meadow Creek basin between Meadow Creek and Sandstone. A local unofficial rainfall measurement was 5.25 inches in one hour. The heavy rain caused Meadow Creek to leave its banks and flow across Route 7. The downpour also caused mud and rock slides to take place along Route 7. Entire trees were washed down Meadow Creek, several homes had water damage, and many driveways and roads were closed. Damage values are estimated.

3. Jul 8, 2001Flash Flood$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Thunderstorms during the morning of the 8th produced damaging winds and flash flooding.Persistent heavy rain from thunderstorms produced major flash flooding across the south portion of Mercer County from the morning of the 8th through the early morning of the 9th. Numerous evacuations were required with damage to homes and businesses. Numerous roads were closed with many washed out by the flooding and mudslides. In the south half of Summers County, heavy rains caused rockslides, and numerous small rivers and streams to flood. Numerous roads were closed and several washed out.Thunderstorm winds downed power lines along Route 12, two miles northeast of Alderson.

4. Nov 19, 2003Flash Flood$250,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Moderate to heavy rainfall late on the 18th and on the 19th resulted in widespread significant flash flooding and small stream flooding.In Mercer County, there was significant flooding across the county, as many creeks and smaller rivers flooded. Numerous homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed.In Greenbrier County, significant flash flooding occurred along many streams and creeks throughout the county. The flooding damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes.In Monroe County, significant flash flooding occurred along several creeks....resulting in damage to homes and businesses. Brush Creek flooded and caused evacuations in a trailer park in the Peterstown area. Indian Creek…

5. Jun 29, 2012Thunderstorm Wind$225,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Thunderstorm winds down numerous trees across the county. Most county roads had trees blown down across them. A church in Hinton had its roof peeled off. At least six vehicles were damaged by fallen trees. Damage values are estimated.

6. Feb 6, 1998Heavy Snow, Summers$200,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Heavy snow developed during the morning hours on the 6th and continued into the afternoon hours. Snowfall amounts were mainly from 3 to 6 inches in Mercer, Monroe, and Summers Counties and from 6 to 10 inches in Greenbrier County. The weight of the snow from this storm broke of tree limbs that resulted in some power outages, especially in Greenbrier County. The weight of the snow combined with recent rains and the weight of snow from the record breaking snow storm at the end of January collapsed roofs of two churches and toppled steeples at two other churches. In addition, roofs of several out buildings, homes, barns, and businesses collapsed under the weight of the snow. Numerous…

7. May 29, 2019Thunderstorm Wind$125,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Thunderstorm winds blew down numerous large trees in Hinton and Bellepoint. The trees crushed a few outbuildings and damaged some garages. In addition, the winds blew down a light pole, damaged a chain link fence, and destroyed bleachers at a little league baseball field in Bellepoint Park.

8. Jun 21, 2016Flash Flood$125,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Flood waters from Brooks Creek crossed Route 20 and heavily damaged a number of cars and homes. Water also entered the Summers County High School requiring EMS crews to retrieve several students but damage was minimal. A private bridge across the stream was destroyed which was the primary access to Bass Lake Trailer Park. Severe damage was done to a store and a section of the roadway. A few houses along the creek were flooded and the house nearest Route 20 was destroyed. The CSX Railroad tracks were also partially damaged as the water flowed over them.

9. Aug 7, 2023Thunderstorm Wind$125,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   The first sign of wind damage from this storm were multiple trees blown down just east of the Jumping Branch areas along Highway 3. Additionally, along Highway 3 just southwest of Hinton, numerous hardwood trees were snapped or uprooted by the force of the wind, estimated to be up to 100 mph. One home sustained damage to both the roof and the siding in this area. Additional damage was observed along Highway 20 just to the north, where dozens of trees were blown down by estimated 105 mph wind gusts. The storm continued east, snapping or uprooting numerous trees and downing power poles from the community of Bellpoint eastbound along Highway 3 following the Greenbrier River with 100…

10. Jan 19, 1996Flood, Summers$100,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A strong storm system on the 19th produced high winds, damaging thunderstorm winds and heavy rainfall. Snow melt in combination with the heavy rain resulted in flash flooding and then river flooding on most rivers. Record flooding occurred on portions of the Greenbrier River. Heavy rainfall and significant snow melt resulted in flash flooding which heavily damaged the public facilities at the Blue Bend Recreation Area near White Sulphur Springs, damaged several mobile homes near Rupert, washed out route 92 in three locations in Greenbrier County and flooded and damaged roads and a few bridges in Mercer County. Damage was estimated at $280,000 in Monroe County and $400,000 in…

1. 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.

All-time high

100°F4 times, most recently Aug 18, 1988

All-time low

−18°FJan 21, 1985

Warmest night

77°FJul 29, 1993

Coldest day

3°F2 times, most recently Jan 21, 1985

Wettest day

4.92 inJun 28, 1995

Snowiest day

14.3 inJan 7, 1996

Hottest year

1991mean 56.4°F

Coldest year

1972mean 50.9°F

Wettest year

200352.01 in

Driest year

198824.58 in

Snowiest season

72.0 in1959-60

Station Pearisburg 4 Sse (USC00448022), 1,678 ft elevation, 28.1 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1970 to October 23, 2026; 97.3% 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.

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.

Neighbouring counties

• 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 USC00448022.
• 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.