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Wind in Clay County, West Virginia
116 damaging wind events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Thunderstorm Wind, High Wind, Strong Wind.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Clay County, West Virginia, has 116 wind events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 33 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 20 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 77 events against 38 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 10,267 wind events recorded in West Virginia; its 33.9 per 100 square miles compares with 42.7 statewide.
3 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 0 reached hurricane force (74 mph).
Some winter weather and high wind events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county; zone-recorded events whose zone is named for the county are included and marked "Forecast zone" in the table.
Compared with West Virginia
| Measure | Clay County | West Virginia | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 116 | 10,267 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 33.9 | 42.7 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 147.0 | 57.6 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 22 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | April | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
5Feb
5Mar
7Apr
20May
12Jun
19Jul
18Aug
16Sep
1Oct
1Nov
7Dec
5
Magnitude distribution
NWS wind thresholds
- under 58 mph
- below severe threshold
- 58–73 mph
- severe
- 74–95 mph
- hurricane-force
- 96 mph and over
- extreme
Wind speed converted from the knots NCEI records; estimated and measured gusts are combined. Events without a speed are not binned.
Recorded events
All 116 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 May 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2026 | Strong Wind | 46 mph | $500 | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Dec 2025 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Dec 2025 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $4K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Nov 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Dec 2024 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Aug 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jan 2024 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $5K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Aug 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2023 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Jul 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 52 mph | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 52 mph | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 52 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jan 2022 | Strong Wind | 46 mph | $2K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Sep 2021 | Strong Wind | 52 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Aug 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 2020 | Strong Wind | 46 mph | $2K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Nov 2020 | Strong Wind | 46 mph | $5K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Aug 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2020 | Strong Wind | 52 mph | $10K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Jun 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2019 | Strong Wind | 52 mph | $50K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Nov 2017 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $3K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2016 | Strong Wind | 49 mph | $10K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Mar 2016 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $10K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Jul 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 2014 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $2K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jun 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Feb 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Mar 2002 | High Wind | — | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Dec 2001 | High Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Aug 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2001 | High Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Feb 2001 | High Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Feb 2001 | High Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Dec 2000 | High Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Nov 2000 | High Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Aug 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2000 | High Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Jan 2000 | High Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Oct 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1999 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 1991 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 1991 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1980 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Clay County had?
116 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of damaging wind became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded wind event in Clay County?
20 May 2026 (Thunderstorm Wind, 58 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Clay County?
The thunderstorm wind of 29 Jun 2012, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.0M.
How does Clay County compare with West Virginia for wind?
33.9 events per 100 square miles against 42.7 statewide; the county holds 116 of the state's 10,267 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Wind hub and the county page.