Lightning in West Virginia

Events

96

Deaths

3

Injuries

42

Damage

$5.8 million

• Hail and Damaging Winds in West Virginia, June 29, 20123 deaths · $54 million · 1 in hail · 68 eventsOn the second day of a developing heat wave, under a sunny sky, afternoon temperatures reached record levels. The lowlands saw thermometers reach into the upper 90s and above 100 degrees. For example, both Huntington and Charleston had 103 degrees.
• Flash Flood and Hail in West Virginia, August 17 to 18, 19971 death · $462,000 · 0.75 in hail · 29 eventsSeveral different lines or clusters of thunderstorms moved across the region during this Sunday afternoon. Most damage was isolated and relatively minor. The exception was in and around the mid Ohio Valley town of Parkersburg, on east, along the Route 50 corridor.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in West Virginia, June 1, 20151 death · 2 injured · $22,000 · 1 in hail · 5 eventsThunderstorms formed during the afternoon along a front and strong temperature contrast across southern West Virginia. A few had downpours with local rain of 1 to 1.5 inches in an hour. After a dry month of May most areas needed the rain.
• Flash Flood and Hail in West Virginia, July 27, 20051 death · $23,000 · 1 in hail · 14 eventsTrees were blown down along Route 2.
• Lightning Strike in West Virginia, August 17, 19971 death · $35,000 · 1 eventA lightning strike ignited a house fire in a Summit Park one floor house, killing the 81 year od woman sleeping inside. The bolt travelled into the home on an electric wire serving an outdoor light fixture.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in West Virginia, May 25, 2019$1.0 million · 1 in hail · 12 eventsOn the northern periphery of an upper level ridge, a subtle short wave kicked off showers and thunderstorms on the 25th. The storms produced minor flash flooding, along with wind damage and some hail.
• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in West Virginia, July 5, 20121 injured · $354,000 · 51 kt wind · 21 eventsThunderstorms over eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania weakened during the morning hours of the 5th. However, a strong outflow boundary from this convection pushed south.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in West Virginia, June 10 to 13, 20141 injured · $286,000 · 1.25 in hail · 25 eventsAhead of a slow moving mid level trough in the Missouri, warm and humid air returned to northeast Kentucky on the 10th. Sunshine helped temperatures reach into the mid 80s during the afternoon.
• Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in West Virginia, July 9, 2023$1.0 million · 5 eventsOn July 9th, a weak disturbance, followed by a cold front, resulted in rounds of showers and thunderstorms throughout the day. One early morning storm produced a lightning strike that caused an apartment fire in Putnam County. The majority of the three story building was gutted.
• Hail and Lightning Strike in West Virginia, April 5, 20101 injured · $250,000 · 1.75 in hail · 12 eventsA few showers and thunderstorms developed during the morning hours, well ahead of a surface warm front in Kentucky and southwest Virginia.
• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in West Virginia, August 26, 2006$542,000 · 50 kt wind · 3 eventsA front was located along the Mason/Dixon line early on August 26. Later in the day, this front sagged south and interacted with a very warm and moist airmass to generate scattered thunderstorms.
• Flash Flood and Lightning Strike in West Virginia, June 1, 20066 injured · $50,000 · 2 eventsLightning struck the Belington Wellness Center, sending an electrical charge inside the building. Six people were shocked, while inside, using the hot tub. The victims were treated and released.
• Lightning Strike in West Virginia, May 24, 1998$500,000 · 1 eventA lightning strike during the early morning hours on the 24th started a fire which severely damaged a church in Montcalm.
• Lightning Strike in West Virginia, July 14, 2014$500,000 · 1 eventOn a hot and humid 14th, thunderstorms moved into the northern half of West Virginia during the afternoon, but did not reach southern counties until the overnight hours. Downpours were common.
• Flash Flood and Hail in West Virginia, July 27, 19972 injured · $128,000 · 57 kt wind · 12 eventsA 45 to 50 mph wind gust lifted a 10 foot scaffold stand at a motor speedway. Some of the debris slightly injured two nearby spectators.
• Flash Flooding and Lightning Strike in West Virginia, August 10, 2009$340,000 · 3 eventsSeveral lines of showers and thunderstorms formed in Ohio and West Virginia. Surface dew points were in the low and mid 70s. The less organized clusters, that were in West Virginia, began to train along a portion of the Interstate 64 corridor during the evening.
• Lightning Strike in West Virginia, March 13, 20038 injured · $16,000 · 1 eventLightning entered the second floor of the Mount Hope Middle School. Luckily, it was after most students had already gone home for the day. However, there were 30 to 40 students in the building for after school programs. Eight children were slightly injured.
• Damaging Wind and Lightning Strike in West Virginia, June 1, 2006$305,000 · 50 kt wind · 2 eventsA trough of low pressure was draped across the Mid Atlantic on June 1. This feature combined with high moisture content and instability in the atmosphere to promote scattered strong to severe thunderstorms.
• Lightning Strike in West Virginia, August 11, 20019 injured · 1 eventResidents were sitting outside on benches near Broadway and Seventh Streets. Apparently, it was not raining, when a lightning bolt struck. One of the 9 people was seriously injured.
• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in West Virginia, July 28, 1997$130,000 · 19 eventsSeveral trees fell down on Route 18. Some of the trees trunks were 12 to 14 inches in diameter.
• Lightning Strike in West Virginia, August 17, 1997$300,000 · 1 eventLightning struck a Masontown business and started a fire, severely damaging the building and its contents.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in West Virginia, May 17, 2001$116,000 · 0.75 in hail · 20 eventsJust west of a strong frontal boundary, a large thunderstorm complex dropped southeast during the late afternoon and early evening. The strong gusty winds associated with the storms, caused trees to fall on electric lines.
• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in West Virginia, July 1, 2001$169,000 · 6 eventsThunderstorm winds downed a few trees.
• Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in West Virginia, July 24, 20111 injured · $123,000 · 4 eventsPredawn thunderstorms formed over Harrison and Lewis Counties and moved through Barbour and Randolph Counties. The heaviest rains were near the border areas of Barbour, Randolph and Tucker Counties.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in West Virginia, May 27 to 29, 2014$147,000 · 1 in hail · 6 eventsThunderstorms formed during the afternoon in a warm and moist environment on the 27th. Brief downpours and lightning were the main result, but some large hail did occur.

Lightning everywhereEvery kind of event in West Virginia

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24.