NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit French Creek, WV
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
8 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of French Creek, West Virginia since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Isabel in 2003. Since 1950, 7 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 8
- Tornadoes
- 7
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for French Creek
None of the 8 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed French Creek; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1878, a tropical storm with 58 mph winds when its centre passed 46 miles away. The record near French Creek begins with an unnamed storm in 1878; the most recent system was Isabel in 2003, a tropical storm 59 miles away. Of the 8 systems, one has come since 2000. French Creek has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 54% of the 161 West Virginia cities on this site. The strongest of the 7 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F2 on March 7, 1956; its path came within 21 miles. Of the 7, none had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 2 have come since 2000. The most recent tornado was on June 17, 2015. Of the 161 West Virginia cities, 85% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than French Creek. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 43 times since 1975, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 161 West Virginia cities, 64% have more hail reports within 10 miles than French Creek.
Compare French Creek's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near French Creek
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | IsabelSep 19 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1989 | HugoSep 22 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 14 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | AudreyJun 29 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 19 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormOct 1 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 21 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 13 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in French Creek: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of French Creek
By decade
- 2010s2
- 1980s1
- 1970s2
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 7, 1956 | F2 | 21 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jun 17, 2015 | EF1 | 6 mi | 1.77 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 27, 2014 | EF1 | 18 mi | 1.07 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 5, 1989 | F1 | 15 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 27, 1978 | F1 | 15 mi | 5.7 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 19, 1975 | F1 | 22 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 29, 1957 | F1 | 23 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 7 of 7, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in French Creek
The Storm Prediction Center has 43 hail reports within 10 miles of French Creek since 1975, made on 32 separate days. Of these, 18 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 2 days, most recently May 4, 2025. The most recent report is from May 4, 2025. April has the most reports, 11.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in French Creek
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Rock Cave 2 NE, WV, 2 miles west of French Creek at 1,749 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 80°F and low of 62°F; January is the coolest, at 39°F and 22°F. July is the wettest at 6.1 inches of precipitation on average and September the driest at 3.7 inches; the year adds up to 56.7 inches over 115 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 2 days a year, almost all from July. Lows fall below freezing on about 118 nights a year. Snowfall averages 55.4 inches a year, most of it in January. That 56.7 inches is more than at 71 of the 75 West Virginia stations used on this site (95%). Buckhannon, 10 miles north, has its own station (Buckhannon, WV): 49.2 inches a year, 7.5 less than here, and a July average high of 84°F against 80°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39 | 22 | 4.5 | 11 | 16.9 |
| Feb | 42 | 25 | 4.1 | 10 | 11.3 |
| Mar | 51 | 31 | 4.9 | 11 | 10.3 |
| Apr | 63 | 41 | 4.8 | 10 | 2.0 |
| May | 70 | 50 | 5.8 | 11 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 77 | 59 | 5.1 | 11 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 80 | 62 | 6.1 | 10 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 78 | 61 | 5.1 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 74 | 54 | 3.7 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 63 | 43 | 4.1 | 8 | 0.5 |
| Nov | 53 | 34 | 3.8 | 8 | 2.6 |
| Dec | 44 | 28 | 4.7 | 10 | 11.8 |
| Year | 61 | 42 | 56.7 | 115 | 55.4 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Rock Cave 2 NE, WV (1,749 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near French Creek
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 155 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of French Creek: 122 thunderstorm wind reports, 17 flash floods and 16 floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $621,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 100 mph, on June 18, 2026. June has had the most flash floods, 5 of 17. Of the 161 West Virginia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 53 have had fewer than French Creek.
March 4, 2015: flood 9 miles from the centre of French Creek — $150,000 damage.
NWS: “Small stream overflowed and blocked roads. Headwater rivers such as the Middle Fork along the county border also flooded roads.”
December 6, 2013: flood 6 miles from the centre of French Creek — $100,000 damage.
NWS: “Small streams, feeding into the Buckhannon River overflowed onto roads. French Creek blocked Sago Road.”
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Flood insurance policyholders in French Creek's ZIP code 26218 have filed 12 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1984, and were paid $91,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 25% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 131 West Virginia cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 7 have fewer than French Creek.
Upshur County, which includes French Creek, has been named in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1967, 16 of them major disasters (by incident: 7 severe storms, 6 floods, 3 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides, on August 3, 2026. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Upshur County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for lightning; Relatively Low for hail, inland flooding and strong wind; Very Low for hurricanes, tornadoes and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $11.6 million a year, the 32nd highest of 55 West Virginia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $10.1 million (87%), is from inland flooding.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. 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).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets 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).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near French Creek
- Buckhannon, WV10 mi
- Weston, WV17 mi
- Jane Lew, WV19 mi
- Huttonsville, WV21 mi
- Beverly, WV21 mi
- Belington, WV21 mi
- Lost Creek, WV22 mi
- Elkins, WV24 mi
- Mount Clare, WV24 mi
- Philippi, WV25 mi
- Sutton, WV26 mi
- Webster Springs, WV26 mi
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