NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Terra Alta, 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
10 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Terra Alta, West Virginia since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Sandy in 2012. Since 1950, 26 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 10
- Tornadoes
- 26
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
2 deaths in all
What the records show for Terra Alta
None of the 10 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Terra Alta; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1896, a tropical storm with 69 mph winds when its centre passed 55 miles away. The record near Terra Alta begins with an unnamed storm in 1878; the most recent system was Sandy in 2012, a tropical storm 74 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1970s, with 2 systems. Of the 10 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Terra Alta has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 80% of the 161 West Virginia cities on this site. The highest rating among the 26 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on June 3, 1980, came within 3 miles. The deadliest, an F1 on June 16, 1982, killed 1 person. Of the 26, 2 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 10 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 10. The most recent tornado was on May 11, 2024. Terra Alta has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 63% of the 161 West Virginia cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 45 times since 1983, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). Of the 161 West Virginia cities, 60% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Terra Alta.
Compare Terra Alta's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Terra Alta
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | SandyOct 30 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2003 | IsabelSep 19 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 14 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 6 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1957 | AudreyJun 29 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 19 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormOct 1 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 30 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 21 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 13 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Terra Alta: 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 Terra Alta
By decade
- 2020s4
- 2010s4
- 2000s2
- 1990s2
- 1980s6(1 EF3+)
- 1970s4
- 1960s3(1 EF3+)
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 19, 1967 | F3 | 13 mi | 0.3 mi | 1 / 0 |
| Jun 3, 1980 | F3 | 3 mi | 29.8 mi | 0 / 19 |
| Jun 2, 1998 | F2 | 13 mi | 12 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 20, 1977 | F2 | in town | 8.5 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Jul 13, 1971 | F2 | 15 mi | 16 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Jun 16, 1982 | F1 | 23 mi | 2.5 mi | 1 / 0 |
| May 11, 2024 | EF1 | 18 mi | 3.11 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 11, 2024 | EF1 | 18 mi | 3.05 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 11, 2024 | EF1 | 18 mi | 1.24 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 23, 2017 | EF1 | 21 mi | 0.13 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 8, 2014 | EF1 | 23 mi | 4.41 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 19, 1996 | F1 | 11 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 26, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Terra Alta
The Storm Prediction Center has 45 hail reports within 10 miles of Terra Alta since 1983, made on 27 separate days. Of these, 27 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.5 inches (tennis ball size), fell on August 7, 2023. The most recent report is from May 4, 2025. May has the most reports, 11.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Terra Alta
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Terra Alta #1, WV, in Terra Alta at 2,630 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 77°F and low of 58°F; January is the coolest, at 34°F and 18°F. July is the wettest at 5.8 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 3.8 inches; the year adds up to 57.1 inches over 120 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 49% of the year's precipitation (28.1 of 57.1 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 10 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (5); a normal September there has highs of 70°F and 4.1 inches of precipitation. Highs of 90°F are rare: fewer than one day a year on average. Lows fall below freezing on about 127 nights a year. Snowfall averages 171.1 inches a year, most of it in January. That 57.1 inches is more than at 72 of the 75 West Virginia stations used on this site (96%). Oakland, MD, 9 miles east, has its own station (Oakland 1 SE, MD): 50.7 inches a year, 6.4 less than here, and a July average high of 81°F against 77°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34 | 18 | 4.7 | 12 | 44.1 |
| Feb | 38 | 20 | 4.3 | 11 | 36.3 |
| Mar | 46 | 26 | 5.0 | 11 | 28.2 |
| Apr | 59 | 37 | 5.0 | 11 | 12.1 |
| May | 67 | 46 | 5.4 | 11 | 0.1 |
| Jun | 73 | 54 | 5.6 | 10 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 77 | 58 | 5.8 | 10 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 76 | 57 | 4.9 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 70 | 51 | 4.1 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 60 | 40 | 3.8 | 8 | 3.7 |
| Nov | 49 | 30 | 3.9 | 9 | 15.7 |
| Dec | 39 | 23 | 4.6 | 11 | 30.9 |
| Year | 57 | 38 | 57.1 | 120 | 171.1 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Terra Alta #1, WV (2,630 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 Terra Alta
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 165 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Terra Alta: 138 thunderstorm wind reports, 12 flash floods, 12 floods and 3 heavy rain events. They killed 0 people and injured 2, and the NWS estimated $1.2 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 72 mph, on July 8, 2014. June has had the most flash floods, 5 of 12. Of the 161 West Virginia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 27 have had fewer than Terra Alta.
July 8, 2014: thunderstorm wind 6 miles from the centre of Terra Alta — 1 injured, $25,000 damage.
July 8, 2014: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Terra Alta — 1 injured, $25,000 damage.
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
Preston County, which includes Terra Alta, has been named in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 18 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 severe storms, 6 floods, 3 hurricanes, 3 snowstorms). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides, on May 22, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Preston County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding, strong wind and lightning; Very Low for hurricanes and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $9.1 million a year, the 37th highest of 55 West Virginia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $7.5 million (82%), 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 Terra Alta
- Albright, WV8 mi
- Kingwood, WV8 mi
- Oakland, MD9 mi
- Tunnelton, WV13 mi
- Bruceton Mills, WV14 mi
- Reedsville, WV14 mi
- Masontown, WV15 mi
- Friendsville, MD16 mi
- Accident, MD17 mi
- Swanton, MD18 mi
- Parsons, WV23 mi
- Farmington, PA24 mi
All West Virginia cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Terra Alta with another place →