Natural hazards · Charles

Charles, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Charles comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1985. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Charles?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Charles to be higher than in 22% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding63%Earthquakes10%Tornadoes7%Strong wind6%Hurricanes5%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Charles faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

63% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Charles flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Charles, from FEMA’s records.

3paid claims since 1985

$31Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19852026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Fran: 1 claim, $27K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Charles isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Jefferson County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Charles

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Charles itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Charles.

Brought FEMA money into CharlesDeclared for Jefferson County only

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$31K to the City of Charles for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$36K to the City of Charles for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$15K to the City of Charles for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and

1 household applied for aid

2003

Hurricane Isabel

$12K to the City of Charles for repairs

2003

Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snow, Heavy Rains, Flooding and Landslides

$13K to the City of Charles for repairs

Jefferson County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe storms.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Charles covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Charles’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Charles. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Charles total about $3.6M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.