Natural hazards · Kimball

Kimball, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Kimball comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 41 claims here since 1981. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Kimball?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Kimball to be higher than in 91% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding70%Cold waves24%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Kimball faces

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

Inland flooding

70% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

24% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Kimball flood?

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

41paid claims since 1981

$834Kpaid to owners

6homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

February West Virginia Flooding: 3 claims, $211K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: McDowell County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

21flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Kimball

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into KimballDeclared for McDowell County only

2025

Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

34 households applied for aid $238K aid approved $1.6M to the Town of Kimball for repairs

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

13 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

60 households applied for aid $95K aid approved

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$5K to the Town of Kimball for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

9 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

26 households applied for aid $25K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

16 households applied for aid $33K aid approved

2003

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

15 households applied for aid $15K aid approved

2002

Severe Storms, Flooding and Landslides

$18K to the Town of Kimball for repairs

2001

Severe Storms, Flooding and Landslides

$40K to the Town of Kimball for repairs

McDowell County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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. Kimball is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.

Kimball, WV natural hazards

How exposed is Kimball?

What Kimball faces

Inland flooding

Cold waves

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Kimball flood?

Biggest named events

Homes that flooded again and again

What’s been done with FEMA grants

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

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

Severe Storms, Flooding and Landslides

Severe Storms, Flooding and Landslides

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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