Natural hazards · Northfork

Northfork, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Northfork comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 44 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Northfork?

98
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Northfork to be higher than in 98% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding76%Cold waves19%Everything else5%
By hazard

What Northfork faces

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

Inland flooding

76% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

19% 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 Northfork flood?

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

44paid claims since 1978
$262Kpaid to owners
7homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Storm: 2 claims, $5K

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. Northfork 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

18flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Northfork

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NorthforkDeclared for McDowell County only
2025

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

121 households applied for aid $796K aid approved
2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

10 households applied for aid $17K to the Town of Northfork for repairs
2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

37 households applied for aid $30K aid approved
2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

11 households applied for aid $3K aid approved
2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

35 households applied for aid $45K aid approved
2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

23 households applied for aid $43K aid approved
2003

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

13 households applied for aid $15K aid approved
2002

Severe Storms, Flooding and Landslides

$18K to the Town of Northfork 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. Northfork 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 Northfork’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Northfork. 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01