Natural hazards · Terra Alta

Terra Alta, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Terra Alta comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Terra Alta?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Terra Alta to be higher than in 31% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding80%Strong wind6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Terra Alta faces

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

Inland flooding

80% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Terra Alta flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Terra Alta.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Preston County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Terra Alta

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Terra AltaDeclared for Preston County only

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$8K to the Town of Terra Alta for repairs

2012

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

5 households applied for aid $144 aid approved $3K to the Town of Terra Alta for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$2K to the Town of Terra Alta for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

6 households applied for aid $11K aid approved $3K to the Town of Terra Alta for repairs

2003

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

$3K to the Town of Terra Alta for repairs

Preston County has had 20 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. Terra Alta 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 Terra Alta’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Terra Alta. 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.