Natural hazards · Wellsburg

Wellsburg, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wellsburg comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 344 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Wellsburg?

95
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wellsburg to be higher than in 95% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding97%Everything else4%
By hazard

What Wellsburg faces

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

Inland flooding

97% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Wellsburg flood?

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

344paid claims since 1978
$4.3Mpaid to owners
56homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Tropical Storm Ivan: 152 claims, $2.7M
  • Not a named storm: 2 claims, $10K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Wellsburg isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Brooke County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

15flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Wellsburg

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WellsburgDeclared for Brooke County only
2024

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$63K to the City of Wellsburg for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$26K to the City of Wellsburg for repairs
2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

$3K to the City of Wellsburg for repairs
2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

465 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $125K to the City of Wellsburg for repairs
2003

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

$6K to the City of Wellsburg for repairs
Brooke County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.
Around Wellsburg

Wellsburg and the towns around it

Wells: Very high, mostly inland floodingSteubenville: High, mostly inland floodingWarren: Very high, mostly inland floodingCross Creek: Very low, mostly inland floodingSmithfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNew Alexandria: Very high, mostly inland floodingBeech Bottom: Very high, mostly inland floodingSteubenville: Very low, mostly inland floodingMingo Junction: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFollansbee: High, mostly inland floodingWellsburg: Very high, mostly inland flooding WellsburgWellsSteubenville
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Wellsburgmostly inland floodingVery high
Wellsmostly inland floodingVery high
Steubenvillemostly inland floodingHigh
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. Wellsburg covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wellsburg’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Wellsburg. 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 Wellsburg total about $3.0M 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.

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