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Natural hazards · Wheeling

Wheeling, WV natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wheeling comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2,656 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Wheeling?

93
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wheeling to be higher than in 93% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding95%Everything else5%
By hazard

What Wheeling faces

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

Inland flooding

95% 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 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 Wheeling flood?

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

2,656paid claims since 1978
$31.1Mpaid to owners
519homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Tropical Storm Ivan: 900 claims, $16.0M
  • Not a named storm: 17 claims, $10K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 9 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (15) ■ flooded 2+ times

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

What’s been done with FEMA grants

16flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
3homes raised above flood level
Disasters that hit Wheeling

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WheelingDeclared for Ohio County only
2025

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

164 households applied for aid $1.2M aid approved $695K to the City of Wheeling for repairs
2024

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

64 households applied for aid $193K aid approved $5.9M to the City of Wheeling for repairs
2024

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

275 households applied for aid $1.0M aid approved $2.6M to the City of Wheeling for repairs
2018

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$21K to the City of Wheeling for repairs
2017

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

1 household applied for aid $1K aid approved $142K to the City of Wheeling for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$2K to the City of Wheeling for repairs
2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

$204K to the City of Wheeling for repairs
2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

2,450 households applied for aid $5.9M aid approved $874K to the City of Wheeling for repairs
2003

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

$24K to the City of Wheeling for repairs
Ohio County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Wheeling

Wheeling and the towns around it

Pease: Very high, mostly inland floodingMartins Ferry: Very high, mostly inland floodingBethlehem: Low, mostly inland floodingClearview: High, mostly inland floodingBellaire: Very high, mostly inland floodingPultney: High, mostly inland floodingBridgeport: Very high, mostly inland floodingTriadelphia: High, mostly inland floodingYorkville: Very high, mostly inland floodingBenwood: Very high, mostly inland floodingColerain: Very high, mostly inland floodingWarren: Very high, mostly inland floodingNeffs: High, mostly inland floodingMount Pleasant: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRichland: Very low, mostly inland floodingMcMechen: Very high, mostly inland floodingMead: High, mostly inland floodingBrookside: Very high, mostly inland floodingTiltonsville: Very high, mostly inland floodingWheeling: Very high, mostly inland flooding WheelingPeaseMartins FerryBethlehemClearviewBellairePultneyBridgeportTriadelphiaYorkvilleBenwood
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Benwoodmostly inland floodingVery high
Martins Ferrymostly inland floodingVery high
Wheelingmostly inland floodingVery high
Peasemostly inland floodingVery high
Bridgeportmostly inland floodingVery high
Yorkvillemostly inland floodingVery high
Bellairemostly inland floodingVery high
Pultneymostly inland floodingHigh
Clearviewmostly inland floodingHigh
Triadelphiamostly inland floodingHigh
Bethlehemmostly inland floodingLow
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. Wheeling covers 13 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wheeling’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Wheeling. 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 Wheeling total about $24.3M 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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