Berkeley County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot West Virginia Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in Berkeley County is about the same as West Virginia average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Berkeley County is higher than West Virginia average and is lower than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #25
| Berkeley County | 0.03 |
| West Virginia | 0.06 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
| Berkeley County | 0.0000 |
| West Virginia | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #3
| Berkeley County | 92.99 |
| West Virginia | 34.13 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 13,783 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Berkeley County were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 7 | Cold: | 75 | Dense Fog: | 52 | Drought: | 46 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 2,126 | Hail: | 2,361 | Heat: | 85 | Heavy Snow: | 211 |
| High Surf: | 1 | Hurricane: | 3 | Ice Storm: | 49 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 232 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 7,104 | Tropical Storm: | 10 | Wildfire: | 22 | Winter Storm: | 215 | Winter Weather: | 154 |
| Other: | 1,030 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Berkeley County.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Berkeley County.
No historical earthquake events found in or near Berkeley County.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 19 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Berkeley County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 5.7 | 2004-09-17 | 2 | 39°22'N / 78°02'W | 39°23'N / 78°02'W | 2.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 6 | 25K | 0 | Berkeley |
| Brief Description: A tornado touched down in Darkesville in southern Berkeley County. The F2 tornado produced extensive structural damage to homes and businesses in the area. The storm traveled north and toppled tractor trailers and vehicles on Interstate-81. At least 6 people were injured from the automobile accidents. | |||||||||||
| 13.2 | 1961-07-13 | 2 | 39°19'N / 78°12'W | 0 | 1 | 3K | 0 | Frederick | |||
| 15.5 | 1975-08-04 | 2 | 39°14'N / 78°02'W | 0.80 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Clarke | |
| 17.2 | 1989-11-16 | 2 | 39°15'N / 77°47'W | 39°20'N / 77°48'W | 9.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 3 | 250K | 0 | Jefferson |
| 18.8 | 1996-07-19 | 2 | 39°23'N / 77°42'W | 39°21'N / 77°42'W | 2.00 Miles | 125 Yards | 0 | 0 | 400K | 75K | Washington |
| Brief Description: A moderate tornado (F2) tracked between two mountain ridges in extreme southern Washington Co, knocking down hundreds of trees, including several onto homes which caused substantial damage. At least one barn was completely destroyed in Yarrowsburg. The storm attained maximum strength just south of town (where the trees, including numerous hardwoods, were flattened). The tornado weakened considerably before dissipating along the eastern ridge. Structural and vehicle damage, though not as prevalent as the tree damage, included the following: Portions of roofs from two barns were blown off; minor residential damage, including shattered windows, unhinged shingles, and torn off trim/gutters. Some gravestones were overturned by the winds, and several power lines were knocked down. Several vehicles and vehicle windows were damaged. | |||||||||||
| 20.1 | 2004-09-17 | 2 | 39°10'N / 78°10'W | 39°12'N / 78°09'W | 5.00 Miles | 125 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Frederick |
| Brief Description: An F2 tornado produced a nearly continuous path of damage for 5 miles in eastern Frederick County. It touched down west of Millwood Pike near the Winchester Airport. Three homes suffered roof damage, a detached two car garage was destroyed, a platform deck was blown away, an office trailer was overturned, and numerous trees along the track of the storm were uprooted or topped. | |||||||||||
| 23.4 | 2004-09-17 | 2 | 39°24'N / 77°33'W | 39°24'N / 77°39'W | 3.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 5K | 0 | Frederick |
| Brief Description: An F2 tornado touched down in far northwest Frederick County, on the northwest edge of Catoctin Mountain Park. A thickly forested stand of hardwood trees was snapped off above the bases. | |||||||||||
| 36.2 | 1979-09-05 | 2 | 39°08'N / 77°30'W | 0.50 Mile | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Loudoun | |
| 36.4 | 1979-09-05 | 2 | 39°06'N / 77°32'W | 0.50 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Loudoun | |
| 36.6 | 1978-07-31 | 2 | 39°24'N / 77°21'W | 1.50 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Frederick | |
| 38.4 | 1980-06-03 | 2 | 39°00'N / 77°40'W | 38°59'N / 77°37'W | 2.70 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Loudoun |
| 43.6 | 2004-09-17 | 2 | 38°57'N / 77°27'W | 39°05'N / 77°27'W | 8.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3.0M | 0 | Loudoun |
| Brief Description: A thunderstorm moved into eastern Loudoun County from Fairfax County near the Dulles International Airport. The storm produced a tornado which touched down at Dulles International Airport and passed within one half mile of the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Sterling. This prompted the staff on duty to seek shelter in the office constructed saferoom. As the storm traveled north from the Dulles International Airport, it produced minor tree damage. More extensive damage occurred north of Waxpool Road at the Beaumede Corporate Park. Seven buildings were damaged. A wall collapsed in one of the buildings. A tractor trailer was overturned. The tornado also pushed two cars into the side of a building. The tornado weakened as it traveled north. The last damage in Loudoun County was reported just north of Route 7. | |||||||||||
| 45.3 | 1983-05-22 | 3 | 39°42'N / 77°15'W | 39°42'N / 77°14'W | 1.00 Mile | 37 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Frederick |
| 46.7 | 1983-05-22 | 3 | 39°42'N / 77°14'W | 39°43'N / 77°12'W | 1.00 Mile | 37 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Carroll |
| 48.1 | 1998-06-02 | 4 | 39°40'N / 78°58'W | 39°38'N / 78°50'W | 8.00 Miles | 250 Yards | 0 | 5 | 5.0M | 250K | Allegany |
| Brief Description: The combination of an upper-level disturbance, increasing atmospheric shear, and ample instability set the stage for a major severe weather episode across the north half of Maryland during the late afternoon and evening. The episode was highlighted by supercell thunderstorms which produced three tornadoes, numerous instances of large hail, and several downbursts. The most substantial event was a strong-to-violent tornado which caused excessive damage in western Allegany Co. The multi-vortex twister had estimated wind speeds of 210 mph - the highest in recorded Maryland history - when it ravaged a neighborhood of well-constructed single-family homes along a local plateau just north of Frostburg. The tornado was on the ground for an amazing 33 miles, beginning in Somerset Co, Pennsylvania before crossing northeastern Garrett Co Maryland on its way to Allegany Co. The parent supercell tracked over 200 miles. After descending Big Savage Mountain, the twister produced a swath of destruction across a neighborhood just west of Frostburg. At least eight homes were destroyed and dozens others were damaged. Several cars were damaged, and some were totalled. One two-story home was obliterated. Left in the wake was the foundation and some remnant plywood. The residents of the home - a woman and two children - received ample warning and rode out the storm to safety in the basement. Advance warning likely saved several lives and reduced casualties; in all, only 5 area residents sustained minor injuries. The tornado continued through Eckhart Mines and Clarysville, causing further damage and destruction to homes and other property. It then continued through undeveloped areas, then passed across Dans Mountain before damaging a few more residences along state route 53 just north of Cresaptown. The twister lifted at that point, but the parent thunderstorm continued producing damage into eastern West Virginia. In all, emergency management officials reported 29 homes destroyed and 125 damaged, with nearly half of the surviving homes receiving moderate to major levels of damage. Initial dollar estimates ranged from $4.5 to $5 million. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of trees in forested and developed areas were snapped or uprooted. The supercell was so powerful that Frostburg area residents' papers, including personal checks and one high school diploma - were found over 50 miles downstream in the northern Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia. The "Frostburg Tornado" was not the only twister to affect the county. The area had been on high alert since early evening - tornado warnings had been issued two other times, and funnel clouds were observed by several witnesses prior to sunset. One of the funnels touched down not too far from where the Frostburg Tornado entered the county - along the west side of Big Savage Mountain nearly 2 hours earlier. The funnel lifted while over Frostburg and nearby communities, and continued through Cumberland before touching down again on Irons Mountain 2-3 miles southeast of the city. In each instance, damage was limited to forested areas along the ridges. Tornadoes were just a portion of the severe weather to affect northern Maryland. The other major player was hail, with dozens of occurrences associated with each mini-supercell. The strongest cells produced hailstones ranging from 1.75" to 2.50" in diameter; the strong updrafts in each storm combined with steep atmospheric lapse rates to produce not only large hail but long-duration hail as well. Some areas experienced up to 20 minutes of hail, and many residents noted hail which covered the ground. Reported damage included some stripped siding, varying sized dings and dents, as well as shattered glass, in numerous vehicles; stripped paint from homes and vehicles, small limb and leaf debris, and likely crop damage or destruction. The main hail-producing storm affected portions of northern Montgomery, Howard, southern Carroll, southern Baltimore, and northern Prince George's and Anne Arundel Cos - all between 1800 and 1945EST. The episode concluded in Maryland with a few wind damage reports on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay just before midnight. Winds blew out the door to the Annapolis (Anne Arundel Co) city fire department station, and knocked several large trees down in Eastport at approximately the same time. | |||||||||||
| 48.4 | 1969-07-05 | 2 | 39°40'N / 78°54'W | 0.50 Mile | 200 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Allegany | |
| 49.1 | 2004-09-17 | 2 | 38°42'N / 77°45'W | 38°52'N / 77°44'W | 13.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 750K | 0 | Fauquier |
| Brief Description: An F2 tornado produced widespread structural damage to two subdivisions in northern Fauquier County. Some small items were turned into projectiles by this tornado and landed in trees and the sides of homes and some vehicles. There was substantial tree damage. Numerous large, healthy trees were uprooted and snapped. This is the third tornado of this event in Fauquier. | |||||||||||
| 49.1 | 1993-09-27 | 2 | 38°47'N / 77°42'W | 38°49'N / 77°40'W | 3.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 2 | 500K | 0 | Fauquier And Prince William |
| Brief Description: Thunderstorms moved through norther Virginia downing trees near Tanners and Madison in Madison County and across northern Culpeper County. A tornado touched down near New Baltimore, or about 2.5 miles east of Warrenton in Faquier County, and moved east into Prince William County to about 2 miles southwest of Manassas. The tornado ripped a barn roof off and blew a large business sign down as well as downing trees and power lines. There was significant structural damage to one home in the Nokesville area. Two people sustained minor injuries from flying debris. | |||||||||||
| 49.2 | 1961-04-16 | 3 | 40°03'N / 77°31'W | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Cumberland | |||
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.