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Morgantown, WV Tornado History — 39 Tornadoes Since 1950

West Virginia · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Morgantown, WV had?

Morgantown has had 39 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 1 strong to violent (EF3+) tornado.

When was the most recent tornado near Morgantown?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Morgantown was an EF1 on March 16, 2025.

When is tornado season in Morgantown?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Morgantown, with 14 on record. April through June account for 20 of the 39 tornadoes on record near Morgantown.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
39
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
1
2.6% of total
Peak Month
June
14 on record
Per Year Avg
0.5
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Morgantown

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 16 total, averaging 0.8 per year over this window.

2026 0+2 prelim
2025 1
2024 4
2023 0
2022 0
2021 1
2020 0
2019 0
2018 2
2017 3
2016 1
2015 0
2014 2
2013 0
2012 0
2011 0
2010 0
2009 0
2008 2
2007 0

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Morgantown since December 29, 2025

These are 2 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.

Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.

Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.

Preliminary June 22, 2026
2 ENE Fairmont, Marion County, WV
KD8FDD reports tornado on ground on Speedway Avenue. Nearby house suffered damage from falling trees. Time and location estimated from radar. (PBZ)
Preliminary May 13, 2026
3 E Reedsville, Preston County, WV
At 4:31pm on May... 13th... a strong thunderstorm moved across Preston County and produced one tornado... as confirmed by video footage along Wagner Lane. There was con (PBZ)

Within 25 miles of Morgantown. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 1
1960s 7
1970s 3
1980s 7
1990s 5
2000s 2
2010s 8
2020s 6

Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating

F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.

EF0 12
EF1 19
EF2 7
EF3 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 1
Mar 1
Apr 1
May 5
Jun 14
Jul 9
Aug 4
Sep 2
Oct 1
Nov 0
Dec 1

Casualties on Record Near Morgantown

1 fatality has been recorded within 25 miles of Morgantown since 1950, across 1 event. 32 injuries have been reported across all events. 1982 was the deadliest year on record near Morgantown.

The deadliest single event was an F1 on June 16, 1982, which caused 1 fatality along a 2.5-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Morgantown

Deadliest Tornado
F1 on June 16, 1982 — 1 fatality, 2.5 mi path, 17 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F2 on October 1, 1986 — est. ~$2.8M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
EF1 on February 15, 2018 — 440 yards wide.
Longest Path
F3 on June 3, 1980 — 29.8 mile track.
Most Recent
EF1 on March 16, 2025.

What the record shows near Morgantown

The 2010s were the busiest decade near Morgantown, with 8 of the 39 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 6 so far. The Morgantown record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Morgantown, 31 reached EF0 or EF1 and 8 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Morgantown is rated EF3, of which 1 is logged.

Across the last 20 years Morgantown has averaged 0.8 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 16 in total. 2024 was the busiest of them with 4, and 12 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Morgantown, WV had?
Since 1950, 39 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Morgantown. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Morgantown?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Morgantown was an F1 on June 16, 1982, which caused 1 fatality.
When is tornado season in Morgantown?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Morgantown, with 14 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
When was the most recent tornado near Morgantown?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Morgantown was an EF1 on March 16, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Morgantown?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

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