Wise County, VA Environment & Hazard Risk

• LandslideRelatively Moderate$38K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.3 events a year
• WildfireRelatively Low$525K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 87 years
• Cold waveRelatively Moderate$2.2M/yr expected annual loss, about 2.2 events a year
• AvalancheRelatively Low$3,198/yr expected annual loss, about once every 100 years
• Winter weatherRelatively Moderate$88.6K/yr expected annual loss, about 15 events a year
• EarthquakeVery Low$329K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 602 years
• Strong windRelatively Moderate$505K/yr expected annual loss, about 3.9 events a year
• HurricaneVery Low$51.7K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 61 years
• DroughtVery Low$21.8K/yr expected annual loss, about 8.0 events a year
• TornadoVery Low$216K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 16 years
• LightningVery Low$54.1K/yr expected annual loss, about 51 events a year
• HailVery Low$55.2K/yr expected annual loss, about 3.0 events a year
• Ice stormVery Low$5,477/yr expected annual loss, about once every 7 years

Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: coastal flooding, heat wave, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.

Check the flood zone for an address

Homes with flood insurance

154 of 14,296 (1.1%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

1,115

Insured in high-risk zones

136 (12%)

Flood claims since 1978

348

Claims paid since 1978

$2.7M

• Thunderstorm Wind139
• Heavy Snow103
• Flash Flood34 · 1 death
• Hail31
• Winter Storm25
• Flood14
• Winter Weather6
• High Wind6
• Ice Storm6
• Funnel Cloud2

• Flash Flood03/18/2002

  Countywide, Wise County

  1 death

  What happened

  Widespread flooding occurred across most of extreme Southwest Virginia. Rainfall totals between five and eight inches were reported in 36 hours. Total damage estimates were over 5 million dollars.

• TornadoEF1, 1 mi path, 300 yd wide03/05/2008

  Big Stone Gap, Wise County

  2 injured, $1.8M damage

  What happened

  Tornado struck Big Stone Gap destroying six homes and producing major damage to fifteen homes and minor damage to twenty five homes. Two minor injuries were reported. Also, numerous large diameter trees were reported down.

• Flash Flood02/16/2003

  Countywide, Wise County

  $800K damage

  What happened

  Numerous roads reported closed due to high water with numerous homes filled with water. Also, residents near Big Cherry Dam forced to evacuate due to water flowing over the spillway.

• Flood02/14/2003

  Wise

  $800K damage

  What happened

  Four day rainfall totals of two to six inches were reported across southwest Virginia, with the highest amounts occurring in Wise and Lee counties. This rainfall combined with melting snowpack (reports of up to a foot in the higher elevations) to produce widespread flooding of rivers and streams, with evacuations ordered below Big Cherry Dam in Wise county due to water flowing over the spillway. The Clinch and Powell rivers measured significant rises due to the extended rainfall duration and snowmelt in the higher elevations.

• Heavy Snow12/19/2009

  Wise

  $406K damage

  What happened

  Law enforcement personnel reported 10 to 15 inches of snow fell across the county.

• Flood02/06/2020

  Big Stone Gap, Wise County

  $196K damage

• Wise County Regional Water SystemServes 11,500 · Surface water · Local government1 health violation
• Big Stone Gap, Town ofServes 9,372 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Wise, Town ofServes 6,375 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Coeburn, Town ofServes 4,630 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Appalachia, Town ofServes 2,745 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Wcpsa-PoundServes 2,501 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• St Paul, Town ofServes 1,010 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+7 monitoring or reporting
• Bold CampServes 943 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations