Daylight through the yearLongest day (Jun 21): 14 h 45 min6:05 am – 8:50 pmShortest day (Dec 21): 9 h 35 min7:36 am – 5:11 pm
Sun todaySunrise –Sunset –
ClimateWarmest month July: highs 83°F, lows 60°FColdest month January: highs 43°F, lows 23°F49 in of rain a year, on about 97 dayswettest month July20 in of snow a year, on about 9 days5 days above 90°F, 120 nights below freezing in a typical yearSource: NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals, Elkhorn station, 10 mi away; rain from Pineville
Nearby landmarksGrapevine Branch Refuse Bank Lakelake · 2.0 miBelcher Mountainpeak · 5.6 miClarence Stewart Springspring · 6.3 miShawnee Mountainpeak · 7.7 miKeystone Refuse Impoundmentreservoir · 6.8 miRiver Laurel Branchriver · 8.0 miSource: USGS Geographic Names Information System
Parks and public landsTug Fork Wildlife Management Areastate conservation land · 3.5 mi · 6,778 acresAnawalt Lake Wildlife Management Areastate conservation land · 9.8 mi · 1,796 acresBerwind Lake Wildlife Management Areastate conservation land · 12.0 mi · 91 acresHorse Creek Wildlife Management Areastate conservation land · 13.5 miTwin Falls Resort State Parkstate park · 15.7 mi · 3,744 acresR.D. Bailey Recreation Arearecreation area · 15.0 mi · 19,158 acresSource: USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US)
Earthquakes9 of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles since 19704 of magnitude 4+, 0 of magnitude 5+Largest: magnitude 4.3 on 23 Nov 200628 mi away, near Raven, VirginiaMost recent: magnitude 3.2 on 13 Sep 201748 mi awaySource: USGS Earthquake Catalog
Natural hazardsOverall risk Relatively LowMcDowell County, WV, compared with all US countiesHigher-risk hazardsCold wave Relatively HighSource: FEMA National Risk Index (county level)
Air quality88% of days had good air in 2025322 of 365 days measured43 moderate daysMedian index 34, worst day 77main pollutant: fine particles (PM2.5)Source: US EPA Air Quality Index, nearest monitors: Pike County, KY, 46 mi away
Drinking waterMcdowell County PSD Havacoserves 370 people from ground water purchasedNo health-based violations since 2021Source: US EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System, largest system serving the town
Elevation1,334 ft407 m above sea levelSource: USGS 3D Elevation Program
Local servicesHospitalWelch Community Hospital2.4 miPost officeWelch Post Office1.8 miTown hallWelch City Hall1.9 miPoliceWelch Police Department1.9 miFire stationWelch Volunteer Fire Department1.9 miSource: USGS National Structures Dataset
SchoolsWithin 2 mi3 schools1 high, 2 otherSchoolNazarene Christian Academyunder a mileSchoolMcDowell County Career and Technology Center1.3 miHighMount View High School1.8 miSource: USGS National Structures Dataset
Getting aroundAirportRaleigh County Memorial Airport BKW36 miMajor airportPiedmont Triad International Airport GSO128 miInterstateI-7726 miUS highwayUS 52 Alt1.1 miAmtrakHinton, WV HIN42 miCoachBluefield Bus StopGreyhound21 miTransit3 stops within a mileBluefield Area Transit (BAT)Sources: OurAirports; US Census Bureau TIGER roads; Bureau of Transportation Statistics NTAD
Distances in these cards are measured from the centre of the 24841 ZIP area.
