Alert archive / West Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1986

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 53, NWS Charleston, WV

July 20, 1986Mingo County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 20, 1986, 11:11 PM EDT for Mingo County, West Virginia. It was in force for 29 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: Jul 20, 1986, 11:11 PM EDT (03:11 UTC)
Expired: Jul 20, 1986, 11:40 PM EDT
In force: 29 min
Issued by: NWS Charleston, WV
Area: Whole counties

County Mingo County, WV

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Huntington/Tri S, WV (KHTS), launched 00:00Z, 3.2 hours before the alert went out and 78 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.

Mixed-layer CAPE: 1388 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -66 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1132 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 57 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -5 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KBKW 210312
SVRBKW
WVC059-210340-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
1111 PM EDT SUN JUL 20 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1140 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING
COUNTY OF

WEST VIRGINIA...MINGO

AT 1110 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR
WILLIAMSON IN MINGO COUNTY. THIS STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT
30 MPH.

 SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND/OR DAMAGING WINDS..
HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

 IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES..SEEK REINFORCED SHELTER
IMMEDIATELY. IF POSSIBLE..ASK THE NEARBY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
TO RELAY YOUR SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN BECKLEY WV.

 END/ BRAMBLE

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 8:40 PM EDT, 2 hours 31 minutes before

^CRWSPSHTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTINGTON WV
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
840 PM EDT SUN JUL 20 1986

...THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE TRI STATE...

THE SEVERE WEATHER STORMS CENTER HAS QCANCELLED THE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH
FOR WEST AND CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN AND SOUTHEAST
WEST VIRGINIA UNTIL MIDNIGHT.
HANEY

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 8:51 PM EDT, 2 hours 20 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
850 PM EDT SUN JUL 20 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH /NUMBER 399/ FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHERN
WEST VIRGINIA HAS BEEN CANCELLED AS OF 830 PM. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCH /NUMBER 400/ FOR SOUTHERN AND SOUTHEASTERN WEST VIRGINIA
REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN WEST
VIRGINIA INCLUDES THESE COUNTIES...

FAYETTE...GREENBRIER...LOGAN...MCDOWELL...MERCER...MONROE...PENDLETON
...POCAHONTAS...RALEIGH...RANDOLPH...SUMMERS...WEBSTER...WYOMING.

WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING
TO THE SOUTHEAST OUT OF WEBSTER...NICHOLAS...FAYETTE...AND BOONE
COUNTIES OF CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR CLAY COUNTY EXPIRED AT 800 PM.
THERE ARE NO WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA AS OF 850
PM.

A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE IN THE COUNTIES NO LONGER IN
THE WATCH AREA. BUT THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER...DAMAGING WINDS /IN
EXCESS OF 58 MILES AN HOUR/ AND LARGE HAIL /THREE QUARTER INCH OR
MORE IN DIAMETER/ IS NOW OVER.

BUT THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT DOES CONTINUE IN SOUTHERN AND SOUTHEASTERN
WEST VIRGINIA COUNTIES.

IF SEVERE WEATHER...OR DAMAGE DUE TO HIGH WINDS OR HAIL...HAS
OCCURRED IN YOUR AREA...PLEASE GIVE THE INFORMATION TO YOUR LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND ASK THEM TO RELAY IT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

CONTINUE TO MONVITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL NEWS STATION
...FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS.

END/CAPRIOLA

Local storm report, Jul 20, 10:00 PM EDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before

^CRWLSREKN

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - ELKINS, WV
10 PM EDT SUN JUL 20 1986

STORM DAMAGE FOR JUL 20, 1986 ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL...NORTHERN
MOUNTAINS OF WEST VIRGINIA AND EXTREME WESTERN MARYLAND.

TIME        COUNTY       EVENT
EDT

1800-1830   PRESTON, WV  NUMEROUS REPORTS OF TRESS BLOWN DOWN THROUGH
                         OUT THE COUNTY WITH POWER OUTAGES. WIND GUST
                         OF 55 MPH RECORDED AT KINGWOOD AT 1800.

1815-1845   GARRETT, MD  POWER OUTAGES. LARGE BRANCHES BLOWN OUT OF
                         TREES. NUMEROUS LIGHNTING STRIKES. POWER
                         LINES DOWN.

1830-1900   ALLEGANY, MD POWER LINES DOWN. TREES BLOWN OVER IN THE MT.
                         SAVAGE AND ELLERSLIE AREAS. LARGE BRANCHES
                         BLOWN OUT OF TREES NEAR CUMBERLAND.

1748-1815   HARRISON, WV POWER LINES DOWN. GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL I-79
                         SOUTH OF CLARKSBURG BETWEEN 1745-1800.
                         LARGE BRANCHES BLOWN OFF OF TREES. 1/4 TO
                         1/2 INCH HAIL AT SHINNSTON. 1/4 INCH HAIL
                         AT BRIDGEPORT.

1810-1830   BARBOUR, WV  SEVERAL TREES DOWN IN THE PHILLIPI AREA.
                         1/2 INCH HAIL AT PHILLIPPI. SEVERE LIGHNTING.
                         2 HOMES REPORTED ON FIRE IN THE BELINGTON
                         AREA WITH TREES DOWN AND POWER OUTAGES.

1830        UPSHUR, WV   SEVERAL TREES BLOWN DOWN AT SAND RUN.
                         POWER LINES DOWN. LARGE TREE BRANCHES
                         BLOW ONTO ROAD NEAR BUCKHANNON.

1827        TUCKER, WV   SEVERAL TREES DOWN IN THE HAMBLETON AND
                         CANAAN VALLEY AREAS AND IN NORTHERN TUCKER
                         COUNTY NEAR THE PRESTON LINE. POWER
                         OUTAGES REPORTED. HIGH WINDS. TREES BLOWN
                         ACROSS RT. 72 NEAR PARSONS.

1915         RANDOLPH,WV HAIL AS BIG AS NICKELS AT MABIE. HIGHS WINDS
                         AND LOTS OF LIGHTNING. STRONG WINDS REPORTED
                         AT COALTON.

1915-1945    HAMPSHIRE,WV POWER LINES DOWN IN THE SPRINGFIELD AREA.
                         HIGHS WINDS REPORTED AT ROMNEY. SEVERE CLOUD
                         TO GROUND LIGHTNING.

1920-1950    HARDY, WV   LARGE TREE LIMBS BLOWN OUT OF TREES IN
                         MOOREFIELD. SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES. SEVERE
                         LIGHTNING. SEVERAL GOOD SIZE TREE LIMBS
                         BLOWN OUT OF TREES BETWEEN MOOREFIED AND
                         ROMNEY ON RT. 220 NORTH.

1830          TAYLOR, WV SEVERAL TREES DOWN WITH NUMEROUS POWER
                         OUTAGES ACROSS THE COUNTY.

END

GILKERSON

Local storm report, Jul 20, 10:00 PM EDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before

^CRWLSREKN

LOCAL STORM REPORT - CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - ELKINS, WV
10 PM EDT SUN JUL 20 1986

STORM DAMAGE FOR JUL 20, 1986 ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL...NORTHERN
MOUNTAINS OF WEST VIRGINIA AND EXTREME WESTERN MARYLAND

TIME       COUNTY         EVENT
EDT

1800-1830 PRESTON, WV    NUMEROUS REPORTS TREES BLOWN DOWN THROUGH
                         OUT THE COUNTY WITH POWER OUTAGES, WIND GUST
                         OF 55 MPH RECORDED AT KINGWOOD AT 1800.

1800-1830 MONONGALIA, WV LARGE TREES BLOWN DOWN WITH POWER OUTAGES
                         OVER SOUTHERN AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF
                         COUNTY.

1815-1845 GARRETT, MD    POWER OUTAGES. LARGE BRANCHES BLOWN DOWN
                         NUMEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES. POWER
                         LINES DOWN.

1830-1900 ALLEGANY, MD   POWER LINES DOWN. TREES BLOWN OVER IN THE
                         MT. SAVAGE AND ELLERSLIE AREAS. LARGE
                         BRANCHES BLOWN DOWN NEAR CUMBERLAND

1748-1815 HARRISON, WV   POWER LINES DOWN. GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL I-79
                         SOUTH OF CLARKSBURG BETWEEN 1745-1800.
                         LARGE BRANCHES BLOWN DOWN. 1/4 TO
                         1/2 INCH HAIL AT SHINNSTON. 1/4 INCH HAIL
                         AT BRIDGEPORT.

1813      HARRISON, WV   60 MPH WIND..SEVERAL TREES BLOWN DOWN.
                         GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL NEAR CLARKSBURG

1810-1830 BARBOUR, WV    SEVERAL TREES DOWN IN THE PHILLIPI AREA.
                         1/2 INCH HAIL AT PHILIPPI. TWO HOMES
                         REPORTED ON FIRE IN BELINGTON AREA DUE TO
                         LIGHTNING STRIKES. TREES DOWN AND POWER
                         OUTAGES.

1830      UPSHUR, WV     SEVERAL TREES DOWN AT SAND RUN.
                         POWER LINES DOWN. LARGE TREE BRANCHES
                         BLOWN ONTO ROAD NEAR BUCKHANNON.

1827      TUCKER, WV     SEVERAL TREES DOWN IN THE HAMBLETON AND
                         CANAAN VALLEY AREAS AND IN NORTHERN
                         TUCKER COUNTY NEAR THE PRESTON CO. LINE.
                         POWER OUTAGES REPORTED.HIGH WINDS. TREES
                         BLOWN ACROSS ROUTE 72 NEAR PARSONS.

1915      RANDOLPH, WV   HAIL AS BIG AS NICKELS AT MABIE. HIGH WINDS
                         AT LOTS OF LIGHTNING. STRONG WINDS REPORTED
                         AT COALTON.

1915-1945 HAMPSHIRE, WV  POWER LINES DOWN IN THE SPRINGFIELD AREA.
                         HIGH WINDS REPRTED AT ROMNEY.

1920-1950 HARDY, WV      LARGE TREE LIMBS DOWN IN MOOREFIELD.
                         SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES. SEVERAL GOOD SIZE
                         TREE LIMBS DOWN BETWEEN MORREFIELD AND
                         ROMNEY ALONG ROUTE 220.

1830      TAYLOR, WV     SEVERAL TREES DOWN WITH NUMEROUS POWER
                         OUTAGES ACROSS THE COUNTY.

CORRECTION TO ADD DAMAGE IN MONONGALIA CO. WEST VIRGINIA AND ENTRY
AT 1813 FOR HARRISON CO. WEST VIRGINIA.

END

HILL

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 10:08 PM EDT, 1 hour 3 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND
EVENING WEST VIRGINIA WEATHER STORY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
1010 PM EDT SUN JUL 20 1986

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR EXTREME SOUTHERN
AND SOUTHEASTERN WEST VIRGINIA UNTIL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT...

THIS WATCH COVERS THESE COUNTIES...

FAYETTE...GREENBRIER...LOGAN...MCDOWELL...MERCER...MONROE...PENDLETON
...POCAHONTAS...RALEIGH...RANDOLPH...SUMMERS...WEBSTER...WYOMING.

SEVERE WEATHER...THAT IS STRONG DAMAGING WINDS /IN EXCESS OF 58 MILES
AN HOUR/ OR LARGE DAMAGING HAIL /THREE QUARTERS OF INCH OR MORE IN
DIAMETER/...IS POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA.

OTHERWISE ONLY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVER
THE REMAINING PORTIONS OF THE STATE UNTIL MIDNIGHT.

A COLD FRONT...NOW APPROACHING WEST VIRGINIA FROM THE NORTHWEST...
WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RAMPAGE OF SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN
STATE THIS EVENING.  NUMEROUS REPORTS OF HAIL...DOWNED TREES...POWER
OUTAGES...HEAVY DOWNPOURS...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES WERE
RECEIVED BY THE WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES IN WEST VIRGINIA.

WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO FAYETTE COUNTY
AT 1000 PM. THIS STORM MAY PRODUCE STRONG WINDS AND HAIL...SO BE ON
THE LOOKOUT.

IF SEVERE WEATHER APPROACHES...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY. IF SEVERE
WEATHER...OR DAMAGE DUE TO HIGH WINDS OR HAIL...HAS OCCURRED IN YOUR
AREA...PLEASE GIVE THE INFORMATION TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY AND ASK THEM TO RELAY IT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL NEWS STATION
...FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS.

END/CAPRIOLA

Local storm report, Jul 20, 10:58 PM EDT, 13 minutes before

STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
MIDNIGHT EDT SUN JUL 20 1986

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS PARALLEL TO THE OHIO RIVER STRETCHED THE
FULL LENGTH OF WEST VIRGINIA..AND MOVED ACROSS EVERY COUNTY IN THE
MOUNTAIN STATE.  SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES..ASSOCIATED WITH THE LINE..
WERE IN EFFECT FOR PART OR ALL OF EVERY COUNTY IN THE STATE.  A
SUMMARY OF NOTABLE WEATHER IN THE CHARLESTON WARNING AREA FOLLOWS.

DATE/TIME  COUNTY     EVENT

20/1714    WETZEL     HAIL 1/4 INCH IN DIAMETER IN NEW MARTINSVILLE.

20/1750    DODDRIDGE  WEST UNION..RAINFALL 0.20 IN 30 MINUTES.  AIR
                      COOLED 21 DEGREES.  FINGER SIZE BRANCHES DOWN
                      ALL OVER THE PLACE.  INTENSE LIGHTNING.

20/1750    PUTNAM     MARBLE SIZED AND LARGER HAIL AT HURRICANE.

20/1813    HARRISON   A SEVERE REPORT..60 MPH WIND..SEVERAL TREES
                      BLOWN DOWN..GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL.

20/1838    LINCOLN    A SEVERE REPORT..DIME SIZE HAIL..SEVERAL TREES
                      DOWN..POWER OUT.  RAINFALL WAS 0.80 INCH.

20/1840    KANAWHA    HAIL 1/4 INCH IN DIAMETER JUST SOUTH OF THE
                      CHARLESTON FORECAST OFFICE.

A LARGE NUMBER OF DAMAGING WIND REPORTS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE
NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND EXTREME WESTERN MARYLAND.  A FUNNEL CLOUD
WAS SIGHTED NEAR WILLIAMSON IN MINGO COUNTY.

END/PARKE

The office that day

Everything else NWS Charleston, WV issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 20, 8:07 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Logan, Mingo	58 min
Jul 20, 8:37 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Wyoming	58 min
Jul 20, 10:38 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Mingo	32 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in West Virginia, 1986 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1986

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.