Alert archive / West Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 1989

Flash Flood Warning 37, NWS Charleston, WV

June 22, 1989Mineral County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this flash flood warning at Jun 22, 1989, 6:30 PM EDT for Mineral County, West Virginia. It was in force for 2 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 22, 1989, 6:30 PM EDT (22:30 UTC)
Expired
Jun 22, 1989, 8:30 PM EDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Whole counties

County Mineral 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

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 10.5 hours before the alert went out and 143 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 1989-06-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 277 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 1989-06-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 31 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
277 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-8 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
603 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
31 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
33 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 KEKN 230055 RRA
FFWEKN
WVC057-230030-

BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKINS WV
849 PM EDT THU JUN 22 1989

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ELKINS HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1045 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTY...

IN EAST WEST VIRGINIA
          ...GRANT...HARDY...NORTHERN PENDLETON

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWS HEAVY RAINFALL IN NORTHERN 
PENDLETON..SOUTHERN GRANT AND HARDY COUNTIES IN WEST VIRGINIA. THIS  
RAINFALL IS MOVING SLOWLY TO THE NORTHEAST. A RAINFALL OBSERVER IN UP
PER TRACT..INNORTHERN PENDLETON COUNTYU..REPORTED 1.68 INCHES OF RAIN
FALL IN 2O MINUTES. RAINFALL COUNTINUES OVER THE AREA. K IN MINERAL
COUNTY SHOULD ALSO BE ON THE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY RISING WATER LEVELS.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT
. MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATH OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR LOW SPOTS IS WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY.     
NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL ONE...ON FOOT. TO
ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND.

NNNN

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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, Jun 22, 3:25 PM EDT, 3 hours 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTINGTON WV
315 PM EDT THU JUNE 22 1989

....THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER PIKE COUNTY OHIO....

AT 3 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THE WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED AN AREA
OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHEASTERN OHIO. THE STRONGEST OF
THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE LOCATED IN PIKE COUNTY OHIO SOUTH OF PIKETON.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING SLOWLY TO THE NORTHEAST.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE HA5IL...DAMAGING WINDS...HEAVY RAIN AND
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. WITH THE CONTINUATION OF THE RAIN SOME FLOODING OF
SMALL STREAMS AND LOW LYING AREAS IS POSSIBLE.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES GO TO A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATERLY.

COLLINS...
Special weather statement, Jun 22, 3:52 PM EDT, 2 hours 38 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTINGTON WV
345 PM EDT THU JUNE 22 1989

AT 345 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THE WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED AN AREA
OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHEASTERN OHIO AND NORTHEASTERN
KENTUCKY. THE STRONGEST OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE LOCATED IN SCIOTO
COUNTY OHIO NEAR THE CITY OF PORSTMOUTH AND IN BOYD COUNTY KENTUCKY NEAR
THE CITY OF ASHLAND.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING SLOWLY TO THE EAST.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN...HAIL...DAMAGING
WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. WITH THE CONTINUATION OF THE RAIN SOME
FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS AND LOW LYING AREAS IS POSSIBLE.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES GO TO A SAFEW PLACE IMMEDIATERLY.
YOU SHOULD STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RAIDIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION.

COLLINS...
Special weather statement, Jun 22, 5:46 PM EDT, 44 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
545 PM EDT THU JUN 22 1989

DO NOT USE AFTER 7PM...

HEAVY SHOWERS WERE OBSERVED AT 540 PM OVER WESTERN CLAY COUNTY WEST
VIRGINIA..ALSO AT THE JUNCTION OF THE BORDERS OF BRAXTON..WEBSTER AND
NICHOLAS COUNTIES. HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE
STORMS AND MAY CAUSE URBAN FLOODING IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.

GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS.

ALSO..AT 545 PM CHARLESTON WEATHER RADAR DETECTED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS FROM THE POTOMAC HIGHLANDS OF WEST VIRGINIA..TO ELKINS AND
THEN TO JUST WEST OF ROANOKE VIRGINIA..CONTINUING SOUTHWESTWARD TO
ABINGDON VIRGINIA..IN WASHINGTON COUNTY VIRGINIA.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

MEANWHILE A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER ADMAS COUNTY OHIO
AND MAGOFFIN COUNTY KENTUCKY. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15
MILES AN HOUR.

END/ORCHANIAN
Special weather statement, Jun 22, 6:10 PM EDT, 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTINGTON WV
607 PM EDT THU JUNE 22 1989

AT 600 PM EDT THIS EVENING WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM
WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL JUST NORTHEAST OF WEST UNION IN ADAMS COUNTY
OHIO.

THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING SLOWLY SOUTHWEST TOWARD WEST UNION AT ABOUT
5 MPH.

THE THUNDERSTORM MAY PRODUCE PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN...HAIL...DAMAGING
WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.  WITH THE VERY SLOW MOVEMENT OF THIS STORM
THERE MAY BE FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS AND LOW LYING AREAS.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY.
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.

YOUNG...
Special weather statement, Jun 22, 6:15 PM EDT, 15 minutes before
BULLETIN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY, WV
610 PM EDT THU JUN 22 1989

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL OVER MONROE COUNTY...

AT 605 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT BECKLEY SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS
WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL OVER MONROE COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA.  THESE
THUNDERSTORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLY SOME
HAIL.  LIGHTNING IS VERY DANGEROUS IN ANY THUNDERSTORM.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES MOVE TO A SAFE SHELTER INDOORS.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY CAUSE SOME SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOODING.
WATCH FOR RISING WATER LEVELS AND MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IF FLOODING
OCCURS.

END/CGF

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 22, 1:15 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXHardy3 hr
Jun 22, 7:35 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXBraxton115 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in West Virginia, 1989Every flash flood warning in 1989

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.