Alert archive / West Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 1989

Flash Flood Warning 85, NWS Charleston, WV

October 18, 1989Logan County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this flash flood warning at Oct 18, 1989, 11:27 PM EDT for Logan County, West Virginia. It was in force for 2 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Oct 18, 1989, 11:27 PM EDT (03:27 UTC)
Expired
Oct 19, 1989, 1:30 AM EDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Whole counties

County Logan 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, 3.5 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Huntington/Tri S, WV at 00:00Z on 1989-10-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Huntington/Tri S, WV at 00:00Z on 1989-10-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 93 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
550 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
70 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
93 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
282 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 190327
FFWBKW
WVC045-190530-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
1127 PM EDT WED OCT 18 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BECKLEY WV HAS ISSUED A
SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  130 AM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTHWEST WEST VIRGINIA
          ...LOGAN
 
AT 1125 PM EDT RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN OVER
LOGAN COUNTY. AUTOMATED IFLOWS RAINGAGES REPORTED THREE QUARTERS OF AN
INCH OF RAIN HAS FALLEN THIS EVENING. THE GROUND WAS SATURDTED AND
STREAMS WERE HIGH BEFORE RAIN BEGAN THIS EVENING.
 
 
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO
CROSS SAFELY.  VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE
ABANDONED QUICKLY.  MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

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, Oct 18, 5:56 PM EDT, 5 hours 31 minutes before
BULLETIN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
545 PM EDT WED OCT 18 1989

...A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA
INCLUDING FAYETTE...GREENBRIER...MERCER...MONROE...POCAHONTAS...
RALEIGH AND SUMMERS COUNTIES...

AT 540 PM EDT RADAR SHOWED LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN MOVING INTO EXTREME
SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA AND INTO THE WATCH AREA.

STREAMS REMAIN NEAR BANKFULL FROM HEAVY RAINS WITHIN THE PAST FEW DAYS.
MANY STREAMS IN SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA CANNOT HOLD ANY ADDITIONAL
RAINFALL.  IF HEAVY RAINFALL DOES DEVELOP THIS COULD BE AN EXTREMELY
DANGEROUS SITUATION.

MOVE TO HIGHER GOUND QUICKLY IF A WARNING IS ISSUED OR IF FLOODING
APPEARS LIKELY].
.
END/FUNDERBURK
Special weather statement, Oct 18, 8:45 PM EDT, 2 hours 42 minutes before
BULLETIN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
845 PM EDT WED OCT 18 1989

...A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT AND THURSDAY OVER PORTIONS
OF SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA INCLUDING FAYETTE...GREENBRIER...MERCER...MONROE...
POCAHONTAS...RALEIGH AND SUMMERS COUNTIES...

AT 840 PM EDT RADAR SHOWED LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN COVERING MOST OF THE
SOUTHERN HALF OF WEST VIRGINIA AND EXTENDING INTO WESTERN VIRGINIA.
THE RAIN WAS MOVING NORTH AROUND 25 MILES AN HOUR.

STREAMS OVER SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA THIS EVENING WERE NEAR 3/4 BANKFULL.

AUTOMATED IFLOWS RAINGAGES REPORTED RAINFALLS OF AROUND ONE-QUARTER INCH
AT HUFF KNOB LOOKOUT IN RALEIGH COUNTY /.28/...MANN LOOKOUT TOWER IN
FAYETTE COUNTY /.20/...BISHOP /.28/ AND ASHLAND /.24/ IN MCDOWELL COUNTY
...MILL CREEK /.28/ AND IVY KNOW /.24/ IN WYOMING COUNTY AND BIG MUNCEY
/.24/ IN MINGO COUNTY.
RAINFALL AT THE RALEIGH COUNTY AIRPORT IN BECKLEY WAS .15 OF AN
INCH AND BLUEFIELD REPORTED .34 OF AN INCH FOR THE PAST 6 HOURS
ENDING AT 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING.

PERSONS LIVING NEAR SMALL STREAMS OR IN NORMAL FLOOD PRONE AREAS
SHOULD LISTEN FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION AND BE PREPARED
TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IF FLOODING APPEARS LIKELY OR A WARNING
IS ISSUED.  MOTORISTS SHOULD ALSO EXERCISE CAUTION..DONT TRY TO
DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED AREAS.  IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS..ABANDON IT
IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK HIGHER GROUND.

END/FUNDERBURK
Special weather statement, Oct 18, 9:28 PM EDT, 1 hour 59 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTINGTON WEST VIRGINIA
925 AM EDT WED OCT 18 1989

...SMALL STREAMS ARE EASING OUT OF THEIR BANKS IN JOHNSON COUNTY
KENTUCKY...

AT ABOUT 900PM EDT THE JOHNSON COUNTY KENTUCKY SHERIFFS OFFICE
REPORTED THAT SMALL STREAMS ARE RISING AND STATE ROUTE 1107 IN JOHNSON
COUNTY HAS BEEN COVERED BY WATER SINCE ABOUT 430 THIS AFTERNOON.

AT 915 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A BAND OF MODERATE RAIN
MOVING EAST AND STRETCHING FROM NORTHERN GALLIA COUNTY IN OHIO
SOUTHWEST TO SOUTHERN MORGAN COUNTY IN KENTUCKY.  THIS AREA OF
MODERATE RAIN WILL MOVE INTO JOHNSON COUNTY IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR AND
WILL LIKELY CONTINUE FOR AT LEAST ONE HOUR BEFORE TAPERING OFF TO
LIGHT INTENSITY ONCE AGAIN.  AUTOMATED RAIN GAGES (IFLOWS) IN JOHNSON
COUNTY INDICATE THAT LESS THAN ONE QUARTER INCH OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN
THE LAST 6 HOURS.  HOWEVER...ANYONE LIVING IN LOW LYING AREAS ALONG
SMALL STREAMS OR CREEKS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO THE LEVELS OF THESE
STREAMS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION SHOULD HEAVIER RAINS
OCCUR SINCE PERIODS OF RAIN REMAIN IN THE FORECAST FOR TONIGHT.

THIS AREA OF RAIN WILL BE WATCHED VERY CLOSELY FOR ANY FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT.#  CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ANY
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS SHOULD THEY BE NECESSARY.

PLYBON...
Special weather statement, Oct 18, 9:45 PM EDT, 1 hour 42 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTINGTON WEST VIRGINIA
925 PM EDT WED OCT 18 1989

...SMALL STREAMS ARE EASING OUT OF THEIR BANKS IN JOHNSON COUNTY
KENTUCKY...

AT ABOUT 900PM EDT THE JOHNSON COUNTY KENTUCKY SHERIFFS OFFICE
REPORTED THAT SMALL STREAMS ARE RISING AND STATE ROUTE 1107 IN JOHNSON
COUNTY HAS BEEN COVERED BY WATER SINCE ABOUT 430 THIS AFTERNOON.

AT 915 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A BAND OF MODERATE RAIN
MOVING EAST AND STRETCHING FROM NORTHERN GALLIA COUNTY IN OHIO
SOUTHWEST TO SOUTHERN MORGAN COUNTY IN KENTUCKY.  THIS AREA OF
MODERATE RAIN WILL MOVE INTO JOHNSON COUNTY IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR AND
WILL LIKELY CONTINUE FOR AT LEAST ONE HOUR BEFORE TAPERING OFF TO
LIGHT INTENSITY ONCE AGAIN.  AUTOMATED RAIN GAGES (IFLOWS) IN JOHNSON
COUNTY INDICATE THAT LESS THAN ONE QUARTER INCH OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN
THE LAST 6 HOURS.  HOWEVER...ANYONE LIVING IN LOW LYING AREAS ALONG
SMALL STREAMS OR CREEKS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO THE LEVELS OF THESE
STREAMS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION SHOULD HEAVIER RAINS
OCCUR SINCE PERIODS OF RAIN REMAIN IN THE FORECAST FOR TONIGHT.

THIS AREA OF RAIN WILL BE WATCHED VERY CLOSELY FOR ANY FURTHER.
DEVELOPMENT.  CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ANY
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS SHOULD THEY BE NECESSARY.

...CORRECTION CHANGE ISSUE TIME FROM ...AM...TO ...PM...

PLYBON...

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 18, 10:32 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXMingo118 min
Oct 19, 6:44 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXLewis2 hr

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.