Alert archive / West Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990

Flash Flood Warning 155, NWS Charleston, WV

December 30, 1990Jackson County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this flash flood warning at Dec 30, 1990, 4:50 PM EST for Jackson County, West Virginia. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Dec 30, 1990, 4:50 PM EST (21:50 UTC)
Expired
Dec 30, 1990, 8:45 PM EST
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Whole counties

County Jackson 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 12:00Z, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 88 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 12:00Z on 1990-12-30Temperature 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 12:00Z on 1990-12-30The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 482 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
NaN m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
68 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
482 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
463 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 KCRW 302153
FFWCRW
WVC035-310145-
 
BULLETIN
FLOOD WARNING FOR CREEKS AND STREAMS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
450 PM EST SUN DEC 30 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  845 PM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION......
 
IN WEST WEST VIRGINIA
 
   ...JACKSON COUNTY
 
ROUTE 21 JUST SOUTH OF GIVEN WAS REPORTING FLOODING. MODERATE RAIN WAS
FALLING OVER JACKSON COUNTY AT THE PRESENT TIME. THIS WILL CAUSE SMALL
STREAMS AND CREEKS TO OVERFLOW THERE BANKS IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS.
 
 
 
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.  IF FLASH FLOODING IS
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY.  MOVE UP TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.  DO
NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.
 
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, Dec 30, 1:27 PM EST, 3 hours 23 minutes before
WVZ002>009-012-VAZ015-016-302100-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
125 PM EST SUN DEC 30 1990

  ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CROSS THE OHIO RIVER INTO WEST VIRGINIA...

A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVED ACROSS THE OHIO RIVER AT 115 PM
INTO WEST VIRGINIA FROM WAYNE COUNTY TO HUNTINGTON TO PARKERSBURG.
THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN MASON COUNTY 10 MILES WEST OF RIPLEY
AND IN NORTHERN CABELL COUNTY ALONG THE OHIO RIVER.  THE STORMS WILL
MOVE INTO WEST CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA FROM HURRICANE AND
ST ALBANS TO GLENVILLE TO CLARKSBURG BY 215 PM.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO BETWEEN
40 AMD 50 MPH...AND SMALL HAIL.  THE MOVEMENT OF THE LINE WAS TO THE
SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.  MOVEMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS WITHIN
THE LINE WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH.

A FLOOD WATCH FOR STREAMS AND CREEKS IS ALSO IN EFFECT THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING FOR WEST VIRGINIA AND EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA.

END/REA
Special weather statement, Dec 30, 2:20 PM EST, 2 hours 30 minutes before
KYZ006-OHZ008-009-WVZ003-302115

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTINGTON WV
215 PM EST SUN DEC 30 1990

...FLOOD WARNINGS FOR ADAMS...JACKSON...PIKE...SCIOTO...COUNTIES OF
OHIO HAS EXPIRED...

AT 210 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS FROM CLARKSBURG WEST VIRGINIA TO NEAR WILLIAMSON
KENTUCKY.  THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 40 MPH AND ARE
PRODUCING BRIEF VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS.
THESE STORMS ARE MOVING QUICKLY BUT COULD STILL CAUSE SOME MINOR
FLOODING PROBLEMS ALONG SMALL STREAMS CREEKS AND ON ROADWAYS.

AREAS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN ARE SCATTERED ACROSS THE MIDDLE OHIO
VALLEY.  THIS RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO ADD TO THE PROBLEMS OF RISING STREAMS
DUE TO THE SATURATED GROUND.

BE ALERT TO APPROACHING WEATHER AND KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR RISING WATER.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE ACROSS FLOODED ROADWAYS AS YOUR VEHICLE COULD
BE SWEPT AWAY BY THE FORCE OF EVEN SHALOLOW WATER.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

HATFIELD
Special weather statement, Dec 30, 2:27 PM EST, 2 hours 23 minutes before
WVZ002>009-012-VAZ015-016-302200-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
225 PM EST SUN DEC 30 1990

  ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS  MOVE INTO CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA...

AT 215 PM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN CHARLESTON INDICATED A LINE OF
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM 10 MILES WEST OF WILLIAMSON TO JUST
WEST OF CHARLESTON TO SPENCER TO THE GLENVILLE AREA.  THE STORMS ARE
JUST AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT SWEEPING THROUGH THE REGION.  THEY WILL MOVE
TO A LINE FROM WILLIAMSON TO CHARLESTON TO MORGANTOWN BETWEEN 230 AND
300 PM.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO BETWEEN
40 AMD 50 MPH...AND SMALL HAIL.  SHORT DURATION HEAVY RAINS WERE
REPORTED IN MANY AREAS AS THE LINE MOVED THROUGH.  THE MOVEMENT OF THE
LINE WAS TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.  MOVEMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL
THUNDERSTORMS IN THE LINE WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH.

A FLOOD WATCH FOR STREAMS AND CREEKS IS ALSO IN EFFEC`T THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING FOR WEST VIRGINIA AND EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA.

END/REA
Special weather statement, Dec 30, 3:19 PM EST, 1 hour 31 minutes before
WVZ006>008-302100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
320 PM EST SUN DEC 30 1990

...FLOOD WATCH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOR ALL OF SOUTHERN WEST
VIRGINIA...

AT 315
Special weather statement, Dec 30, 3:24 PM EST, 1 hour 26 minutes before
WVZ006>008-302100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
320 PM EST SUN DEC 30 1990

...FLOOD WATCH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOR ALL OF SOUTHERN WEST
VIRGINIA...

AT 315 WEATHER RADAR AT BECKLEY SHOWED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
THAT EXTENDED FROM SUTTON IN BRAXTON COUNTY TO NEAR GAULEY BRIDGE IN
FAYETTE COUNTY ON INTO BOONE COUNTY. THE HEAVIEST OF THE RAIN WAS LOCATED
OVER EASTERN KANAWAHA COUNTY NORTHEAST INTO CLAY COUNTY.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EASTWARD AT AROUND 40 MPH AND COULD PRODUCE BRIEF
VERY HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG GUSTY WIND. SOME MINOR FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS
AND RAODWAYS MAY ALSO OCCURE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.

END/BRAMBLE
Special weather statement, Dec 30, 3:50 PM EST, 1 hour before
KYZ006-OHZ008-009-WVZ003-302315

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTINGTON WV
345 PM EST SUN DEC 30 1990

...FLOOD WATCH FOR WESTERN WEST VIRGINIA UNTIL 8:00 PM TONIGHT...
EASTERN KENTUCKY UNTIL 10:30 PM
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR SOUTH CENTRAL OHIO HAS BEEN CANCELLED...

ALL SMALL STREAMS ARE RUNNING AT HALF TO NEAR BANK FULL.
AREAS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN COVER THE MIDDLE OHIO VALLEY.
POSSIBLY UP TO A HALF INCH MORE OF RAIN IS POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT.
THIS RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO ADD TO THE PROBLEMS OF RISING STREAMS
DUE TO THE SATURATED GROUND.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE ACROSS FLOODED ROADWAYS AS YOUR VEHICLE COULD
BE SWEPT AWAY BY THE FORCE OF EVEN SHALLOW WATER.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

COSTELLO

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 30, 4:39 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningRLXTyler4 hr
Dec 30, 5:47 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningRLXKanawha, Putnam4 hr
Dec 30, 6:28 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningRLXDoddridge4 hr
Dec 30, 6:28 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningRLXLincoln4 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in West Virginia, 1990Every flash flood warning in 1990

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.