Alert archive / West Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990

Flash Flood Warning 35, NWS Charleston, WV

June 9, 1990Kanawha County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this flash flood warning at Jun 9, 1990, 9:19 PM EDT for Kanawha County, West Virginia. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 9, 1990, 9:19 PM EDT (01:19 UTC)
Expired
Jun 10, 1990, 12:15 AM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Whole counties

County Kanawha 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, 1.3 hours before the alert went out and 85 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 1990-06-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1315 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, Huntington/Tri S, WV at 00:00Z on 1990-06-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 76 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
1315 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-9 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1019 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
76 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
85 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
3.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KCRW 100123
FFWCRW
WVC039-100415-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
919 PM EDT SAT JUN 9 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1215 AM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION......
 
IN WEST CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA
 
   ...KANAWHA COUNTY
 
A SERIES OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINS ARE MOVING ACROSS KANAWHA
COUNTY FROM WEST TO EAST. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE BRINGING RAINFALL
AMOUNTS OF 1 INCH OR MORE IN LESS THAN 1 HOUR. SMALL STREAMS AND
CREEKS WILL RISE RAPIDLY AND CAN BE EXPECTED TO COME OUT OF THEIR
BANKS WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR IN MANY LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
SOME URBAN FLOODING CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED.
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS
IMMINENT.  MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.  DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS
THE ROADWAY.O  NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL
ONE...ON FOOT.  TO ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND.
 
END AAR

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 9, 5:58 PM EDT, 3 hours 21 minutes before
WVZ006>008-090030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
540 PM EDT SAT JUN 9 1990

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHERN
WEST VIRGINIA UNTIL 11 PM THIS EVENING...

AT 535 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT BECKLEY SHOWED A LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL EXTENDING FROM SOUTHERN LINCOLN
COUNTY NORTHEAST THROUGH THE CHARLESTON AREA TO NEAR WEBSTER SPRINGS.
A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WAS OVER NORTHWEST FAYETTE COUNTY.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER WEST VIRGINIA FROM
LOGAN AND LEWISBURG NORTHWARD.  SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WERE ALSO OVER WESTERN VIRGINIA AND EXTREME SOUTHEAST KENTUCKY.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EASTWARD AROUND 20 MPH.

IF A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES YOUR AREA GET TO A REINFORCED
SHELTER AND PREPARE FOR STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY
RAINS AND DEADLY LIGHTNING.

END/FUNDERBURK
Special weather statement, Jun 9, 6:01 PM EDT, 3 hours 18 minutes before
KYZ006-008-WVZ003-100000

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTINGTON WV
600 PM EDT SAT JUN 9 1990

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR JOHNSON AND MARTIN COUNTIES
OF KENTUCKY TILL 1100 PM EDT.

AT 555 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN OVER
SOUTHEAST CARTER COUNTY KENTUCKY MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL BE MOVING ACROSS LOUISA...FORT GAY AREA
AROUND 600PM AND EAST WAYNE COUNTY AROUND 700PM EDT.

THIS THUNDERSTORMS MAY CAUSE HEAVY RAIN WITH URBAN FLOODING...AND
SMALL HAIL.

SHUFF
Special weather statement, Jun 9, 6:27 PM EDT, 2 hours 52 minutes before
KYZ006-008-WVZ003-100000

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTINGTON WV
625 PM EDT SAT JUN 9 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR JOHNSON AND MARTIN COUNTIES HAS
BEEN CANCELLED...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN WEST VIRGINIA TILL 8000 PM.

AT 625 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN OVER
CENTRAL LWRENCE COUNTY KENTUCKY MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL BE MOVING ACROSS LOUISA...FORT \GAY AREA
DURING THE NEXT HALF HOUR AND INTO EASTERN WAYNE COUNTY
AROUND 700 PM EDT.

HEAVY RAIN WITH THIS THUNDERSTORMS MAY CAUSE SMALL STREAM AND
URBAN FLOODING AS IT CROSSES WAYNE COUNTY.

SHUFF
Special weather statement, Jun 9, 7:03 PM EDT, 2 hours 16 minutes before
WVZ006>008-100030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
655 PM EDT SAT JUN 9 1990

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHERN
WEST VIRGINIA UNTIL 11 PM THIS EVENING...

AT 650 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT BECKLEY SHOWED A LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL EXTENDING FROM JUST SOUTH OF
CHARLESTON EASTWARD THROUGH NORTHERN FAYETTE COUNTY...ON EAST TO JUST
NORTH OF RAINELLE IN WESTERN GREENBRIER COUNTY. THE LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS WAS DRIFTING SOUTHWARD AROUND 15 MPH.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN...DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING...POSSIBLY SOME HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS AS THEY MOVE
THROUGH SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA THIS EVENING.

IF THREATNING WEATHER APPROACHES...SEEK SAFE INDOOR SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOODING MAY OCCUR. DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH WATER
OF UNKNOWN DEPTHS ON ROADWAYS.

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

END/MONEYPENNY
Special weather statement, Jun 9, 8:18 PM EDT, 1 hour 1 minute before
WVZ002-004-005-101600-
RIVER STATEMENT AND SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
0800 PM EDT SAT JUN 9 1990

...RIVER LEVELS OF 3/4 TO NEAR BANKFULL EXPECTED ON THE LITTLE KANAWHA
RIVER...

THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY DURING LAST NIGHT COUPLED WITH THE
THUNDERSTORMS DURING THIS AFTERNOON HAVE GIVEN RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2
INCHES OR MORE ACROSS THE UPPER REACHES OF THE LITTLE KANAWHA RIVER.
WITH THESE RAINFALL AMOUNTS THE LITTLE KANAWHA RIVER IS EXPECTED TO RISE
TO LEVELS OF 3/4 TO NEAR BANKFULL AROUND GLENVILLE.  THIS MAY CREATE
SOME MINOR FLODDING PROBLEMS IN LOW LYING AREAS.  THE RIVER AT GLENVILLE
IS EXPECTED TO CREST AT 19 TO 21 FEET DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
SUNDAY.  FLOOD STAGE AT GLENVILLE IS 23 FEET.

AS THIS CREST MOVES DOWNSTREAM IT WILL GRADUALLY LOWER.  THE RESULT WILL
BE LEVELS OF 3/4 FLOOD STAGE OR LESS AT GRANTSVILLE AND ELIZABETH ON
SUNDAY.
END AAR
Special weather statement, Jun 9, 8:25 PM EDT, 54 minutes before
WVZ006>008-100200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
820 PM EDT SAT JUN 9 1990

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHERN
WEST VIRGINIA UNTIL 11 PM THIS EVENING...

AT 815 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT BECKLEY SHOWED A THUNDERSTORM
WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL OVER NORTHWESTERN RALEIGH COUNTY.  THIS
THUNDERSTORM MAY ALSO PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING
AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL.  OTHER THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR
LOGAN AND CHARLESTON EASTWARD TO CASS AND LEWISBURG THEN EXTENDING
ON INTO VIRGINIA.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AROUND 20 MILES AN HOUR.

IF THREATNING WEATHER APPROACHES...SEEK SAFE INDOOR SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.
HEAVY RAINS MAY ALSO PRODUCE SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOODING.  PERSONS
NEAR AREAS THAT ARE PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT FOR FAST
RISING WATERS AND MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.

END/FUNDERBURK

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 9, 10:05 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXNicholas4 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.