Alert archive / West Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 124, NWS Charleston, WV

September 16, 1990Ritchie County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Sep 16, 1990, 2:50 PM EDT for Ritchie County, West Virginia. It was in force for 60 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 16, 1990, 2:50 PM EDT (18:50 UTC)
Expired
Sep 16, 1990, 3:50 PM EDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Whole counties

County Ritchie 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, 6.8 hours before the alert went out and 154 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 1990-09-16Temperature 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 1990-09-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 83 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
973 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
59 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
83 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
100 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 161852
SVRCRW
WVC085-161950-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
250 PM EDT SUN SEP 16 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  345 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION......
 
IN NORTHWEST WEST VIRGINIA
 
   ...RITCHIE COUNTY
 
WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ON THE WOOD
COUNTY AND RITCHIE COUNTY BORDER AT 245 PM. THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS
MOVING EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.
THE THUNDERSTORM SHOULD MOVE THROUGH RITCHIE COUNTY DURING THE
NEXT HOUR.
 
WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING.  DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS.  DON'T USE TELEPHONES
OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM
HAS PASSED.  MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.
 
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER FROM THE WEATHER IN A
STRONG BUILDING.  DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN...
AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.
STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.
 
END ORCHANIAN

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, Sep 16, 1:54 PM EDT, 56 minutes before
WVZ005-009-MDZ008-009-162000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKINS WV
154 PM EDT SUN SEP 16 1990

...VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA
AND WESTERN MARYLAND...

AT 145 PM EDT RADAR SHOWED SCATTERED SHOWERS AND VERY HEAVY
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM EAST CENTRAL OHIO EASTWARD ACROSS
NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA NORTH OF A LINE FROM PARKERSBURG SOUTHEAST TO
GLENVILLE THEN NORTHEAST TO TERRA ALTA. THE ACTIVITY ALSO EXTENDED
NORTHWARD ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN AND SOUTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND
EASTWARD ACROSS WETERN MARYLAND. MOVEMENT WAS GENERALLY EAST AT 30
TO 35 MILES AN HOUR.

PERSONS LIVING IN OR TRAVELING THROUGH NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA AND
WESTERN MARYLAND..SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT FOR STRONG GUSTY WINDS..
PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN..DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STIKES AND POSSIBLE SMALL
HAIL IN AND NEAR THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

PERSONS LIVING ALONG SMALL STREAMS..CREEKS OR IN AN AREA SUBJECT TO
RAPID FLOODING..SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO WATER LEVELS IN THEIR AREA.
IF HEAVY RAIN DEVELOPS AND FLOODING IS OBSERVED OR A WARNING ISSUED
..MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. DO NOT DRIVE VEHICLES THROUGH WATER FLOWING
ACROSS ROADWAYS.

REPORTS A=NY SEVERE WEATHER AND/OR FLOODING TO OUR NEAREST LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR COMMERCIAL BROADCASTS FOR
FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNING.

END/FERRELL
Special weather statement, Sep 16, 1:57 PM EDT, 53 minutes before
WVZ002>005-162000-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
155 PM EDT SUN SEP 16 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO NORTHWEST WEST VIRGINIA...

WEATHER SERVICE RADARS AT 145 PM INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS FORMING ACROSS SOUTHEAST OHIO AND NORTHWEST WEST VIRGINIA.
THE STORMS WERE FROM 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF ATHENS OHIO TO JUST NORTH OF
PARKERSBURG WEST VIRGINIA. STROMG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALSO OBSERVED ALONG
THE TYLER-PLESANTS COUNTY BORDER AND THE TYLER-WETZEL COUNTY BORDER.

MARBLE SIZE HAIL WAS OBSERVED AT MARIETTA OHIO. PARKERSBURG WEST
VIRGINIA IS IN THE PATH OF THIS THUNDERSTORM.

THESE STRONG THUNDESTORMS WILL CONTAIN GUSTY WINDS AND LOCALLY >HEAVY
RAINS..AND HAIL.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

END/ORCHANIAN
Special weather statement, Sep 16, 2:10 PM EDT, 40 minutes before
WVZ005-009-MDZ008-009-162000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKINS WV
154 PM EDT SUN SEP 16 1990

...VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA
AND WESTERN MARYLAND...

AT 145 PM EDT RADAR SHOWED SCATTERED SHOWERS AND VERY HEAVY
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM EAST CENTRAL OHIO EASTWARD ACROSS
NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA NORTH OF A LINE FROM PARKERSBURG SOUTHEAST TO
GLENVILLE THEN NORTHEAST TO TERRA ALTA. THE ACTIVITY ALSO EXTENDED
NORTHWARD ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN AND SOUTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND
EASTWARD ACROSS WESTERN MARYLAND. MOVEMENT WAS GENERALLY EAST AT 30
TO 35 MILES AN HOUR.

PERSONS LIVING IN OR TRAVELING THROUGH NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA AND
WESTERN MARYLAND..SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT FOR STRONG GUSTY WINDS..
PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN..DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES AND POSSIBLE
SMALL HAIL IN AND NEAR THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

PERSONS LIVING ALONG SMALL STREAMS..CREEKS OR IN AN AREA SUBJECT TO
RAPID FLOODING..SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO WATER LEVELS IN THEIR AREA.
IF HEAVY RAIN DEVELOPS AND FLOODING IS OBSERVED OR A WARNING ISSUED
..MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. DO NOT DRIVE VEHICLES THROUGH WATER FLOWING
ACROSS ROADWAYS.
G
REPORT ANY SEVERE WEATHER AND/OR FLOODING TO YOUR NEAREST LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR COMMERCIAL BROADCASTS FOR
FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

END/FERRELL

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 16, 2:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXWood63 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in West Virginia, 1990Every severe thunderstorm 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.