Alert archive / West Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 16, NWS Charleston, WV

June 8, 1990Preston County, Taylor County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 8, 1990, 8:42 AM EDT for Preston County, Taylor County, West Virginia. It was in force for 93 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jun 8, 1990, 8:42 AM EDT (12:42 UTC)
Expired
Jun 8, 1990, 10:15 AM EDT
In force
93 min
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Whole counties

Counties Preston County, WV, Taylor County, WV

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jun 8, 9:00 AM EDTHail 1Preston, WV

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 0.7 hours before the alert went out and 218 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 1990-06-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 54 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 1990-06-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 62 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
54 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-251 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1053 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
62 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
239 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 081242
SVREKN
WVC077-091-081415-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKINS WV
842 AM EDT FRI JUN 8 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ELKINS HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1015 AM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTH WEST VIRGINIA
 
   ...PRESTON COUNTY...TAYLOR COUNTY
 
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS MOVING ACROSS MONONGALIA AND MARION COUNTIES
MOVING EAST TOWARD PRESTON AND TAYLOR COUNTIES. THE STRONGEST STORM
EXTENDS FROM AROUND FAIRMONT NORTH TO MORGANTOWN.
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...
DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. FOR YOUR
PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME
OR BUSINESS.  IF FLASH FLOODING DEVELOPES MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY
IMMEDIATELY. DONT DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS ROADWAYS.
 
WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOUL(D 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.
 
GILKERSON
 
NNNN

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, Jun 8, 7:04 AM EDT, 1 hour 38 minutes before
WVZ006>008-081200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
700 AM EDT FRI JUN 8 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS INCREASING OVER SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA...

AT 650 AM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT BECKLEY TWO LINES OF
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER WEST VIRGINIA. THE FIRST LINE
EXTENDED FROM NEAR CLAY IN CLAY COUNTY SOUTHWEST TO NEAR MADISON IN
BOONE COUNTY AND THEN ON SOUTH TO NEAR IAEGER IN NORTHERN MCDOWELL
COUNTY.

THE SECOND LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM FROM ABOUT 40 MILES NORTH
OF PARKERSBURG SOUTHWEST TO NEAR RIPLEY IN JACKSON COUNTY AND THEN ON
SOUTHWEST THROUGH WILLIAMSON IN MINGO COUNTY TO NEAR WHITESBURG IN
LETCHER COUNTY KENTUCKY. THIS SECOND LINE OF STORMS WAS THE STRONGEST.

THE STRONGEST STORM WAS JUST NORTH OF NITRO ALONG THE PUTNAM-KANAWHA
COUNTY LINE. LARGE HAIL WAS LIKELY WITH THIS STORM AND A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR PUTNAM COUNTY UNTIL 745 AM.

OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE IN NORTHEAST PUTNAM COUNTY ABOUT 15 MILES SOUTH
OF RIPLEY...IN SOUTHERN LINCOLN COUNTY ABOUT 20 MILES WEST OF MADISON...
IN WESTERN LOGAN COUNTY ABOUT 10 MILES WEST OF LOGAN...AND IN SOUTHWESTERN
PIKE COUNTY KENTUCKY NEAR WEEKSBURY. ALL OF THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE
VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL.

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

REPORT ANY SEVERE WEATHER SUCH AS LARGE HAIL OR DAMAGING WINDS TO YOUR
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMEDNT AGENCY AND ASK THEM TO RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

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

END/PLATE
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 7:14 AM EDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
WVZ005-009-081315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKINS WV
714 AM EDT FRI JUN 8 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARD NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA...

AT 705 AM EDT RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER EASTERN
OHIO FROM JUST WEST OF RAVENSWOOD WEST VIRGINIA NORTHWARD TO JUST WEST
OF THE EXTREME NORTHERN TIER OF THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE. MOVEMENT WAS
EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR. THIS LINE WAS EMBEDDED IN A VERY LARGE AREA
OF RAIN WITH EMBEDDED SHOWERS WHICH COVERED MUCH OF WESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA..THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA AND THE EASTERN
HALF OF OHIO.

THIS LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO NORTHWESTERN WEST
VIRGINIA WITHIN THE NEXT HALF HOUR AND INTO THE NORTH CENTRAL COUNTIES
WITHIN THE NEXT 1 TO 2 HOURS.

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

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. IF
SEVERE WEATHER AND/OR FLOODING IS OBSERVED..RELAY THE REPORT TO THE
NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SER]VICE.

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

END/FERRELL
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 7:53 AM EDT, 49 minutes before
WVZ002-005-081200-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
750 AM EDT FRI MAY 08 1990

A LINE OF HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING THROUGH NORTHERN WEST
VIRGINIA.  THE LINE EXTENDED FROM NEAR WHEELING IN THE NORTHERN
PANHANDLE SOUTHWARD INTO WETZEL AND TYLER COUNTIES.  THE LINE
WAS MOVING EAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR... AND WILL MOVE INTO
PORTIONS OF MONONGALIA..MARION AND DODDRIDGE COUNTIES WITHIN THE HOUR.

PERSONS IN THE AREA OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE ALERT TO HEAVY
RAIN...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...BREIF GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLY HAIL.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES..SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

BDG
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 8:02 AM EDT, 40 minutes before
WVZ005-009-081400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKINS WV
800 AM EDT FRI JUN 8 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA...

AT 755 AM EDT RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING
FROM PITTSBURGH PA SOUTHWEST INTO EXTREME WESTERN MONONGALIA COUNTY
OF WEST VIRGINIA ON SOUTHWEST INTO RITCHIE COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA. THIS
LINE IS MOVING EAST AROUND 40 MPH AND WILL BE APPROACHING THE CITIES
OF MORGANTOWN...CLARKSBURG AND WESTON AND AREAS IN BETWEEN DURING THE
NEXT HOUR TO HOUR AND A HALF.

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

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. IF
SEVERE WEATHER AND/OR FLOODING IS OBSERVED..RELAY THE REPORT TO THE
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/GILKERSON
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 8:03 AM EDT, 39 minutes before
WVZ005-009-081400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKINS WV
800 AM EDT FRI JUN 8 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA...

AT 755 AM EDT RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING
FROM PITTSBURGH PA SOUTHWEST INTO EXTREME WESTERN MONONGALIA COUNTY
OF WEST VIRGINIA ON SOUTHWEST INTO RITCHIE COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA. THIS
LINE IS MOVING EAST AROUND 40 MPH AND WILL BE APPROACHING THE CITIES
OF MORGANTOWN...CLARKSBURG AND WESTON AND AREAS IN BETWEEN DURING THE
NEXT HOUR TO HOUR AND A HALF.

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

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. IF
SEVERE WEATHER AND/OR FLOODING IS OBSERVED..RELAY THE REPORT TO THE
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/GILKERSON
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 8:29 AM EDT, 13 minutes before
WVZ002-005-081200-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
830 AM EDT FRI MAY 08 1990

IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS ISSUED BETWEEN
800 AND 830 AM THE WEATHER RADAR IS ALSO INDICATING STRONG THUNDERSTORM
ACTIVITY IN THE GILMER AND HARRISON COUNTIES IN WEST VIRGINIA MOVING
EASTWARD.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY CONTAIN SMALL HAIL BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND STRANG
WINDS.

END AAR

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 8, 6:40 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXPutnam65 min
Jun 8, 7:05 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXKanawha, Roane55 min
Jun 8, 7:56 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXNicholas64 min
Jun 8, 7:57 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXFayette63 min
Jun 8, 8:14 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXMarion, Monongalia61 min
Jun 8, 8:23 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXGreenbrier67 min
Jun 8, 9:04 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXSummers41 min
Jun 8, 3:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXPleasants, Ritchie42 min
Jun 8, 3:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXDoddridge62 min
Jun 8, 3:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXHarrison67 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.