Alert archive / West Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 3, NWS Charleston, WV
NWS Charleston, WV issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 16, 1990, 7:09 PM EDT for Calhoun County, West Virginia. It was in force for 51 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
- May 16, 1990, 7:09 PM EDT (23:09 UTC)
- Expired
- May 16, 1990, 8:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 51 min
- Issued by
- NWS Charleston, WV
- Area
- Whole counties
County Calhoun 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 7:15 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | Calhoun, 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
Huntington/Tri S, WV (KHTS), launched 12:00Z, 11.2 hours before the alert went out and 131 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 179 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -83 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1097 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 24 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 239 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 217 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 1.3
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KCRW 162310 SVRCRW WVC013-170000- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV 709 PM EDT WED MAY 16 1990 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 800 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...... IN NORTH CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA ...CALHOUN COUNTY AT 7 PM EDT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN CHARLESTON DETECTED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ALONG THE ROANE CALHOUN COUNTY LINE...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. 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. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.
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, May 16, 5:32 PM EDT, 1 hour 37 minutes before
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
Special weather statement, May 16, 5:43 PM EDT, 1 hour 26 minutes before
KYZ006-008-OHZ008-009-WVZ003-162330 SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...AMENDED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTINGTON WV 530 PM EDT WED MAY 16 1990 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE TRI-STATE AREA UNTIL 11PM EDT THIS EVENING... AT 520PM EDT..WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDESTORMS EXTENDING FROM JUST WEST OF POMEROY IN MEIGS COUNTY OHIO SOUTHWEST THROUGH GREENUP AND CARTER COUNTIES IN KENTUCKY TO 25 MILES EAST OF LEXINGTON. THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER GREENUP KENTUCKY AND 5 MILES WEST OF CARTER CAVES IN CARTER COUNTY KENTUCKY. THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL REACH THE HUNTINGTON AREA WITHIN THE HOUR. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...DEADLY LIGHTNING... STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THESES STORMS YOU SHOULD REMAIN INDOORS UNTIL THEY HAVE PASSED. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS..THE TELEPHONE AND OTHER ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES. HEAVY RAINFALL ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS MAY CAUSE FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS. CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS. YOUNG...
Special weather statement, May 16, 6:25 PM EDT, 44 minutes before
KYZ006-008-OHZ008-009-WVZ003-162330 SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTINGTON WV 620 PM EDT WED MAY 16 1990 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE TRI-STATE AREA UNTIL 11PM EDT THIS EVENING... AT 615 PM EDT...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDESTORMS CROSSING THE OHIO RIVER INTO WEST VIRGINIA FROM PARKERSBURG WEST VIRGINIA TO SANDY HOOK IN ELLIOTT COUNTY KENTUCKY. THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE JUST NORTHEAST OF PROCTERVILLE OHIO AND NEAR CANNONSBURG IN BOYD COUNTY KENTUCKY. THESE STORMS PRODUCED WIND GUSTS NEAR 40 MPH AT THE TRI STATE AIRPORT IN CEREDO WEST VIRGINIA. ADDITIONALLY...THESE STORMS MAY CONTAIN DEADLY LIGHTNING STRIKES...VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND POSSIBLY HAIL. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SEEK SAFE SHELTER INDOORS UNTIL THEY HAVE PASSED. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS..THE TELEPHONE AND OTHER ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES. HEAVY RAINFALL ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS MAY CAUSE FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS. CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. YOUNG...
Special weather statement, May 16, 6:26 PM EDT, 43 minutes before
WVZ006>008-170000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV 620 PM EDT THU MAY 16 1990 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN WEST VIRGINIA INCLUDING MINGO AND LOGAN COUNTIES UNTIL 11 PM EDT. AT 615 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT BECKLEY SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL EXTENDING ALONG THE OHIO RIVER FROM NEAR PARKERSBURG TO HUNTINGTON AND ON SOUTHWESTWARD INTO KENTUCKY. THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS AS THEY MOVE INTO THE SOUTHWEST COAL FIELD OF WEST VIRGINIA. END/FUNDERBURK
Special weather statement, May 16, 6:43 PM EDT, 26 minutes before
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
Special weather statement, May 16, 7:07 PM EDT, 2 minutes before
KYZ006-008-OHZ008-009-WVZ003-170000 SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTINGTON WV 705 PM EDT WED MAY 16 1990 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE TRI-STATE ARE
The office that day
Everything else NWS Charleston, WV issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 6:00 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | RLX | Marion, Monongalia, Preston | 2 hr |
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.