Alert archive / West Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 39, NWS Charleston, WV

June 18, 1990Wyoming County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 18, 1990, 9:02 PM EDT for Wyoming County, West Virginia. It was in force for 58 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 18, 1990, 9:02 PM EDT (01:02 UTC)
Expired
Jun 18, 1990, 10:00 PM EDT
In force
58 min
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Whole counties

County Wyoming 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, 1.0 hours before the alert went out and 119 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 1990-06-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1420 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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 1990-06-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 52 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
1420 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1205 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
52 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
101 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.3
Supercell composite
2.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBKW 190102
SVRBKW
WVC109-190200-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
902 PM EDT MON JUN 18 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BECKLEY WV HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA
          ...NORTHERN WYOMING
 
AT 900 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT BECKLEY INDICATED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM OVER NORTHERN WYOMING COUNTY 5 TO 10 MILES WEST OF
KOPPERSTON. THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL
AFFECT THE TOWNS OF CYCLONE...KOPPERSTON...AND GLEN FORK.
 
 
 
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.
 :
PLATE

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 18, 6:00 PM EDT, 3 hours 2 minutes before
WVZ002>009-012-VA015-016-190000-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
WEST VIRGINIA AND EXTREME SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
555 PM EDT MON JUN 18 1990

AT 555 PM CHARLESTON WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM
OVER NORTHERN RITCHIE COUNTY IN WEST VIRGINIA. THIS STORM WAS MOVING
TO THE EAST AT AROUND 30 MILES AN HOUR. THIS STORM WILL MOVE ACROSS
RITCHIE AND DODDRIDGE COUNTIES DURING THE NEXT HOUR. THE COMMUNITIES
OF HARRISVILLE AND WEST UNION ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM.

PERSONS IN RITCHIE AND DODDRIDGE COUNTIES SHOULD REMAIN ALERT
FOR BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL..GUSTY SURFACE WINDS AND
DANGEROUS LIGTHNING. SOME PONDING OF WATER IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS IS
LIKELY.

END/PCZ
Special weather statement, Jun 18, 6:32 PM EDT, 2 hours 30 minutes before
WVZ005-009-010-011-MDZ008-009-182330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKINS WV
630 PM EDT MON JUN 18 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS SCATTERED ACROSS NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA
AND WESTERN MARYLAND...

WEATHER RADAR AT 625 PM EDT INDICATED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER
NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA INTO WESTERN MARYLAND. IN WEST VIRGINIA: ONE
STORM WAS OVER MONONGALIA COUNTY...FROM MORGANTOWN TO TEN MILES WEST
OF THE CITY. A STORM WAS OVER SOUTHERN MINERAL COUNTY AND ANOTHER WAS
MOVING INTO NORTHWEST LEWIS COUNTY. A THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER NORTHEAST
GARRETT COUNTY OF WESTERN MARYLAND NEAR GRANTSVILLE.

THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST AROUND 30 MPH. GUSTY
WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAINS AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL
MAY ACCOMPANY THE PASSAGE OF THESE STORMS.

KEEP A WATCH ON THE SKY AND IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES GO TO
SAFE SHELTER. CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR COMMERCIAL
BROADCAST FOR FURTHER STATEMJENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

GILKERSON
Special weather statement, Jun 18, 7:05 PM EDT, 1 hour 57 minutes before
WVZ005-009-010-011-MDZ008-009-190000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKINS WV
705 PM EDT MON JUN 18 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS SCATTERED ACROSS NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA
AND WESTERN MARYLAND...

WEATHER RADAR AT 700 PM EDT INDICATED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER
NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA INTO WESTERN MARYLAND. A STRONG THUNDERSTORM
WAS MOVING OUT OF EASTERN MONONGALIA COUNTY INTO PRESTON NEAR
KINGWOOD. ANOTHER STORM WAS MOVING ACROSS LEWIS COUNTY INTO UPSHUR
COUNTY OF WEST VIRGINIA. A THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER WESTERN ALLEGANY
COUNTY OF WESTERN MARYLAND JUST NORTHEAST OF CUMBERLAND.

THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST AROUND 30 MPH. GUSTY
WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAINS AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL
MAY ACCOMPANY THE PASSAGE OF THESE STORMS.

KEEP A WATCH ON THE SKY AND IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES GO TO
SAFE SHELTER. CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR COMMERCIAL
BROADCAST FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POiSSIBLE WARNINGS.

GILKERSON
Special weather statement, Jun 18, 8:34 PM EDT, 28 minutes before
WVZ005-009-010-011-MDZ008-009-190130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKINS WV
834 PM EDT MON JUN 18 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS SCATTERED ACROSS NORTHERN AND EASTERN WEST
VIRGINIA AND WESTERN MARYLAND...

WEATHER RADAR AT 825 PM EDT SHOWED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER
NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA INTO WESTERN MARYLAND AND THE POTOMAC
HIGHLANDS OF WEST VIRGINIA. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS IN MINERAL
COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA NEAR KEYSER WILL BE MOVING INTO THE ROMNEY AREA
OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY WITHIN THE NEXT 15 MINUTES. ONE STRONG STORM WAS
ALONG THE SOUTHERN PREST N COUNTY BORDER MOVING INTO GARRETT COUNTY
OF WESTERN MARYLAND..WITH ANOTHER ONE MOVING ALONG THE PENNSYLVANIA
AND GARRETT COUNTY BORDER. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED OVER
MARION AND HARRISON COUNTIES IN WEST VIRGINIA NEAR FAIRMONT AND
CLARKSBURG.

THESE STORMS ARE MOVING SLIGHTLY SOUTH OF EAST AT 20 TO 30 MPH.
STRONG GUSTY WINDS..DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..HEAVY RAINS AND POSSIBLY
SMALL HAIL MAY ACCOMPANY THE PASSAGE OF THESE STORMS.

KEEP A WATCH ON THE SKY AND IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES GO TO
SAFE SHELTER. CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR COMMERCIAL
BROADCAST FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

FERRELL
Special weather statement, Jun 18, 8:38 PM EDT, 24 minutes before
WVZ005-009-010-011-MDZ008-009-190130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKINS WV
834 PM EDT MON JUN 18 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS SCATTERED ACROSS NORTHERN AND EASTERN WEST
VIRGINIA AND WESTERN MARYLAND...

WEATHER RADAR AT 825 PM EDT SHOWED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER
NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA INTO WESTERN MARYLAND AND THE POTOMAC
HIGHLANDS OF WEST VIRGINIA. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS IN MINERAL
COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA NEAR KEYSER AND WILL BE MOVING INTO THE ROMNEY
AREA OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY WITHIN THE NEXT 15 MINUTES. ONE STRONG
STORM WAS ALONG THE SOUTHERN PRESTON COUNTY BORDER MOVING INTO
GARRETT COUNTY OF WESTERN MARYLAND..WITH ANOTHER ONE MOVING ALONG
THE PENNSYLVANIA AND GARRETT COUNTY BORDER. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE
SCATTERED OVER MARION AND HARRISON COUNTIES IN WEST VIRGINIA NEAR
FAIRMONT AND CLARKSBURG.

THESE STORMS ARE MOVING SLIGHTLY SOUTH OF EAST AT 20 TO 30 MPH.
STRONG GUSTY WINDS..DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..HEAVY RAINS AND POSSIBLY
SMALL HAIL MAY ACCOMPANY THE PASSAGE OF THESE STORMS.

KEEP A WATCH ON THE SKY AND IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES GO TO
SAFE SHELTER. CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR COMMERCIAL
BROADCAST FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

FERRELL
Special weather statement, Jun 18, 8:52 PM EDT, 10 minutes before
WVZ006>008-190200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
850 PM EDT MON JUN 18 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA...

AT 840 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT BECKLEY SHOWED A LINE
OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER LOGAN AND MINGO COUNTIES EXTENDING FROM
JUST NORTH OF AMHERSTDALE TO WILLIAMSON. AMHERSTDALE IS LOCATED 35
MILES WEST OF BECKLEY. THIS LINE EXTENDED SOUTHWEST INTO SOUTHEASTERN
KENTUCKY.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE JUST NORTH OF AMHERSTDALE AND ALONG THE MINGO...
LOGAN COUNTY LINE 10 TO 15 MILES SOUTH OF LOGAN. VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...
STRONG GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING MAY ACCOMPANY
THESE STORMS.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL MOVE
THROUGH MINGO...LOGAN...AND NORTHERN WYOMING COUNTIES BY 10 PM. PERSONS
IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND MOVE
TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF A THUNDERST-ORM APPROACHES.

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

END/PLATE

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.