Alert archive / West Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1991

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 21, NWS Charleston, WV

April 9, 1991Raleigh County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 9, 1991, 7:08 PM EDT for Raleigh County, West Virginia. It was in force for 67 min. 2 reports 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
Apr 9, 1991, 7:08 PM EDT (23:08 UTC)
Expired
Apr 9, 1991, 8:15 PM EDT
In force
67 min
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Whole counties

County Raleigh County, WV

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 9, 7:20 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 0Raleigh, WV
Apr 9, 7:30 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 0Raleigh, 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, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 128 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 1991-04-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 211 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 12:00Z on 1991-04-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 157 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
211 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-93 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
764 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
157 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
192 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 KBKW 092310
SVRBKW
WVC081-100015-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
708 PM EDT TUE APR 9 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BECKLEY WV HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  815 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION......
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA
 
   ...RALEIGH COUNTY
 
AT 705 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER
RALEIGH COUNTY. THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN
HOUR.
 
 
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.

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, Apr 9, 4:34 PM EDT, 2 hours 34 minutes before
KYZ006-008-OHZ008-009-WVZ003-092200-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTINGTON WV
435PM EDT TUE APR 09 1991

...TORNADO WATCHES ARE IN EFFECT UNTIL 10PM EDT FOR NORTHEAST
KENTUCKY AND WESTERN WEST VIRGINIA..UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL OHIO...

TORNADO WATCHES HAVE BEEN POSTED FOR ALL OF THE TRI-STATE AREA FOR
THIS EVENING AND EARLY TONIGHT. AT 430PM..WEATHER RADARS INDICATED
A LINE OF VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHING FROM JUST SOUTHEAST
OF DAYTON OHIO..THROUGH SOUTHCENTRAL OHIO..INTO EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY
NEAR LONDON. THIS LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING EAST AROUND 25 MILES AN
HOUR WHILE INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT
AROUND THE SAME SPEED.

THE STORMS WILL BE CROSSING THE TRI-STATE AREA DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL
HOURS. WHILE THERE HAS BEEN NO SEVERE WEATHER REPORTED IN TRI-STATE AREA
AS OF 430PM..SOME OF THESE STORMS HAVE PRODUCED STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND
 HAIL AS THEY MOVED ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL OHIO AND CENTRAL
KENTUCKY EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON. THE POTENTIAL FOR THESE STORMS
TO HAVE HEAVY DOWNPOURS..STRONG WINDS AND SMALL HAIL WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT AS THEY MOVE ACROSS NORTHEAST KENTUCKY..WESTERN
WEST VIRGINIA AND SOUTHCENTRAL OHIO.

REMEMBER..A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN AND
AROUND THE WATCH AREA. FURTHER STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS
WARRANT.

END/DG
Special weather statement, Apr 9, 5:18 PM EDT, 1 hour 50 minutes before
WVZ006-007-008-012-092300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
515 PM EDT TUE APR 09 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR FAYETTE...LOGAN...MCDOWELL...
MINGO...RALEIGH...AND WYOMING COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA
UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING...

AT 510 PM THIS AFTERNOON WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT BECKLEY SHOWED A LINE
OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING NORTH TO SOUTH ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY.
THE LINE WAS MOVING EAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL BE ENTERING
SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA AROUND 6 PM THIS EVENING.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...
DEADLY LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY A TORNADO.  WHEN THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH
YOUR AREA GO TO A REINFORCED SHELTER AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

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

END/CGF
Special weather statement, Apr 9, 5:35 PM EDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
WVZ002>009-012-VAZ015-016-092300-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
535 PM EDT TUE APR 9 1991

...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT WESTERN AND CENTRAL
   WEST VIRGINIA...
...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT FOR NORTHWESTERN
   WEST VIRGINIA...

AT 535 PM THIS AFTERNOON...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED
FROM JUST SOUTH OF CHILLICOTHE IN SOUTHERN OHIO TO JUST EAST OF JACKSON
IN KENTUCKY. THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35
MILES AN HOUR.

THE STORMS WILL BE MOVING ACROSS WEST VIRGINIA DURING THE NEXT COUPLE
OF HOURS. STRONG GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND HAIL ARE
POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR
WESTERN WEST VIRGINIA.

END/RPY
Special weather statement, Apr 9, 5:38 PM EDT, 1 hour 30 minutes before
WVZ005-009-092245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKINS WV
538 PM EDT TUE APR 9 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL WEST
VIRGINIA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

WEATHER RADAR AT 530 PM INDICATED AN AREA OF VERY INTENSE TO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM JUST WEST OF ZANESVILLE OHIO SOUTH TO
NEAR HUNTINGTON WEST VIRGINIA. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING NORTHEAST AT
30 TO 40 MPH.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO NORTH CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA BY 730 PM
THIS EVENING.

KEEP A WATCH ON THE SKY AND MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING
WEATHER APPROACHES. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND
POSSIBLE TORNADOES.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER
RADIO OR COMMERCIAL BROADCAST FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

GILKERSON

NNNN
Special weather statement, Apr 9, 6:06 PM EDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
WVZ006-007-008-012-100000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
610 PM EDT TUE APR 09 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR FAYETTE...LOGAN...MCDOWELL...
MINGO...RALEIGH...AND WYOMING COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA
UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING...

AT 605 PM THIS AFTERNOON WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT BECKLEY SHOWED A LINE
OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...EXTENDING FROM NEAR
POINT PLEASANT SOUTH TO HUNTINGTON...WILLIAMSON AND WISE VIRGINIA.
THE LINE WAS MOVING EAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR AND ENTERING SOUTHERN
WEST VIRGINIA.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE PRODUCING STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...
DEADLY LIGHTNING AND A TORNADO.  WHEN THESE THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH YOUR
AREA GO TO A REINFORCED SHELTER AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.  MOBILE
HOMES GIVE VERY LITTLE PROTECTION...FIND MORE SECURE SHELTER FROM
THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LAT;EST WEATHER INFORMATION.

END/CGF
Special weather statement, Apr 9, 6:38 PM EDT, 30 minutes before
WVZ005-009-092345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKINS WV
635 PM EDT TUE APR 9 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTH CENTRAL AND THE
NORTHERN MOUNTAIN COUNTIES OF WEST VIRGINIA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

WEATHER RADAR AT 630 PM INDICATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS
KANAWHA AND JACKSON COUNTIES OF WEST VIRGINIA. INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENTED NORTH TO JUST WEST OF PARKERSBURG ON NORTH TO WEST OF
WHEELING.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO NORTH CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA BY 730 TO
800 PM THIS EVENING.

KEEP A WATCH ON THE SKY AND MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING
WEATHER APPROACHES. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HEAVY DOWNPOURS
AND POSSIBLE TORNADOES.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO OR COMMERCIAL BROADCAST FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR
POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

GILKERSON

NNNN

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 9, 6:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXPutnam54 min
Apr 9, 6:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXJackson, Kanawha61 min
Apr 9, 6:16 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXLogan, Mingo59 min
Apr 9, 6:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXCalhoun, Clay, Roane38 min
Apr 9, 6:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXNicholas38 min
Apr 9, 7:08 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXLewis, Upshur82 min
Apr 9, 7:12 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBraxton, Gilmer, Ritchie63 min
Apr 9, 7:12 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXWebster63 min
Apr 9, 7:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXFayette46 min
Apr 9, 7:21 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXPocahontas, Randolph99 min
Apr 9, 7:21 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBarbour, Harrison99 min
Apr 9, 7:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXMarion, Taylor91 min
Apr 9, 7:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXTucker91 min
Apr 9, 7:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXMonongalia, Preston2 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in West Virginia, 1991Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1991

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.