Alert archive / West Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 1994

Flash Flood Warning 2, NWS Charleston, WV

January 7, 1994Lincoln County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this flash flood warning at Jan 7, 1994, 11:29 AM EST for Lincoln County, West Virginia. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jan 7, 1994, 11:29 AM EST (16:29 UTC)
Expired
Jan 7, 1994, 3:30 PM EST
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Whole counties

County Lincoln County, WV

The nearest sounding before it

Huntington/Tri S, WV (KHTS), launched 12:00Z, 4.5 hours before the alert went out and 43 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 1994-01-07Temperature 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 1994-01-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 224 square meters per square second.1939587897117136156Sfc1 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
467 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
72 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
224 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
252 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 071630
FFWCRW
WVC043-072030-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
1129 AM EST FRI JAN 7 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  330 PM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION......
 
IN WEST WEST VIRGINIA
 
   ...LINCOLN COUNTY
 
RAINFALL SINCE LAST NIGHT AND SNOWMELT HAVE CAUSED RISES ALONG MARRETS
CREEK AND THE MUD RIVER. THIS HAS CAUSED WATER TO GO OVER ROUTE 3 IN
HAMLIN, AND OVER BULGER ROAD.
 
ANYONE LIVING OR TRAVELING NEAR WATERWAYS IN LINCOLN COUNTY SHOULD BE
ALERT FOR RAPID WATER RISES AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION.
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS
IMMINENT.  MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.  DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS
THE ROADWAY.  NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL
ONE...ON FOOT.  TO ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND.
 
REYNOLDS

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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, Jan 7, 6:20 AM EST, 5 hours 9 minutes before
WVZ005-006-KYZ101-103-105-OHZ087-071300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTINGTON WV
620 AM EST FRI JAN 7 1994

....LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN CONTINUES IN THE TRI STATE...

AT 615 AM EST WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF LIGHT AND
MODERATE RAIN THROUGHOUT THE TRI STATE.

RAINFALL TOTALS OVERNIGHT THROUGHOUT THE TRI STATE HAVE RANGED FROM
ONE HALF TO ONE INCH.
LIGHT RAIN...WITH OCCASIONAL BURSTS OF MODERATE RAIN WILL CONTINUE
EARLY THIS MORNING.

WITH THE RECENT HEAVY SNOWFALL AN ADDITIONAL RUNOFF OF WATER WILL OCCUR
CREATING PONDING OF WATER ON MANY ROADWAYS RESULTING IN SLIPPERY DRIVING
CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION WATER LEVELS IN STREAMS AND CREEKS WILL RISE.

CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.

END/CICCONE
Special weather statement, Jan 7, 6:22 AM EST, 5 hours 7 minutes before
WVZ005-006-KYZ101-103-105-OHZ087-071300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTINGTON WV
620 AM EST FRI JAN 7 1994

....LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN CONTINUES IN THE TRI STATE...

AT 615 AM EST WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF LIGHT AND
MODERATE RAIN THROUGHOUT THE TRI STATE.

RAINFALL TOTALS OVERNIGHT THROUGHOUT THE TRI STATE HAVE RANGED FROM
ONE HALF TO ONE INCH.
LIGHT RAIN...WITH OCCASIONAL BURSTS OF MODERATE RAIN WILL CONTINUE
EARLY THIS MORNING.

WITH THE RECENT HEAVY SNOWFALL AN ADDITIONAL RUNOFF OF WATER WILL OCCUR
CREATING PONDING OF WATER ON MANY ROADWAYS RESULTING IN SLIPPERY DRIVING
CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION WATER LEVELS IN STREAMS AND CREEKS WILL RISE.^

CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.

END/CICCONE
Special weather statement, Jan 7, 7:38 AM EST, 3 hours 51 minutes before
WVZ005>047-071700-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
735 AM EST FRI JAN 7 1993

...RAIN TODAY, FOLLOWED BY BIG FREEZE TONIGHT...

A STORM CENTERED OVER EASTERN KENTUCKY THIS MORNING WILL MOVE NORTHEAST
ACROSS NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA TODAY AND INTO EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA
TONIGHT. THE STORM HAD SPREAD RAIN ACROSS MUCH OF WEST VIRGINIA THIS
MORNING.

RAINFALL BY 700 AM THIS MORNING RANGED FROM JUST A TRACE IN
SOUTHEASTERN AREAS UP TO ONE HALF TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH IN
WESTERN AND NORTHER AREAS. HUNTINGTON HAS HAD .70 INCHES, CLARKSBURG
0.64 INCHES, CHARLESTON 0.48 INCHES, ROWLESBURG 0.61 INCHES,
AND WESTON 0.78 INCHES.

SO FAR, MOST OF THE RAIN HAS SOAKED INTO THE HEAVY SNOW COVER. HOWEVER
IN WESTERN COUNTIES THAT RECEIVED THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF SNOW IN THE
STORM EARLIER THIS WEEK, MUCH OF THE SNOW IS MELTING. RUNOFF FROM THIS
SNOWMELT AND RAINFALL MAY BRING SMALL STREAMS TO NEAR BANKFULL DURING
THE DAY ACROSS THE WESTERN LOWLANDS.

POOR DRAINAGE MAY BE A MAJOR PROBLEM TODAY RESULTING IN PONDING OF
WATER DUE TO CLOGGED COLVERTS AND PILES OF ICE AND SNOW. DUE TO THE
LARGE AMOUNTS OF SNOW AND ICE STILL PILED ALONG STREETS AND ROIADWAYS,
THE WATER MAY NOT RUN OFF AS YOU WOULD EXPECT. MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO
BE ALERT FOR STANDING WATER AND WATER FLOWING ACROSS ROADWAYS.

MUCH COLDER AIR WILL POUR INTO THE STATE TONIGHT CHANGING THE RAIN TO
LIGHT SNOW. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP WELL BELOW FREEZING
TONIGHT AND THE LIGHT SNOW COMBINED WITH FREEZING RUNOFF WATER WILL
MAKE FOR HAZARDOUS DRIVING IN MANY AREAS.

ZINN
Special weather statement, Jan 7, 9:46 AM EST, 1 hour 43 minutes before
WVZ005>047-072000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
945 AM EST FRI JAN 7 1993

MINOR SMALL STREAM FLOODING IS BEING REPORTED ACROSS WESTERN WEST
VIRGINIA THIS MORNING.

A COMBINATION OF RAIN, SNOWMELT, AND WARM MOIST AIR HAS CAUSED RAPID
RISES IN SMALL STREAMS.  MANY REPORTS OF LOW-LYING ROADS BEING UP TO
2 TO 3 FEET UNDER WATER HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE WESTERN SLOPES OF
WEST VIRGINIA FROM THE PARKERSBURG WV AREA ON SOUTH.  ABOUT AN INCH OF
RAIN HAS FALLEN ACROSS THE AREA LATE YESTERDAY AND LAST NIGHT.  RAIN
IS DECREASING IN INTENSITY ACROSS THE AREA.

COOLER AIR WILL SWEEP INTO THE AREA BETWEEN 1PM AND 4PM THIS AFTERNOON.
THE COOLER AIR WILL STOP THE RAPID MELT OF SNOW AND ALLOW THE SNOW TO
HOLD RAIN THAT HAS FALLEN.  WATER PROBLEMS WILL END AT THAT TIME.

IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF WEST VIRGINIA AND AREAS NORTH OF PARKERSBURG
WV COOLER AIR HAS ALLOWED THE DEEPER SNOW COVER TO ABSORB ALMOST ALL
OF THE RAINFALL.  NO FLOODING OF ANY SORT IS ANTICIPATED UP THERE.

DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH WATER FLOWING ACROSS ROADS.  FLOWING WATER OFTEN
UNDERMINES ROADS, AND MOTORISTS COULD BE SWEPT AWAY IF THAT HAPPENS.

EOM
Special weather statement, Jan 7, 10:27 AM EST, 1 hour 2 minutes before
WVZ024-025-033>037-042>045-072100-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
1027 AM EST FRI JAN 7 1994

...COLDER AIR WILL INVADE THE MOUNTAIN STATE BEGINNING THIS
AFTERNOON...

A COLD FRONT ALONG THE OHIO RIVER THAT WILL MOVE EASTWARD THROUGH THE
MOUNTAIN STATE THIS AFTERNOON WILL USHER IN ANOTHER ROUND OF WINTERY
WEATHER FROM LATE THIS EVENING INTO SATURDAY. OVERNIGHT ACCUMULATIONS
ARE ONLY EXPECTED TO BE FROM 1 TO 3 INCHES...HOWEVER THE MAIN
PROBLEMS TONIGHT WILL BE WATER ON THE ROADS FROM TODAYS RAINFALL AND
SNOWMELT BECOMING ICY. THIS COMBINED WITH SNOW ACCCUMULATING ON THE
ICE WILL CAUSE SOME ROADWAYS TO BE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TONIGHT AND
SATURDAY. DENSE FOG WILL DEVELOP IN SOME AREAS ADDING TO THE DANGEROUS
DRIVING CONDITIONS. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO DRIVE WITH CAUTION.

SOME MINOR FLOODING MAY OCCUR THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS SOUTHERN WEST
VIRGINIA DUE TO THE SNOWMELT AND RAIN. THE FLOODING WILL MAINLY BE
IN AREAS OF POOR DRAINAGE OR WHERE URBAN FLOODING OCCASIONALLY
OCCURS.

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

END/MONEYPENNY
Special weather statement, Jan 7, 10:27 AM EST, 1 hour 2 minutes before
WVZ024-025-033>037-042>045-072100-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
1027 AM EST FRI JAN 7 1994

...COLDER AIR WILL INVADE THE MOUNTAIN STATE BEGINNING THIS
AFTERNOON...

A COLD FRONT ALONG THE OHIO RIVER THAT WILL MOVE EASTWARD THROUGH THE
MOUNTAIN STATE THIS AFTERNOON WILL USHER IN ANOTHER ROUND OF WINTERY
WEATHER FROM LATE THIS EVENING INTO SATURDAY. OVERNIGHT ACCUMULATIONS
ARE ONLY EXPECTED TO BE FROM 1 TO 3 INCHES...HOWEVER THE MAIN
PROBLEMS TONIGHT WILL BE WATER ON THE ROADS FROM TODAYS RAINFALL AND
SNOWMELT BECOMING ICY. THIS COMBINED WITH SNOW ACCCUMULATING ON THE
ICE WILL CAUSE SOME ROADWAYS TO BE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TONIGHT AND
SATURDAY. DENSE FOG WILL DEVELOP IN SOME AREAS ADDING TO THE DANGEROUS
DRIVING CONDITIONS. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO DRIVE WITH CAUTION.

SOME MINOR FLOODING MAY OCCUR THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS SOUTHERN WEST
VIRGINIA DUE TO THE SNOWMELT AND RAIN. THE FLOODING WILL MAINLY BE
IN AREAS OF POOR DRAINAGE OR WHERE URBAN FLOODING OCCASIONALLY
OCCURS.

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

END/MONEYPENNY

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 7, 11:18 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningRLXTyler6 hr
Jan 7, 1:00 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningRLXHarrison, Lewis, Upshur4 hr
Jan 7, 1:00 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningRLXBarbour, Randolph, Tucker4 hr
Jan 7, 1:36 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningRLXKanawha4 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in West Virginia, 1994Every flash flood warning in 1994

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.