Alert archive / West Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 1994

Flash Flood Warning 49, NWS Charleston, WV

March 10, 1994Tyler County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this flash flood warning at Mar 10, 1994, 3:41 AM EST for Tyler County, West Virginia. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 10, 1994, 3:41 AM EST (08:41 UTC)
Expired
Mar 10, 1994, 7:45 AM EST
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Whole counties

County Tyler County, WV

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 00:00Z, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 125 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, Pittsburgh, PA at 00:00Z on 1994-03-10Temperature 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, Pittsburgh, PA at 00:00Z on 1994-03-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 593 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
482 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
78 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
593 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
665 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 100842
FFWCRW
WVC095-101245-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
341 AM EST THU MAR 10 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A
FLOOD WARNING  EFFECTIVE UNTIL  700 AM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION......
 
IN NORTHWEST WEST VIRGINIA
 
   ...TYLER COUNTY
 
FLOODING IS REPORTED ALONG MIDDLE ISLAND CREEK. SEVEN ROADS ARE ALREADY
UNDER WATER, AND MORE ROAD CLOSINGS WILL OCCUR SHORTLY. MIDDLE ISLAND
CREEK WAS 3 FEET ABOVE ITS BANKS AT 3:30 AM THIS MORNING, AND HAD BEEN
RISING AT 1 1/2 FEET PER HOUR.
 
MOST DEATHS IN FLASH FLOODING 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. DO NOT DRIVE AROUND POLICE BARRICADES.
 
A FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING IN THE WARNING AREA.
FLOODING IS VERY DANGEROUS.  KEEP AWAY FROM ANY FLOODING.
 
EOM

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, Mar 9, 9:58 PM EST, 5 hours 43 minutes before
WVZ024-025-033>036-042>045-100500-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
940 PM EST WED MAR 9 1994

...FLOOD WATCH TONIGHT FOR SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA...
...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS AND
   GREENBRIER VALLEY OF WEST VIRGINIA...

WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWS A LARGE AREA OF PRECIPITATION COVERING
THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA, WHICH EXTENDS SOUTH INTO THE GULF OF
MEXICO. MOST OF THIS IS FALLING IN THE FORM OF LIGHT RAIN, WITH SOME
POCKETS OF FREEZING RAIN NOTED OVER THE GREENBRIER VALLEY AND THE
SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS OF WEST VIRGINIA INTO PORTIONS OF EXTREME SOUTHWEST
VIRGINIA.

THE FREEZING RAIN IS EXPECTED TO LINGER TO AROUND MIDNIGHT, IN THE
ADVISED AREA, UNTIL WARMER AIR MOVES UP FROM THE SOUTH. THIS WILL
CHANGE ANY FREEZING PRECIPITATION BACK OVER TO RAIN. WHEREAS IN THE
THE WESTERN LOWLANDS, THE LIGHT RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS THAT MAY BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES. THIS STEADY
PRECIPITATION; ALONG WITH THE ALREADY SATURATED GROUNDS AND AFTERNOON
AND EVENING RAINS, WILL KEEP THE FLOOD THREAT VERY POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT.

RECENT REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAVE INDICATED THAT NO
FLOODING PROBLEMS HAVE YET DEVELOPED OVER THE WATCH AREA SO
FAR THIS EVENING.

MOTORISTS DRIVING THROUGH THE ADVISORY AREA THIS EVENING, ARE URGED TO
USE CAUTION AND WATCH FOR ICY SPOTS.

ALSO, MOTORISTS SHOULD USE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING ACROSS WEST VIRGINIA
TONIGHT, AS THE DEPTH OF WATER OVER ROADWAYS CAN BE HARD TO JUDGE
WHICH COULD LEAD TO A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION.

TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO HOLD NEARLY STEADY THIS EVENING BEFORE
SLOWLY WARMING OVERNIGHT INTO THE UPPER 30S TO NEAR 40 OVER
MOST LOCATIONS SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT.

END/ROZANSKI
Special weather statement, Mar 9, 10:34 PM EST, 5 hours 7 minutes before
WVZ005>047-VAZ001>017-101000-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND
EVENING WEATHER STORY FOR THE MOUNTAINS AND WESTERN
SLOPES OF WEST VIRGINIA AND EXTREME SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
1030 PM EST WED MAR 9 1993

        ...FLOOD WATCH TONIGHT FOR THE ENTIRE REGION....
...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR SOUTHEASTERN WEST VIRGINIA
   AND THE NEW RIVER VALLEY IN VIRGINIA...

RAIN CONTINUED ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION DURING THE EVENING. THE
INTENSITY PICKED UP OVER SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA WEST OF THE NEW RIVER
VALLEY AND THE WESTERN HALF OF WEST VIRGINIA. IN SOUTHEASTERN WEST
VIRGINIA AND THE NEW RIVER VALLEY IN VIRGINIA POCKETS OF FREEZING RAIN
PERSISTED. TEMPERATURES RANGED FROM THE LOW TO MID 30S ALONG THE OHIO
RIVER AND SOUTHEASTERN PORTIONS OF WEST VIRGINIA AND THE NEW RIVER
VALLEY IN VIRGINIA, TO THE MID 40S IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN WEST
VIRGINIA TO THE LOWER 50S NEAR THE TENNESSEE BORDER IN FAR SOUTHWESTERN
VIRGINIA.
WYTHEVILLE IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA REPORTED ICE ACCUMULATIONS UP TO ONE
HALF INCH. BRIDGES ON I-64 IN EASTERN GREENBRIER COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA
REPORTED ICY AREAS.

THE EVENING WEATHER MAP SHOW A STORM OVER SOUTHEASTERN KENTUCKY WITH A
COLD FRONT TRAILING SOUTH INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO. A WARM FRONT EXTENDS
NORTHEAST FROM THE STORM TO NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA, THEN LOOPS SOUTH
ALONG THE MOUNTAINS AS A STATIONARY FRONT INTO THE NORTH CAROLINA
MOUNTAINS. HIGH PRESSURE WAS OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PLAINS
STATES.

THE STORM WILL RACE NORTH TO WESTERN NEW YORK BY THURSDAY MORNING. A
QUICK SURGE OF WARMER AIR WILL PUSH ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION TO THE
EAST OF THE STORM DURING THE NIGHT. THE THREAT FOR HEAVY RAIN WILL
CONTINUE PAST MIDNIGHT. HOWEVER, THE TRAILING COLD FRONT WILL PUSH
ACROSS THE WESTERN LOWLANDS TO NEAR THE MOUNTAINS BY SUNRISE ALLOWING A
RETURN TO COLDER AIR IN THE WEST BY THAT TIME.

RIVERS ARE ALSO RUNNING HIGH IN SOUTHWESTERN AND CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA.
RIVERS IN THIS AREA ARE LIKELY TO REACH THREE QUARTER TO NEAR BANKFULL
LATE TONIGHT AND THURSDAY AS A RESULT OF THIS RAIN.

COLDER AIR WILL PUSH ACROSS THE REGION THURSDAY MORNING AS THE TRAILING
COLD FRONT MOVES EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS WELL BEFORE NOON. THE LIGHT RAIN
IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE INTO SNOW SHOWERS DURING THE DAY WITH POSSIBLE
ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES IN WEST VIRGINIA, MAINLY IN THE NORTH
AND MOUNTAIN AREAS.

A FEW SNOW FLURRIES MAY LINGER THURSDAY EVENING IN THE NORTHERN AREAS
OF WEST VIRGINIA. OTHERWISE SKIES ARE FORECAST TO BECOME PARTLY CLOUDY.
ON FRIDAY HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE AREA BRINGING SUNSHINE,
BUT TEMPERATURES WILL STILL REMAIN SOME 5 TO 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL.
DRY WEATHER AND MODERATING TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST FOR THE WEEKEND.

...HAZARDOUS WEATHER POTENTIAL THROUGH MONDAY...

HEAVY RAINS WILL BRING THE THREAT OF FLOODING FOR THE ENTIRE REGION
OVERNIGHT.

POCKETS OF FREEZING RAIN WILL LINGER UNTIL AROUND MIDNIGHT TONIGHT IN
SOUTHEASTERN WEST VIRGINIA AND THE NEW RIVER BASIN IN SOUTHWESTERN
VIIGINIA.

RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW ON THURSDAY, POSSIBLY CAUSING ADDITIONAL WINTER
RELATED PROBLEMS IN WEST VIRGINIA, MAINLY OVER THE NORTH AND MOUNTAIN
AREAS.

ZINN
Special weather statement, Mar 10, 12:10 AM EST, 3 hours 31 minutes before
WVZ024-025-033>036-042>045-100900-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
1210 AM EST THU MAR 10 1994

...FLOOD WATCH OVERNIGHT FOR SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA...

RAIN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVER ALL OF SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA DURING
THE EARLY MORNING PERIOD. SOME OF THIS RAIN MAY BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES
OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN LOWLANDS AS THE SYSTEM FROM THE SOUTHWEST
CONTINUES TO PUSH NORTHEASTWARD THIS MORNING. THIS, COMBINED WITH
RECENT RAINFALL AND ALREADY SATURATED GROUNDS, WILL CONTINUE TO
KEEP FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS A POSSIBILITY EARLY THIS
MORNING.

THE FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY THAT WAS ISSUED EARLIER THIS EVENING FOR
THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS AND GREENBRIER VALLEY, HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
THIS IS DUE PRIMARILY IN PART BY THE WARMER AIR BEING FORCED INTO THE
REGION. HOWEVER, THE CHANCE OF A FEW LINGERING POCKETS OF FREEZING
RAIN ARE STILL POSSIBLE IN ISOLATED AREAS.

CURRENT REPORTS, TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, CONTINUED TO INDICATE
THAT NO CREEK OR SMALL STREAM FLOODING HAS YET DEVELOPED OVER SOUTHERN
WEST VIRGINIA. THE ONLY SITUATION WAS A MINOR DRAINAGE PROBLEM NEAR
MT. GAY IN LOGAN COUNTY EARLIER THIS EVENING.

TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN NEARLY STEADY, TO SLOWLY RISING, IN THE
MID TO UPPER 30S OVER MOST LOCATIONS THROUGH 4 AM.

NIGHTTIME MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO RECOGNIZE FLOODED AREAS. USE CAUTION
NEAR ANY SMALL STREAMS OR CREEKS OVERNIGHT.

ALSO, IF YOU LIVE ALONG ANY STREAMS OR CREEKS, YOU SHOULD MONITOR THEM
CLOSELY OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS, AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO HIGHER
GROUND SHOULD FLOODING OCCUR.

END/ROZANSKI
Special weather statement, Mar 10, 12:32 AM EST, 3 hours 9 minutes before
WVZ005>047-VAZ001>017-100800-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
1230 AM EST THU MAR 10 1994

...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN WEST VIRGINIA AND THE
   NEW RIVER VALLEY IN VIRGINIA HAS EXPIRED...

TEMPERATURES HAVE SLOWLY RISEN IN MOST LOCATIONS OF SOUTEASTERN
WEST VIRGINIA AND THE NEW RIVER VALLEY OF VIRGINIA DURING THE
EVENING. A FEW POCKETS OF FREEZING RAIN OR DRIZZLE LINGERED
AT MIDNIGHT, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THE PRECIPITATION WAS NOW
FALLING IN THE FORM OF RAIN AS TEMPERATURES PUSH ABOVE THE FREEZING
MARK.

A FEW ICY AREAS WILL LINGER INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS SO MOTORISTS
SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE ALERT FOR ICY PATCHES. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO
INCREASE FROM THE SOUTHWEST AND WARM TEMPERATURES INTO THE 40S
DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS.

A FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR ALL OF
SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA AND THE MOUNTAINS AND WESTERN SLOPES OF WEST
VIRGINIA.

END/PCZ

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 9, 10:40 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningRLXDoddridge, Gilmer6 hr
Mar 10, 5:15 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningRLXHarrison, Marion, Monongalia3 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.