Alert archive / West Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 1994

Flash Flood Warning 76, NWS Charleston, WV

May 7, 1994Taylor County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this flash flood warning at May 7, 1994, 8:41 PM EDT for Taylor County, West Virginia. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 7, 1994, 8:41 PM EDT (00:41 UTC)
Expired
May 8, 1994, 12:45 AM EDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Whole counties

County Taylor County, WV

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 00:00Z, 0.7 hours before the alert went out and 120 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 1994-05-08Temperature 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 1994-05-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 103 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
523 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
61 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
103 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
28 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 KEKN 080041
FFWEKN
WVC033-091-093-097-080445-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKINS WV
841 PM EDT SAT MAY 7 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ELKINS HAS ISSUED A
FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1245 AM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTH WEST VIRGINIA
 
   ...HARRISON COUNTY...TAYLOR COUNTY...TUCKER COUNTY
   ...UPSHUR COUNTY
 
OFFICIALS IN HARRISON COUNTY REPORT THAT FLOODING WAS OCCURRING ON
PATERSON FORK RUNNING THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF SALEM, WEST
VIRGINIA. PATERSON FORK ROAD WAS COVERED BY WATER IN SEVERAL PLACES AND
TWO BRIDGES ARE ALSO CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WATER. WIDESPREAD CULVERT
OVERFLOW WAS OCCURRING ACROSS THE COUNTY WITH ROADS AND HIGHWAYS
REPORTED CLOSED IN SALEM, CLARKSBURG, ANMOORE AND BRIDGEPORT.
 
OFFICIALS IN UPSHUR COUNTY REPORT FLOODING IN THE SHELBYVILLE AREA IN
THE SOUTHERN END OF THE COUNTY. LOW LYING AREAS NEAR THE BUCKHANNON
RIVER ARE NOW UNDER WATER, WITH VEHICLES AND RESIDENTS BEING MOVED TO
HIGHER GROUND.
 
AUTOMATED RAIN GAGES IN TUCKER COUNTY INDICATE THAT FLOODING OF SMALL
STREAMS AND CREEKS MAY BE IN PROGRESS.
 
REPORTS FROM OFFICIALS IN TAYLOR COUNTY INDICATED THAT SMALL STREAMS AND
CREEK IN THE GRAFTON, BLUEVILLE AND LUCRETIA AREAS AND ALONG CURVED
BRIDGE ROAD WERE OVERFLOWING THEIR BANKS.
 
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.  IF FLASH FLOODING IS
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY.  MOVE UP TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.  DO
NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.
 
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO
CROSS SAFELY.  VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE
ABANDONED QUICKLY.  MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.
 
 
END/
 
FERRELL/HILL
 
NNNN

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, May 7, 3:59 PM EDT, 4 hours 42 minutes before
WVZ015-016-018-027-028-037-038-080000-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
400 PM EDT SAT MAY 7 1994

MODERATE TO HEAVY SHOWERS HAVE FALLEN LAST NIGHT AND TODAY OVER THE
CENTRAL MOUNTAINS OF WEST VIRGINIA.  IN PARTICULAR, THE HEAVIER RAINS
HAVE FALLEN IN WEBSTER AND PORTIONS OF RANDOLF AND PORTIONS OF
POCAHONTAS COUNTIES INCLUDING: THE UPPER REACHES OF THE ELK RIVER, THE
HOLLY RIVER, THE UPPER REACHES OF THE GAULEY RIVER AND THE WILLIAMS
RIVER.

THIS RAINFALL, COMBINED WITH SOME ADDITIONAL MODERATE RAINSHOWERS
EXPECTED TONIGHT, WILL BRING THE STREAMS AND RIVERS IN THIS AREA TO 3/4
BANKFULL WITH SOME LOCATIONS APPROACHING BANKFULL.

NO FLOODING IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER, THE WEATHER SERVICE WILL
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PRECIPITATION AS IT MOVES THROUGH THIS AREA
THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT.

END/REZEK
Special weather statement, May 7, 4:00 PM EDT, 4 hours 41 minutes before
WVZ015-016-018-027-028-037-038-080000-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
400 PM EDT SAT MAY 7 1994

MODERATE TO HEAVY SHOWERS HAVE FALLEN LAST NIGHT AND TODAY OVER THE
CENTRAL MOUNTAINS OF WEST VIRGINIA.  IN PARTICULAR, THE HEAVIER RAINS
HAVE FALLEN IN WEBSTER AND PORTIONS OF RANDOLF AND PORTIONS OF
POCAHONTAS COUNTIES INCLUDING: THE UPPER REACHES OF THE ELK RIVER, THE
HOLLY RIVER, THE UPPER REACHES OF THE GAULEY RIVER AND THE WILLIAMS
RIVER.

THIS RAINFALL, COMBINED WITH SOME ADDITIONAL MODERATE RAINSHOWERS
EXPECTED TONIGHT, WILL BRING THE STREAMS AND RIVERS IN THIS AREA TO 3/4
BANKFULL WITH SOME LOCATIONS APPROACHING BANKFULL.

NO FLOODING IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER, THE WEATHER SERVICE WILL
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PRECIPITATION AS IT MOVES THROUGH THIS AREA
THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT.

END/REZEK
Special weather statement, May 7, 5:30 PM EDT, 3 hours 11 minutes before
WVZ042>045-080000-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
530 PM EDT SAT MAY 7 1994

...ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING ACROSS SUMMERS COUNTY...

AT 535 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
HINTON IN SUMMERS COUNTY. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST AT AROUND
40 MPH. THE STORM WILL MOVE INTO NORTHWESTERN MONROE AND SOUTHERN GREENBRIER
COUNTIES BEFORE 6 PM.

THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL LIKELY PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS...BRIEF HEAVY
RAIN...AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM
SEEK SHELTER INDOORS.

END/COBB

...CORRECTED FOR MOVEMENT...
Special weather statement, May 7, 5:41 PM EDT, 3 hours before
WVZ042>045-080000-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BECKLEY WV
530 PM EDT SAT MAY 7 1994

...ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING ACROSS SUMMERS COUNTY...

AT 535 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
HINTON IN SUMMERS COUNTY. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST AT AROUND
40 MPH. THE STORM WILL MOVE INTO NORTHWESTERN MONROE AND SOUTHERN GREENBRIER
COUNTIES BEFORE 6 PM.

THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL LIKELY PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS...BRIEF HEAVY
RAIN...AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM
SEEK SHELTER INDOORS.

END/COBB

...CORRECTED FOR MOVEMENT...

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 7, 8:31 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXDoddridge5 hr
May 7, 8:31 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXLincoln5 hr
May 7, 8:41 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXHarrison, Upshur4 hr
May 7, 8:53 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXCalhoun, Gilmer5 hr
May 7, 9:05 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXClay, Nicholas5 hr
May 7, 9:13 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXBarbour, Randolph4 hr
May 7, 9:13 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXPocahontas4 hr
May 7, 9:13 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXLewis4 hr
May 7, 10:25 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXWebster4 hr
May 7, 11:02 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXKanawha3 hr
May 7, 11:11 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXPutnam3 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.