Alert archive / West Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 1995

Flash Flood Warning 64, NWS Charleston, WV

August 10, 1995Kanawha County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this flash flood warning at Aug 10, 1995, 3:17 AM EDT for Kanawha County, West Virginia. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 10, 1995, 3:17 AM EDT (07:17 UTC)
Expired
Aug 10, 1995, 7:00 AM EDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Whole counties

County Kanawha County, WV

The radar

The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 17 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:19 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Huntington/Tri S, WV (KHTS), launched 00:00Z, 7.3 hours before the alert went out and 85 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 1995-08-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1332 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 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 1995-08-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 16 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 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
1332 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
875 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
14 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
16 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-65 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 100718
FFWCRW
WVC039-101100-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
317 AM EDT THU AUG 10 1995
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  700 AM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION......
 
IN WEST CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA
 
   ...WESTERN KANAWHA COUNTY
 
THUNDERSTORMS WHICH MOVED THROUGH WESTERN KANAWHA COUNTY DURING THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS HAVE BROUGHT CREEKS AND STREAMS TO BANKFULL LEVELS.
ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA BETWEEN 4 AND 5 AM
PRODUCING EXTENSIVE FLOODING PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY IN THE VICINITY OF ST
ALBANS.
 
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 MOVEH UP TO HIGHER GROUND.

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, Aug 10, 12:10 AM EDT, 3 hours 7 minutes before
KYZ101>103-105-100600-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
1210 AM EDT THU AUG 10 1995

DESPITE THE LATE NIGHT HOUR...SMALL DOWNPOURS WERE MOVING INTO
GREENUP AND BOYD COUNTIES OF NORTHEAST KENTUCKY.  THE
SHOWERS WERE MOVING SOUTH FROM SCIOTO COUNTY OHIO...AT ABOUT
15 TO 20 MPH.

AT MIDNIGHT...THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS CROSSING THE OHIO RIVER NEAR
GREENUP.

THE RAINS WILL BE MOVING SOUTH...AND AFFECT PORTIONS OF CARTER AND
LAWRENCE COUNTIES BETWEEN 12:30 AND 2 AM.  THIS WOULD INCLUDE THE
REGION AROUND GRAYSON.

SEVERAL SMALL STREAMS IN GREENUP AND CARTER COUNTIES RECEIVED
HEAVY SHOWERS BETWEEN 6 AND 8 O'CLOCK WEDNESDAY EVENING.
THUS...AS THIS NEW ROUND OF SHOWERS CROSSES THE AREA...
SMALL STREAMS COULD RISE QUICKLY TO NEAR BANKFULL.

LATE NIGHT MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT CROSS ANY WATER OF UNKNOWN
DEPTH.

END / KTB / NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
Special weather statement, Aug 10, 12:16 AM EDT, 3 hours 1 minute before
KYZ101>103-105-100600-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
1210 AM EDT THU AUG 10 1995

DESPITE THE LATE NIGHT HOUR...SMALL DOWNPOURS WERE MOVING INTO
GREENUP AND BOYD COUNTIES OF NORTHEAST KENTUCKY.  THE
SHOWERS WERE MOVING SOUTH FROM SCIOTO COUNTY OHIO...AT ABOUT
15 TO 20 MPH.

AT MIDNIGHT...THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS CROSSING THE OHIO RIVER NEAR
GREENUP.

THE RAINS WILL BE MOVING SOUTH...AND AFFECT PORTIONS OF CARTER AND
LAWRENCE COUNTIES BETWEEN 12:30 AND 2 AM.  THIS WOULD INCLUDE THE
REGION AROUND GRAYSON.

SEVERAL SMALL STREAMS IN GREENUP AND CARTER COUNTIES RECEIVED
HEAVY SHOWERS BETWEEN 6 AND 8 O'CLOCK WEDNESDAY EVENING.
THUS...AS THIS NEW ROUND OF SHOWERS CROSSES THE AREA...
SMALL STREAMS COULD RISE QUICKLY TO NEAR BANKFULL.

LATE NIGHT MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT CROSS ANY WATER OF UNKNOWN
DEPTH.

END / KTB / NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
Special weather statement, Aug 10, 1:20 AM EDT, 1 hour 57 minutes before
WVZ013>016-026-100800-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
120 AM EDT THU AUG 10 1995

THE CHARLESTON RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
MOVING EAST ACROSS THE AREA.  THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING HEAVY
RAINFALL OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.  THEREFORE BRIEF STREET
FLOODING IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

END/WHITEHEAD
Special weather statement, Aug 10, 1:29 AM EDT, 1 hour 48 minutes before
WVZ013>016-026-100800-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
120 AM EDT THU AUG 10 1995

THE CHARLESTON RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
MOVING EAST ACROSS THE AREA.  THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING HEAVY
RAINFALL OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.  THEREFORE BRIEF STREET
FLOODING IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

END/WHITEHEAD
Special weather statement, Aug 10, 2:26 AM EDT, 51 minutes before
WVZ014-015-100900-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
226 AM EDT THU AUG 10 1995

...THUNDERSTORMS WILL CAUSE SOME STREET FLOODING IN KANAWHA
COUNTY...

THUNDERSTORMS WITH BRIEF LOCAL HEAVY RAINS WILL MOVE THROUGH KANAWHA
COUNTY UNTIL AROUND 4 AM CAUSING SOME STREET FLOODING PARTICULARLY
IN THE VICINITY OF ST ALBANS, NITRO AND CHARLESTON.  PERSONS SHOULD
EXPECT SOME WATER OVER ROADWAYS IN NORMAL LOW SPOTS WHERE ROADS DIP
DOWN NEAR CREEKS.  SOME UNDER PASSES CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED TO HAVE
SOME BRIEF DRAINAGE PROBLEMS.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE OUT OF THE AREA BY AROUND 4 AM AFTER
WHICH THE CREEKS AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS WILL BE ABLE TO RECOVER.

AS ALWAYS YOU SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH AREAS WHERE WATER
IS OVER THE ROADWAYS AS THIS ACCOUNTS FOR MANY FLOOD RELATED INJURIES
AND DEATHS.

END AAR
Special weather statement, Aug 10, 2:38 AM EDT, 39 minutes before
WVZ014-015-100900-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
226 AM EDT THU AUG 10 1995

...THUNDERSTORMS WILL CAUSE SOME STREET FLOODING IN KANAWHA
COUNTY...

THUNDERSTORMS WITH BRIEF LOCAL HEAVY RAINS WILL MOVE THROUGH KANAWHA
COUNTY UNTIL AROUND 4 AM CAUSING SOME STREET FLOODING PARTICULARLY
IN THE VICINITY OF ST ALBANS, NITRO AND CHARLESTON.  PERSONS SHOULD
EXPECT SOME WATER OVER ROADWAYS IN NORMAL LOW SPOTS WHERE ROADS DIP
DOWN NEAR CREEKS.  SOME UNDER PASSES CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED TO HAVE
SOME BRIEF DRAINAGE PROBLEMS.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE OUT OF THE AREA BY AROUND 4 AM AFTER
WHICH THE CREEKS AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS WILL BE ABLE TO RECOVER.

AS ALWAYS YOU SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH AREAS WHERE WATER
IS OVER THE ROADWAYS AS THIS ACCOUNTS FOR MANY FLOOD RELATED INJURIES
AND DEATHS.

END AAR

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in West Virginia, 1995Every flash flood warning in 1995

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.