Alert archive / West Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2009

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 25, NWS Charleston, WV

May 28, 2009Raleigh County, Wyoming County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 28, 2009, 3:54 PM EDT for Raleigh County, Wyoming County, West Virginia. It was in force for 48 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 28, 2009, 3:54 PM EDT (19:54 UTC)
Expired
May 28, 2009, 4:42 PM EDT
In force
48 min
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Raleigh County, WV, Wyoming County, WV

The radar

The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 75 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:56 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 watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 28, 2:21 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 176 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, Roanoke, VA at 12:00Z on 2009-05-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 177 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, Roanoke, VA at 12:00Z on 2009-05-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 81 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
177 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-2 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
556 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
81 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
57 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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.

NWS Charleston, WV wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 28, 3:29 PM EDT, 25 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 28, 3:29 PM EDT, 25 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
329 PM EDT THU MAY 28 2009

.SYNOPSIS...
COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.
DRIER AIR MASS MOVING IN FRIDAY. UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE SATURDAY
WITH SECONDARY COLD FRONT SATURDAY NIGHT.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/...
THE MAIN THEME WITH AFTN PACKAGE WAS TO HOLD ONTO LOW CLOUDS
AND POPS LONGER FOR WV AND SW VA DURING FRIDAY MORNING. HAVE FRONT
MOVING TOWARD HTS-PKB 09Z AND CRW-CKB ARND 12Z AND THRU MTNS AFTER
12Z.

STEERING FLOW CONTINUES TO VEER AND INCREASE...ABOUT 20 KNOTS NOW
MAY GO TO 25 KNOTS.  MAY BE THE PERFECT SPEED...NOT TOO FAST...NOT
TOO SLOW.

STILL THINK...THERE MAY BE A LULL OR MINIMUM IN COVERAGE THIS
EVENING...AFTER THE LATE AFTERNOON CONVECTION...AND BEFORE THE
FRONTAL SHOWERS.  EVEN INCLUDED SOME DRIZZLE WITH THE LOW CLOUDS
FRIDAY MORNING IN WV AND SW VA.

FLASH FLOODING WOULD STILL TAKE 2 TO 3 INCHES...OR MORE THAN ONE OF
THESE DOWNPOURS.  RAIN AMOUNTS OF .5 TO 1.0 COULD EASILY FALL IN ANY
ONE BRIEF DOWNPOUR.

&&

.SHORT TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
DRIER NORTHWESTERLY FLOW WILL MOVE INTO THE CWA FRIDAY NIGHT AS THE
UPPER LEVEL TROUGH CONTINUES TO MOVE EAST OF THE REGION. ON
SATURDAY...UNSETTLED WEATHER RETURNS TO THE REGION AS A SERIES OF
SHORTWAVES MOVE THROUGH THE REGION...FOLLOWED BY A SECONDARY COLD
FRONT SATURDAY NIGHT/EARLY SUNDAY. MOISTURE WITH THESE DISTURBANCES
ON SATURDAY LOOKS TO BE LIMITED...WITH MODELS INDICATING PW VALUES
OF GENERALLY LESS THAN 1.2 INCHES. FURTHERMORE...MODEL SOUNDINGS
CONTINUE TO INDICATE WINDS ABOVE 10K FEET OF AT LEAST 30 TO 40
KTS...SO NOT EXPECTING ANY WATER PROBLEMS AT THIS POINT. SUNDAY
LOOKS TO BE DRIER ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION...ALTHOUGH HAVE
CONTINUED TO KEEP A SLIGHT CHANCE OF POPS IN THE FORECAST IN THE
SOUTHERN ZONES AND OVER THE MOUNTAINS...AS WEAK DISTURBANCES
CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE FLOW.

&&

.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
PRECIPITATION MOVES BACK INTO THE FORECAST BY MONDAY
AFTERNOON...MAINLY FOR THE SOUTHERN ZONES AS A DISTURBANCE MOVES
TOWARDS THE REGION FROM THE SOUTHWEST. PRECIPITATION BECOMES MORE
WIDESPREAD TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AS ANOTHER COLD FRONT SLOWLY SAGS
SOUTH TOWARDS THE REGION. SEVERAL IMPULSES MOVING THROUGH THE FLOW
WILL KEEP A MENTION OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST FOR
THE REMAINDER OF THE EXTENDED. HAVE CONTINUED TO MAINTAIN A SLIGHT
CHANCE OF POPS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE EXTENDED DUE TO MODEL
UNCERTAINTY AND AS TIMING OF INDIVIDUAL IMPULSES WILL BE DIFFICULT.

&&

.AVIATION /20Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY...VARIABLE CONDITIONS CONTINUE 18Z-00Z IN SHORT
LINES OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS.  VSBY BRIEFLY BLO 3 MILES AND
CEILINGS 1 TO 2 THSD FT.  OUTSIDE OF CONVECTION...MOST CEILINGS 2 TO
4 THSD FT BKN WITH LAYERS ABOVE AND VSBY AOA 5 MILES.

HAVE WIDESPREAD CEILINGS LOWERING AFTER 06Z AS FRONT APPROACHES.
CEILINGS LOWERING TO NR 1 THSD FT OVC AND VSBY 1 TO 3 MILES IN
SHOWERS...DRIZZLE...AND FOG MOVG W TO E.  LOW CEILINGS LINGERING
OVER WV MOUNTAINOUS COUNTIES THROUGH 18Z...WHILE BECOMING SCT FROM
OHIO RIVER ON W 15-18Z FRIDAY.

AVIATION OUTLOOK /BEYOND 12Z FRIDAY/...
SOME IFR FOG IN THE COOLER AIR FRIDAY NIGHT.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...FOR THE
POSSIBILITY OF DOWNPOURS WITH ENOUGH RAIN TO CAUSE SMALL STREAM
FLOODING. SEE CRWFFARLX.

&&

.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR WVZ005>011-013>020-
     024>040-046-047.
OH...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR OHZ066-067-075-076-
     083>087.
KY...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR KYZ101>103-105.
VA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR VAZ003-004.

&&

SYNOPSIS...KTB
NEAR TERM...SL
SHORT TERM...SL
LONG TERM...SL
AVIATION...KTB
HYDROLOGY...KTB
Hazardous weather outlook, May 28, 3:03 PM EDT, 51 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
303 PM EDT THU MAY 28 2009

OHZ066-067-075-076-083>085-WVZ009>011-017>020-029>032-039-040-291915-
PERRY-MORGAN-ATHENS-WASHINGTON-JACKSON OH-VINTON-MEIGS-WOOD-
PLEASANTS-TYLER-WIRT-CALHOUN-RITCHIE-DODDRIDGE-GILMER-LEWIS-HARRISON-
TAYLOR-UPSHUR-BARBOUR-
303 PM EDT THU MAY 28 2009

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST OHIO AND WEST
VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLASH FLOOD WATCH.

ALSO...A FEW OF THE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING COULD
CONTAIN STRONG GUSTY WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

KYZ101>103-105-OHZ086-087-VAZ003-004-WVZ005>008-013>016-024>028-
033>038-046-047-291915-
GREENUP-CARTER-BOYD-LAWRENCE KY-GALLIA-LAWRENCE OH-DICKENSON-
BUCHANAN-WAYNE-CABELL-MASON-JACKSON WV-LINCOLN-PUTNAM-KANAWHA-ROANE-
MINGO-LOGAN-BOONE-CLAY-BRAXTON-MCDOWELL-WYOMING-RALEIGH-FAYETTE-
NICHOLAS-WEBSTER-POCAHONTAS-RANDOLPH-
303 PM EDT THU MAY 28 2009

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 313 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST
KENTUCKY...SOUTHEAST OHIO...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND WEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLASH FLOOD WATCH.
   SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH.

ALSO...A FEW OF THE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING COULD
CONTAIN STRONG GUSTY WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 28, 1:59 PM EDT, 1 hour 55 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 28, 2:09 PM EDT, 1 hour 45 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
209 PM EDT THU MAY 28 2009

WVZ024-025-281845-
LOGAN-MINGO-
209 PM EDT THU MAY 28 2009

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN MINGO AND SOUTHWESTERN
LOGAN COUNTIES...

AT 207 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM LOCATED NEAR MATEWAN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15
MPH.

WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THIS STORM...AND WILL CAUSE
WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL
STREAMS.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR RED JACKET AROUND 220 PM...DELBARTON AROUND
225 PM...VARNEY AROUND 230 PM...MYRTLE AROUND 235 PM...PIE AROUND 240
PM AND SARAH ANN AROUND 245 PM.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE ELEVATED LEVELS ON
SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...AND PONDING OF WATER ON COUNTRY ROADS AND
FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

IN HILLY TERRAIN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS WHICH ARE
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL ACROSS
FLOODED ROADS. FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES. IT TAKES ONLY A FEW INCHES OF
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATER TO CARRY VEHICLES AWAY.

PLEASE REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY
CALLING TOLL FREE...877-633-6772...WHEN YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.

30
Local storm report, May 28, 2:34 PM EDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
234 PM EDT THU MAY 28 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0232 PM     HAIL             VARNEY                  37.67N 82.12W
05/28/2009  E0.50 INCH       MINGO              WV   PUBLIC

            LARGEST HAILSTONE WAS DIME-SIZED.

&&

JHOVIS
Special weather statement, May 28, 3:04 PM EDT, 50 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
304 PM EDT THU MAY 28 2009

WVZ024-025-282000-
LOGAN-MINGO-
304 PM EDT THU MAY 28 2009

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT LOGAN AND MINGO COUNTIES...

AT 259 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM LOCATED NEAR DELBARTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25
MPH.

THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE SMALL HAIL. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM
THIS STORM...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL
ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS. A QUICK ONE INCH OF RAIN IS
POSSIBLE FROM THIS STORM IN ONE HOUR.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR MEADOR AROUND 310 PM...PIE...AND HINCH AROUND
315 PM...SARAH ANN...HOLDEN...HAMPDEN...AND GILBERT CREEK AROUND 325
PM...CHAUNCEY...SWITZER AND AND GILBERT AROUND 330 PM.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE ELEVATED LEVELS ON
SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...AND PONDING OF WATER ON COUNTRY ROADS AND
FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

IN HILLY TERRAIN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS WHICH ARE
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL ACROSS
FLOODED ROADS. FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES. IT TAKES ONLY A FEW INCHES OF
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATER TO CARRY VEHICLES AWAY.

PLEASE REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY
CALLING TOLL FREE...877-633-6772...WHEN YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.

30
Special weather statement, May 28, 3:20 PM EDT, 34 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
320 PM EDT THU MAY 28 2009

KYZ101-OHZ083-086-087-282015-
GALLIA-GREENUP-JACKSON-LAWRENCE-
320 PM EDT THU MAY 28 2009

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHERN LAWRENCE...NORTHWESTERN
GREENUP...SOUTHERN JACKSON AND WEST CENTRAL GALLIA COUNTIES...

AT 319 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM LOCATED NEAR LETITIA...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR LETITIA AROUND 325 PM...SOUTH SHORE AROUND
330 PM...GRAYS BRANCH AROUND 335 PM...PEDRO AROUND 355 PM...LAKE
VESUVIUS AROUND 400 PM...MABEE AND AND PETERSBURG AROUND 405 PM.

PLEASE REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY
CALLING TOLL FREE...877-633-6772...WHEN YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.

08
Special weather statement, May 28, 3:37 PM EDT, 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
337 PM EDT THU MAY 28 2009

VAZ004-WVZ015-025-026-033>036-282030-
BOONE-BUCHANAN-FAYETTE-KANAWHA-LOGAN-MCDOWELL-RALEIGH-WYOMING-
337 PM EDT THU MAY 28 2009

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT BOONE...EAST CENTRAL BUCHANAN...
EASTERN LOGAN...MCDOWELL...SOUTH CENTRAL KANAWHA...WEST CENTRAL
FAYETTE...WESTERN RALEIGH AND WYOMING COUNTIES...

AT 333 PM EDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALONG A LINE FROM JEFFREY
TO CYCLONE TO HANOVER TO JOLO...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH AND HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THESE STORMS...AND WILL CAUSE
WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL
STREAMS.

THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR CLEAR FORK AROUND 340 PM...COALWOOD...
WHARTON...VAN...AND BAILEYSVILLE AROUND 345 PM...CUCUMBER...BALD
KNOB...OCEANA...AND DAVY AROUND 350 PM AND PRENTER AROUND 355 PM.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE ELEVATED LEVELS ON
SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...AND PONDING OF WATER ON COUNTRY ROADS AND
FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

IN HILLY TERRAIN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS WHICH ARE
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL ACROSS
FLOODED ROADS. FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES. IT TAKES ONLY A FEW INCHES OF
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATER TO CARRY VEHICLES AWAY.

PLEASE REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY
CALLING TOLL FREE...877-633-6772...WHEN YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.

30

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 28, 4:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXFayette, Raleigh62 min
May 28, 4:53 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBoone, Cabell, Kanawha, Lincoln, Putnam, Wayne52 min
May 28, 5:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXCabell, Jackson, Kanawha, Mason, Putnam, Roane62 min
May 28, 7:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBarbour, Harrison, Lewis, Taylor, Upshur63 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in West Virginia, 2009Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2009

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.