Alert archive / West Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2025

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 256, NWS Charleston, WV

July 20, 2025Cabell County, Lincoln County, Wayne County, West Virginia; Lawrence County, Ohio; Boyd County, Kentucky

NWS Charleston, WV issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 20, 2025, 6:01 PM EDT for Cabell County, Lincoln County, Wayne County, West Virginia; Lawrence County, Ohio; Boyd County, Kentucky. It was in force for 29 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: Jul 20, 2025, 6:01 PM EDT (22:01 UTC)
Expired: Jul 20, 2025, 6:30 PM EDT
In force: 29 min
Issued by: NWS Charleston, WV
Area: Storm-based polygon
Hail: 0.75 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

Counties Boyd County, KY, Lawrence County, OH, Cabell County, WV, Lincoln County, WV, Wayne County, WV

The radar

The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 59 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:01 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.

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 Jul 20, 1:21 PM EDT, 4 hours 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 20, 1:21 PM EDT, 4 hours 40 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 4:25 PM EDT, 1 hour 36 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
425 PM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025

KYZ102-202100-
Carter KY-
425 PM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN CARTER COUNTY
THROUGH 500 PM EDT...

At 424 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Triplett, or 8 miles west of Olive Hill, moving southeast at 15 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include...
Olive Hill, Grahn, Soldier, and Globe.

This includes Interstate 64 in Kentucky between mile markers 149 and
168.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.

&&

LAT...LON 3833 8332 3833 8327 3834 8323 3835 8324
      3840 8324 3833 8299 3820 8307 3823 8309
      3824 8313 3827 8318 3823 8322 3819 8323
      3819 8326 3822 8329 3821 8330 3831 8334
TIME...MOT...LOC 2024Z 297DEG 15KT 3832 8332

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

12

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 4:45 PM EDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 20, 5:13 PM EDT, 48 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
513 PM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025

KYZ101-OHZ087-202145-
Greenup KY-Lawrence OH-
513 PM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL GREENUP AND WEST CENTRAL
LAWRENCE COUNTIES THROUGH 545 PM EDT...

At 512 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
South Shore, or near Portsmouth, moving southeast at 20 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include...
Portsmouth, Ironton, Greenup, Letitia, Flatwoods, Russell, Vernon,
Raceland, Worthington, South Shore, Wurtland, Hanging Rock, Grays
Branch, and Pedro.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.

A Flash Flood Watch remains in effect. Heavy downpours could cause
rapid rises in water. If rising water is observed, move to higher
ground. Do not drive into areas covered by water.

&&

LAT...LON 3873 8300 3873 8297 3876 8290 3875 8288
      3869 8288 3866 8286 3862 8286 3859 8285
      3857 8282 3860 8274 3865 8277 3868 8276
      3868 8271 3873 8270 3870 8259 3846 8273
      3863 8306
TIME...MOT...LOC 2112Z 295DEG 16KT 3868 8293

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

12

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 5:17 PM EDT, 44 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
517 PM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025

KYZ101-OHZ087-202145-
Greenup KY-Lawrence OH-
517 PM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL GREENUP AND WEST CENTRAL
LAWRENCE COUNTIES THROUGH 545 PM EDT...

At 513 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
South Shore, or near Portsmouth, moving southeast at 20 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include...
Portsmouth, Ironton, Greenup, Letitia, Flatwoods, Russell, Vernon,
Raceland, Worthington, South Shore, Wurtland, Hanging Rock, Grays
Branch, and Pedro.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.

A Flash Flood Watch remains in effect. Heavy downpours could cause
rapid rises in water. If rising water is observed, move to higher
ground. Do not drive into areas covered by water.

&&

LAT...LON 3873 8300 3873 8297 3876 8290 3875 8288
      3869 8288 3866 8286 3862 8286 3859 8285
      3857 8282 3860 8274 3865 8277 3868 8276
      3868 8271 3873 8270 3870 8259 3846 8273
      3863 8306
TIME...MOT...LOC 2113Z 295DEG 16KT 3868 8293

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

12

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 5:18 PM EDT, 43 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
518 PM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025

WVZ008-016-017-202145-
Jackson WV-Roane WV-Wirt WV-
518 PM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN WIRT...NORTHWESTERN
ROANE AND NORTHEASTERN JACKSON COUNTIES THROUGH 545 PM EDT...

At 516 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Sandyville, or 10 miles northeast of Ripley, moving southeast at 35
mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include...
Spencer, Sandyville, Reedy, Peewee, Looneyville, Leroy, Gay, Walton,
Gandeeville, and Harmony.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.

A Flash Flood Watch remains in effect. Heavy downpours could cause
rapid rises in water. If rising water is observed, move to higher
ground. Do not drive into areas covered by water.

&&

LAT...LON 3884 8122 3880 8122 3879 8123 3878 8122
      3879 8121 3878 8121 3875 8118 3859 8137
      3890 8172 3902 8155
TIME...MOT...LOC 2116Z 312DEG 28KT 3891 8156

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

12

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 5:36 PM EDT, 25 minutes before

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The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 19, 11:00 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Mingo	45 min
Jul 19, 11:02 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Kanawha	43 min
Jul 19, 11:20 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Boone, Kanawha, Lincoln, Putnam	3 hr
Jul 19, 11:37 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Roane	23 min
Jul 20, 1:57 AM EDT	Flood Watch	RLX	Boone, Braxton, Cabell, Calhoun, Clay, Fayette and 19 more	44 hr
Jul 20, 4:45 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Jackson	30 min
Jul 20, 5:18 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Roane	27 min
Jul 20, 6:30 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Logan	30 min
Jul 20, 6:49 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Boone, Cabell, Lincoln, Logan, Wayne	6 hr
Jul 20, 7:51 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Boone, Kanawha, Lincoln, Raleigh	3 hr
Jul 20, 3:46 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Vinton	29 min
Jul 20, 4:13 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Gallia, Jackson, Meigs	32 min
Jul 20, 5:36 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Lawrence	24 min
Jul 20, 4:25 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Carter	35 min
Jul 20, 5:13 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Greenup	32 min
Jul 20, 5:17 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Greenup	28 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in West Virginia, 2025 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Ohio, 2025 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kentucky, 2025 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2025

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.