Alert archive / West Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 235, NWS Charleston, WV

September 21, 2026Braxton County, Gilmer County, Ritchie County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this flash flood warning at Sep 21, 2026, 1:52 AM EDT for Braxton County, Gilmer County, Ritchie County, West Virginia. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 21, 2026, 1:52 AM EDT (05:52 UTC)
Expired
Sep 21, 2026, 4:32 AM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Braxton County, WV, Gilmer County, WV, Ritchie County, WV

The radar

The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 101 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 05:54 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

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 00:00Z, 5.9 hours before the alert went out and 177 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 2026-09-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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 2026-09-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -25 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
1 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
561 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-25 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
75 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
-0.0
Supercell composite
-0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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.

NWS Charleston, WV wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Sep 20, 6:39 PM EDT, 7 hours 13 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • 1) Unsettled through much of the work week, with continued potential for flooding and isolated strong to severe thunderstorms.
Area forecast discussion, Sep 20, 6:39 PM EDT, 7 hours 13 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Charleston WV
639 PM EDT Sun Sep 20 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Flood Watch has been issued for tonight through Monday morning, when
additional heavy rain is expected to move through the area.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Unsettled through much of the work week, with continued
potential for flooding and isolated strong to severe
thunderstorms.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...

Additional rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected to
move through the area today through Monday night, with most
robust activity occurring in concert with a couple of
shortwaves.

Activity will be isolated to scattered this afternoon, then the next
round of more widespread activity arrives this evening. A Flood
Watch has been issued for southeast Ohio and much of West Virginia,
where heavy downpours could rapidly produce a couple inches of rain
overnight and Monday morning. Locations that already received heavy
rain earlier today will be at greatest risk for flash flooding
overnight. Additional rain on Monday could necessitate an
extension to the Flood Watch. A few strong to severe storms
could also be capable of producing locally strong wind gusts.

From Tuesday through Thursday, the pattern remains unsettled with
additional chances for flooding as an upper trough spirals across
the Middle Ohio Valley towards the east coast. Drier conditions
return late week into the weekend as the system pushes off the
Atlantic Coast.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...

Conditions this evening will generally be VFR, although a few
showers and thunderstorms could briefly cause restrictions.
Showers and thunderstorms may become more numerous later
tonight, but confidence on the location is low. In addition, fog
or low stratus could form at locations where there are enough
breaks in the clouds.

Expect a rising cumulus deck on Monday with more showers and
thunderstorms, especially during the afternoon hours.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY...

FORECAST CONFIDENCE: High this evening, then low late tonight
and Monday morning. Medium Monday afternoon.

ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Timing, location, and intensity of
showers and thunderstorms could vary. Fog/low stratus may or
may not form overnight.

EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY
OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION:
H = HIGH:   TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL.
M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS.
L = LOW:    TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL.

DATE                                                                 MON
UTC 1HRLY       23   00   01   02   03   04   05   06   07   08   09   10
EDT 1HRLY       19   20   21   22   23   00   01   02   03   04   05   06
CRW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M    L    L    L    L
HTS CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M    M
BKW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M    L    L    L
EKN CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    M    L    M    M    M    M    L
PKB CONSISTENCY  M    M    M    L    L    L    L    L    L    L    L    L
CKB CONSISTENCY  H    M    M    M    M    L    L    L    L    L    L    L

AFTER 00Z TUESDAY...
IFR conditions possible in showers and storms each day through
mid week.

&&

.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...Flood Watch through Monday morning for WVZ006>011-013>020-
     026>032-039-040-517>526.
OH...Flood Watch through Monday morning for OHZ066-067-075-076-
     083>087.
KY...None.
VA...None.

&&

DISCUSSION...20
AVIATION...RPY

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Sep 21, 12:42 AM EDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
1242 AM EDT Mon Sep 21 2026

WVZ008-009-016-017-210515-
Jackson WV-Roane WV-Wirt WV-Wood WV-
1242 AM EDT Mon Sep 21 2026

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT WIRT...NORTHWESTERN ROANE...
NORTHERN JACKSON AND SOUTHERN WOOD COUNTIES THROUGH 115 AM EDT...

At 1242 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Lubeck to near Sandyville to near Ripley.
Movement was east at 35 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

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

Locations impacted include...
Parkersburg, Ripley, Elizabeth, Sandyville, Mineralwells, Lubeck,
Washington, Reedy, Cherry, Peewee, Walker, Palestine, Lucille, Evans,
Freeport, Greencastle, Morristown, Davisville, Rockport, and Leroy.

This includes the following highways...
 Interstate 77 in West Virginia between mile markers 138 and 145, and
between mile markers 151 and 176.
 Route 50 in West Virginia near mile marker 8, and between mile
markers 10 and 19.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

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

&&

LAT...LON 3930 8137 3901 8128 3884 8150 3880 8185
      3882 8186 3894 8169 3922 8169
TIME...MOT...LOC 0442Z 262DEG 29KT 3916 8163 3895 8162 3886 8175

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

JP
Local storm report, Sep 21, 1:17 AM EDT, 35 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
117 AM EDT Mon Sep 21 2026

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

1130 PM     Flash Flood      3 SW Athens             39.29N 82.13W
09/20/2026                   Athens             OH   911 Call Center

            Vehicle stuck in flooded roadway US RTE 50 /
            UNITED LN.

&&

JZ
Local storm report, Sep 21, 1:20 AM EDT, 32 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
120 AM EDT Mon Sep 21 2026

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

1135 PM     Flash Flood      7 WNW Mcarthur          39.27N 82.61W
09/20/2026                   Vinton             OH   911 Call Center

            High water on US HIGHWAY 50 AND GOOSECREEK
            RD. 2 cars tuck in roadway.

&&

JZ
Local storm report, Sep 21, 1:48 AM EDT, 4 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 20, 10:45 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXJackson, Mason, Wood6 hr
Sep 20, 11:22 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXJackson, Mason5 hr
Sep 20, 11:33 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXJackson, Wirt, Wood6 hr
Sep 21, 12:06 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXMason24 min
Sep 21, 12:13 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXWood4 hr
Sep 21, 12:20 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXJackson25 min
Sep 21, 12:28 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXJackson, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt, Wood5 hr
Sep 21, 12:36 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXCalhoun, Jackson, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt39 min
Sep 21, 12:42 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXJackson, Wirt, Wood33 min
Sep 21, 1:01 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXCalhoun, Gilmer, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt4 hr
Sep 21, 1:10 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBraxton, Calhoun, Gilmer50 min
Sep 21, 1:22 AM EDTTornado WarningRLXCalhoun, Gilmer23 min
Sep 21, 1:37 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXCalhoun, Jackson, Roane3 hr
Sep 21, 2:09 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXBraxton, Clay, Upshur36 min
Sep 21, 2:35 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXPleasants, Ritchie, Wood106 min
Sep 21, 2:38 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXBraxton, Doddridge, Gilmer, Lewis, Ritchie111 min
Sep 21, 2:48 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXLewis, Upshur27 min
Sep 21, 4:44 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningRLXJackson, Mason, Wood48 hr
Sep 21, 5:19 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningRLXJackson, Wirt, Wood9 hr
Sep 21, 5:30 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningRLXCalhoun, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt and 1 more7 hr
Sep 21, 8:17 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningRLXCalhoun, Gilmer, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt4 hr
Sep 21, 10:19 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXWood26 min
Sep 21, 10:44 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXWirt, Wood31 min
Sep 21, 12:30 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXFayette45 min
Sep 21, 12:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXFayette, Nicholas32 min
Sep 21, 1:02 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningRLXRitchie, Wirt10 hr
Sep 21, 1:45 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXPocahontas30 min
Sep 21, 3:20 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXMcDowell25 min
Sep 21, 3:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXMcDowell, Wyoming33 min
Sep 21, 3:52 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXMcDowell, Wyoming3 hr
Sep 21, 4:01 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXMcDowell29 min
Sep 21, 4:04 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXWyoming26 min
Sep 21, 4:13 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXRaleigh32 min
Sep 21, 4:34 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXFayette, Raleigh26 min
Sep 21, 4:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXFayette25 min
Sep 21, 5:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXRaleigh30 min
Sep 21, 5:08 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXWebster37 min
Sep 21, 5:39 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXPocahontas36 min
Sep 21, 5:48 PM EDTTornado WarningRLXWayne16 min
Sep 21, 5:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXWayne35 min
Sep 21, 6:07 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXPocahontas, Randolph23 min
Sep 21, 6:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatRLXCabell, Lincoln, Logan, Wayne34 min
Sep 21, 6:32 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXPocahontas28 min
Sep 21, 6:40 PM EDTTornado WarningRLXLincoln, Logan, Mingo, Wayne13 min
Sep 21, 6:56 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBoone, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo, Wayne34 min
Sep 21, 7:10 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXRandolph35 min
Sep 21, 7:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXLogan34 min
Sep 21, 7:38 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXBoone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Nicholas2 hr
Sep 21, 7:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXLogan11 min
Sep 20, 9:55 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXVinton35 min
Sep 20, 10:23 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXVinton37 min
Sep 20, 10:35 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXJackson, Meigs, Vinton6 hr
Sep 20, 10:38 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXAthens, Meigs, Vinton6 hr
Sep 20, 10:43 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXAthens, Vinton6 hr
Sep 20, 10:55 PM EDTTornado WarningRLXVinton19 min
Sep 20, 11:04 PM EDTTornado WarningRLXAthens, Vinton10 min
Sep 20, 11:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXAthens, Gallia, Jackson, Meigs, Vinton32 min
Sep 20, 11:25 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXGallia, Jackson, Vinton4 hr
Sep 20, 11:40 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXMeigs35 min
Sep 20, 11:54 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXMeigs36 min
Sep 21, 12:06 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXMorgan, Perry4 hr
Sep 21, 3:52 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningRLXGallia, Jackson, Meigs, Vinton6 hr
Sep 21, 4:42 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningRLXJackson, Meigs, Vinton49 hr
Sep 21, 4:43 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningRLXAthens, Meigs, Vinton49 hr
Sep 21, 4:46 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningRLXAthens, Morgan, Vinton, Washington49 hr
Sep 21, 4:54 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningRLXWashington25 hr
Sep 21, 5:49 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningRLXAthens24 hr
Sep 21, 8:31 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningRLXAthens, Morgan, Perry, Washington7 hr
Sep 21, 9:00 AM EDTRiver Flood WarningRLXAthens20 hr
Sep 21, 9:37 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXAthens, Meigs, Morgan, Perry38 min
Sep 21, 1:56 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningRLXWashington20 hr
Sep 21, 2:16 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningRLXWashington16 hr
Sep 21, 4:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBoyd, Carter, Greenup, Lawrence33 min
Sep 21, 5:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBoyd, Carter, Lawrence35 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in West Virginia, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026

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.