Alert archive / West Virginia / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 71, NWS Charleston, WV

July 12, 2026Washington County, Ohio; Pleasants County, Ritchie County, Wood County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this flash flood warning at Jul 12, 2026, 6:53 PM EDT for Washington County, Ohio; Pleasants County, Ritchie County, Wood County, West Virginia. It was in force for 2 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jul 12, 2026, 6:53 PM EDT (22:53 UTC)
Expired
Jul 12, 2026, 9:01 PM EDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Washington County, OH, Pleasants County, WV, Ritchie County, WV, Wood County, WV

The radar

The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 116 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:55 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this flash flood warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 12:00Z, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 163 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 12:00Z on 2026-07-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 135 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, Pittsburgh, PA at 12:00Z on 2026-07-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -37 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
135 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-59 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
925 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
8 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-37 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.

577 
WGUS51 KRLX 122253
FFWRLX
OHC167-WVC073-085-107-130200-
/O.NEW.KRLX.FF.W.0071.260712T2253Z-260713T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Charleston WV
653 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2026

The National Weather Service in Charleston has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Central Washington County in southeastern Ohio...
  Southwestern Pleasants County in northwestern West Virginia...
  Northwestern Ritchie County in northwestern West Virginia...
  Northeastern Wood County in northwestern West Virginia...

* Until 1000 PM EDT.

* At 653 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
  heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 1.8 inches of rain
  have fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin
  shortly.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
           highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor
           drainage and low-lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Parkersburg, Vienna, Boaz, North Hills, Waverly, Willow Island,
  Schultz and Nutter Farm.

This includes the following highways...
Interstate 77 in West Virginia between mile markers 176 and 185.
Route 50 in West Virginia between mile markers 9 and 11...and between
mile markers 15 and 27.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Report flooding to the National Weather Service by calling toll free,
800 401 9535, when you can do so safely.

&&

LAT...LON 3935 8154 3939 8153 3937 8121 3932 8113
      3928 8118 3920 8126 3927 8156

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

11
1 follow-up statement
431 
WGUS71 KRLX 130101
FFSRLX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
901 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2026

OHC167-WVC073-085-107-130111-
/O.CAN.KRLX.FF.W.0071.000000T0000Z-260713T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Washington OH-Pleasants WV-Ritchie WV-Wood WV-
901 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR CENTRAL WASHINGTON,
SOUTHWESTERN PLEASANTS, NORTHWESTERN RITCHIE AND NORTHEASTERN WOOD
COUNTIES...

The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a
threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures.

&&

LAT...LON 3935 8154 3939 8153 3937 8121 3932 8113
      3928 8118 3920 8126 3927 8156

$$

11

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 Jul 12, 2:24 PM EDT, 4 hours 29 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • 1) Flash flooding concerns from heavy showers and thunderstorms gradually come to an end tonight. The slow departure of a cold front tonight into Monday may supply one more afternoon of showers and storms across the southern coalfields. 2) Turning dry and warmer for the middle of the week. Unsettled again late week into next weekend.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 12, 2:24 PM EDT, 4 hours 29 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Charleston WV
224 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Showers and storms firing up along a stalled frontal boundary
will continue to promote flash flooding concerns along the I-64
corridor and southward through this evening. The Flood Watch
will remain in effect until 11 PM tonight once storms are
expected to diminish.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Flash flooding concerns from heavy showers and thunderstorms
gradually come to an end tonight. The slow departure of a cold
front tonight into Monday may supply one more afternoon of
showers and storms across the southern coalfields.

2) Turning dry and warmer for the middle of the week. Unsettled
again late week into next weekend.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...

A frontal boundary remains at center stage of the forecast
today, with radar trends displaying a multitude of showers and
thunderstorms firing up in close proximity to the feature.
Little to no steering flow aloft in the vicinity of where these
storms have appeared will pose concerns for slow propagation and
resulting flash flooding. Rainfall rates exceeding 3 to 6 inches
per hour were noted at the time of writing, quickly contributing
to rapid accumulations at local weather stations. Two areas of
note thus far today has been along the I-64 corridor of Cabell,
Wayne, and Lincoln Counties and the other in the Summersville
area of Nicholas County, where flash flood warnings are active
currently. Compromised soils from previous rainfall amid this
stalled frontal boundary will exacerbate the conversation of
high water concerns through this evening for the southern half
of the forecast area, where the Flood Watch remains in effect.

The loss of daytime heating heading into this evening will
diminish shower and storm coverage in similar fashion to
previous days. The front takes another plunge southward
overnight into Monday, allowing for drier air to move down from
the north. Lingering shower and storm coverage from the northern
periphery of this system may still drape across southwest
Virginia and southeast West Virginia Monday afternoon, but
widespread flooding concerns will be limited.

KEY MESSAGE 2...

Once the area escapes the influence of the frontal boundary,
slated to occur overnight Monday into Tuesday, drier weather
prevails for the bulk of the work week. A rise in upper level
heights, under the guise of a building ridge, will yield a
slight uptick in temperatures. Daytime highs across the Tri-
State region will reach the low 90s by Thursday and Friday, with
slightly higher heat indices caused by increased humidity.

As has been messaged the past few forecast cycles, the break
down of the ridge heading into the end of the week will invite a
northern stream disturbance into the Ohio Valley and Mid-
Atlantic regions. Uncertainty with timing and extent of
potential showers and storms continues for this time frame, but
will continue to monitor model guidance to hammer out the
details over the upcoming days. This feature has already
caught the attention of the Storm Prediction Center, who denoted
a 15% risk of severe weather in their Day 6 Outlook (Friday
through Saturday morning).

&&

.AVIATION /18Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
Showers and storms have fired up once again this afternoon along
a stubborn frontal boundary. This will primarily impact our
central and southern terminals, but isolated development within
bubbling cumulus fields is not out of the question for PKB, CKB,
and EKN. In similar fashion to previous afternoons, storm
activity will be driven strongly by diurnal heating, and should
diminish heading into this evening and altogether after sunset.

The front slumps southward overnight into Monday, with the
northern fringes of precipitation steering outside the periphery
of our terminals Monday afternoon, with the exception of BKW.
Otherwise, a combination of low ceilings and localized river
valley fog will form tonight while the front remains close by.
Light and variable winds today will veer out of the northeast
across the area on Monday in the wake of the front's departure.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY...

FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Medium to High.

ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Amendments may become warranted for
vsby/ceiling restrictions due to thunderstorms this afternoon
and evening.

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.

UTC 1HRLY       18   19   20   21   22   23   00   01   02   03   04   05
EDT 1HRLY       14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   00   01
CRW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
HTS CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
BKW CONSISTENCY  M    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    L
EKN CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    L
PKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
CKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H

AFTER 18Z MONDAY...
IFR conditions remain possible in fog and/or stratus each night
and early morning, especially across valley locations.

&&

.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...Flood Watch until 11 PM EDT this evening for WVZ005-006-
     013>015-024>026-033-034-515>518.
OH...Flood Watch until 11 PM EDT this evening for OHZ087.
KY...Flood Watch until 11 PM EDT this evening for KYZ101>103-105.
VA...Flood Watch until 11 PM EDT this evening for VAZ003-004.

&&

DISCUSSION...05
AVIATION...05

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 12, 4:14 PM EDT, 2 hours 39 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
414 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2026

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

0400 PM     Flash Flood      6 ENE Madison           38.10N 81.70W
07/12/2026                   Boone              WV   Dept of Highways

            High water is being reported on WV-3 at
            Abrell Lane.

&&
Local storm report, Jul 12, 4:38 PM EDT, 2 hours 15 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
438 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2026

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

0433 PM     Flash Flood      2 NNE Mitchell Heights  37.94N 81.97W
07/12/2026                   Logan              WV   Dept of Highways

            High water on Mill Creek Rd at Stable Branch
            Rd.

&&
Local storm report, Jul 12, 4:40 PM EDT, 2 hours 13 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
440 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2026

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

0439 PM     Flash Flood      2 NNW Mitchell Heights  37.94N 82.00W
07/12/2026                   Logan              WV   Dept of Highways

            High water on Old Logan Road at Woodland
            Hills Drive.

&&
Local storm report, Jul 12, 4:55 PM EDT, 1 hour 58 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
455 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2026

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

0454 PM     Flash Flood      1 NNE Mitchell Heights  37.93N 81.98W
07/12/2026                   Logan              WV   Dept of Highways

            High water on WV-10 near Big Valley Rd. The
            road is impassable.

&&
Local storm report, Jul 12, 5:24 PM EDT, 1 hour 29 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
524 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2026

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

0520 PM     Flash Flood      2 N Mitchell Heights    37.94N 81.99W
07/12/2026                   Logan              WV   Dept of Highways

            High Water on WV-10 near Knob Hill Road. The
            road is closed in both directions.

&&
Local storm report, Jul 12, 6:23 PM EDT, 30 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
623 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2026

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

0620 PM     Flash Flood      1 ESE Gilbert Creek     37.57N 81.88W
07/12/2026                   Mingo              WV   Dept of Highways

            Flooding reported on CR 13, Gilbert Creek
            Road in Baisden. The road is closed.

&&

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 12, 8:15 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXMcDowell107 min
Jul 12, 10:41 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXClay, Nicholas5 hr
Jul 12, 12:53 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXCabell, Lincoln, Putnam, Wayne3 hr
Jul 12, 2:27 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXBoone, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, Putnam3 hr
Jul 12, 3:37 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXLogan4 hr
Jul 12, 4:02 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXBoone, Logan3 hr
Jul 12, 4:58 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXGilmer3 hr
Jul 12, 5:13 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXGilmer2 hr
Jul 12, 5:39 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXBoone, Logan, Wyoming2 hr
Jul 12, 6:03 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXDoddridge, Ritchie3 hr
Jul 12, 6:08 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXMingo99 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in West Virginia, 2026Flash Flood Warnings in Ohio, 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.