Alert archive / Ohio / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 75, NWS Charleston, WV

July 18, 2026Athens County, Vinton County, Ohio

NWS Charleston, WV issued this flash flood warning at Jul 18, 2026, 3:45 PM EDT for Athens County, Vinton County, Ohio. 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 18, 2026, 3:45 PM EDT (19:45 UTC)
Expired: Jul 18, 2026, 6:05 PM EDT
In force: 2 hr
Issued by: NWS Charleston, WV
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Athens County, OH, Vinton County, OH

The radar

The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 114 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:48 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

Cncnati-Daytn, OH (KILN), launched 12:00Z, 7.8 hours before the alert went out and 136 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 911 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -30 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 624 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 21 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 4 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

425 
WGUS51 KRLX 181945
FFWRLX
OHC009-163-182245-
/O.NEW.KRLX.FF.W.0075.260718T1945Z-260718T2245Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Charleston WV
345 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

The National Weather Service in Charleston has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Southwestern Athens County in southeastern Ohio...
  Northeastern Vinton County in southeastern Ohio...

* Until 645 PM EDT.

* At 345 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
  heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain
  have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1 inch are
  possible in the warned area. 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...
  Athens, Mcarthur, Albany, Lake Hope State Park and Zaleski.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

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

&&

LAT...LON 3921 8227 3921 8234 3922 8245 3929 8251
      3934 8235 3934 8204 3929 8196 3921 8201
      3920 8218

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

01

1 follow-up statement

140 
WGUS71 KRLX 182205
FFSRLX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
605 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

OHC009-163-182215-
/O.CAN.KRLX.FF.W.0075.000000T0000Z-260718T2245Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Athens OH-Vinton OH-
605 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR SOUTHWESTERN ATHENS AND
NORTHEASTERN VINTON COUNTIES...

Flood waters have receded and heavy rain has ended. Please continue
to heed remaining road closures.

&&

LAT...LON 3921 8227 3921 8234 3922 8245 3929 8251
      3934 8235 3934 8204 3929 8196 3921 8201
      3920 8218

$$

01

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 18, 1:37 PM EDT, 2 hours 8 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

1) Rain and thunderstorms are expected during the day, and as a front crosses tonight into Sunday. Strong to severe storms could produce damaging wind gusts today. Heavy rain could also prompt localized flash flooding. 2) Impacts from wildfire smoke decrease today. 3) Next chance of heavy rain and strong storms arrives Tuesday.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 18, 1:37 PM EDT, 2 hours 8 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Charleston WV
137 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Active today with strong storms and heavy downpours ahead of a
front. Briefly drier behind the front then another system
brings potential for heavy rain and strong storms Tuesday into
Tuesday night.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Rain and thunderstorms are expected during the day, and as a
front crosses tonight into Sunday. Strong to severe storms could
produce damaging wind gusts today. Heavy rain could also prompt
localized flash flooding.

2) Impacts from wildfire smoke decrease today.

3) Next chance of heavy rain and strong storms arrives Tuesday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...

A low traverses southern Ontario and Quebec today and then continues
onward to the Maritime Provinces and Gulf of St. Lawrence on Sunday.
A cold front trailing this system will descend into the Middle Ohio
Valley tonight and then sink south towards the Virginia/North
Carolina border Sunday and Sunday night.

The presence of a warm, moist, and unstable environment ahead of the
front, combined with a passing shortwave, should facilitate
development of showers and thunderstorms across the area today.
Precipitable water values in excess of an inch and a half
should support heavy downpours which could prompt localized
flooding in poor drainage areas or locations impacted by
multiple storms. Scattered strong to severe storms could also be
capable of producing damaging wind gusts this afternoon and
evening.

A brief lull in activity may occur after sundown, then another round
of activity is expected to accompany the front across the area
overnight. Precipitation coverage tapers off from north to south as
the front recedes south on Sunday.

KEY MESSAGE 2...

Canadian wildfires will have less of an impact on the area as
smoke is swept northward today. That being said, an air quality
alert remains in effect for portions of northwest and north-
central West Virginia where some impacts could linger through
tonight.

KEY MESSAGE 3...

Drier for much of the area on Monday, then another low swings across
southern Ontario while an upper trough digs down into the eastern US.
This system is projected to bring the next chance of strong storms
and heavy rain to the area Tuesday and Tuesday night. SPC has
already highlighted a 15 percent risk of severe weather on
Tuesday while WPC has placed much of the area within a slight
risk of excessive rainfall.

Surface high pressure builds as the trough shifts east, allowing
quieter weather to take hold later in the week. This dry spell may
be rather short-lived as the first in a series of disturbances
is expected to approach the area this weekend.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...

A mix of MVFR to VFR ceilings will persist across the area while
showers and thunderstorms prompt sub-VFR visibilities at times
today. Conditions are expected to further deteriorate as a
front moves through overnight, bringing more rain and storms.
Fog may also develop behind the front early Sunday morning.
Conditions should then slowly improve to VFR during the day
Sunday.

Winds will generally be southwesterly today, then pivot to the
north behind the front overnight. In addition to sporadic gusts
into the teens to low 20s, stronger gusts will be possible
within storms.

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

FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Medium.

ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Expect flight conditions to fluctuate in
RA/TS. Timing of improvements on Sunday may vary from the
forecast.

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       17   18   19   20   21   22   23   00   01   02   03   04
EDT 1HRLY       13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   00
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  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
EKN CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M
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 SUNDAY...
IFR valley fog possible Sunday/Monday mornings.

&&

.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...Air Quality Alert until midnight EDT tonight for WVZ007>011-
     016>020-029>032-039-040.
OH...None.
KY...None.
VA...None.

&&

DISCUSSION...20
AVIATION...20

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 18, 3:24 PM EDT, 21 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
324 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

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

0318 PM     Flash Flood      1 ENE Culloden          38.42N 82.05W
07/18/2026                   Putnam             WV   911 Call Center

            High water reported in the 200 block of
            Virginia Ave in Culloden.

&&

JP

Local storm report, Jul 18, 3:30 PM EDT, 15 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
330 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

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

0320 PM     Flash Flood      4 SSW Tygart Lake State 39.24N 80.05W
07/18/2026                   Barbour            WV   911 Call Center

            Barbour County 911 reports high water on
            US-119 about half a mile before Pleasant
            Creek Rd north of Grafton.

&&

Local storm report, Jul 18, 3:34 PM EDT, 11 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
334 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

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

0322 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Malta                   39.65N 81.87W
07/18/2026                   Morgan             OH   911 Call Center

            Tree fell on an unoccupied vehicle in the
            100 block of 8th street.

&&

JP

Special weather statement, Jul 18, 3:35 PM EDT, 10 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
335 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

WVZ519>523-526-182015-
Southeast Nicholas WV-Southeast Webster WV-Northwest Pocahontas WV-
Northwest Webster WV-Northwest Nicholas WV-Southeast Randolph WV-
335 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT WEST CENTRAL POCAHONTAS...
NORTHEASTERN NICHOLAS AND WEBSTER COUNTIES THROUGH 415 PM EDT...

At 335 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Camden-On-gauley, or 8 miles southwest of Webster Springs, 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...
Webster Springs, Addison (Webster Springs), Camden-On-gauley, Camden
On Gauley, Craigsville, Cowen, Boggs, Upper Glade, Bergoo, Waneta,
and Erbacon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3823 8020 3824 8039 3826 8043 3825 8047
      3826 8069 3852 8067 3860 8017
TIME...MOT...LOC 1935Z 298DEG 30KT 3837 8050

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

04

Special weather statement, Jul 18, 3:43 PM EDT, 2 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
343 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

OHZ067-076-182030-
Washington OH-Morgan OH-
343 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN WASHINGTON AND
CENTRAL MORGAN COUNTIES THROUGH 430 PM EDT...

At 343 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Beverly, moving southeast at 25 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...
Marietta, McConnelsville, Beverly, Chesterhill, Malta, Lowell,
Stockport, Bristol, Macksburg, Lower Salem, Hackney, and Devola.

This includes Interstate 77 in Ohio between mile markers 3 and 17.

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.

&&

LAT...LON 3975 8164 3967 8164 3966 8159 3959 8158
      3958 8148 3964 8147 3965 8145 3963 8145
      3963 8142 3960 8139 3959 8128 3961 8128
      3961 8127 3958 8126 3958 8123 3938 8150
      3953 8202 3976 8171
TIME...MOT...LOC 1943Z 303DEG 23KT 3961 8166

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

04

Special weather statement, Jul 18, 3:45 PM EDT, 0 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
345 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

OHZ083-087-182015-
Jackson OH-Lawrence OH-
345 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN JACKSON AND
NORTHWESTERN LAWRENCE COUNTIES THROUGH 415 PM EDT...

At 345 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Jackson, moving southeast at 25 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...
Jackson, Oak Hill, Petersburg, and Mabee.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

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 3902 8280 3911 8262 3886 8249 3885 8252
      3885 8257 3882 8258 3879 8266 3885 8265
      3885 8274 3886 8276 3894 8275 3895 8276
      3895 8281 3897 8281
TIME...MOT...LOC 1945Z 303DEG 23KT 3900 8269

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

04

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 17, 8:24 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Athens	36 min
Jul 17, 8:51 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Athens	24 min
Jul 18, 2:02 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Athens	28 min
Jul 18, 2:21 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Perry	24 min
Jul 18, 2:42 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Perry	33 min
Jul 18, 3:01 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Athens, Vinton	29 min
Jul 18, 3:10 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Morgan	35 min
Jul 18, 3:30 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Athens, Gallia, Jackson, Meigs, Vinton	45 min
Jul 18, 3:43 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Morgan, Washington	47 min
Jul 18, 3:45 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Jackson	30 min
Jul 18, 4:03 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Gallia	27 min
Jul 18, 4:15 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Gallia, Jackson, Meigs, Vinton	45 min
Jul 18, 4:19 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Washington	4 hr
Jul 18, 4:20 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Washington	40 min
Jul 18, 4:41 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Meigs	49 min
Jul 18, 5:02 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Gallia, Lawrence	28 min
Jul 18, 5:31 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Lawrence	44 min
Jul 18, 7:30 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Perry	45 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Ohio, 2026 Every 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.