Alert archive / Ohio / River Flood Warnings in 2026

River Flood Warning 13, NWS Charleston, WV

August 17, 2026Morgan County, Washington County, Ohio

NWS Charleston, WV issued this river flood warning at Aug 17, 2026, 6:19 PM EDT for Morgan County, Washington County, Ohio. It took effect at Aug 17, 2026, 6:43 PM EDT. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Aug 17, 2026, 6:19 PM EDT (22:19 UTC)
In effect from
Aug 17, 2026, 6:43 PM EDT
Expired
Aug 17, 2026, 9:15 PM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
Minor

Counties Morgan County, OH, Washington County, OH

The radar

The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 138 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:22 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 river

Written for the forecast point Muskingum River at Beverly (BEVO1). The gauge peaked at 28.71 ft at Aug 17, 2026, 6:00 PM EDT.

actionminormoderate25303508/1708/1808/19
Action stage
26 ft
Minor stage
29 ft
Moderate stage
34 ft
Major stage
40 ft

This gauge today: stage, forecast and historic crests

Stage from the USGS instantaneous record for site 03150500, one reading an hour, from a day before the product to a day after it ended. Flood stages are today's.

The text

As transmitted.

463 
WGUS41 KRLX 172219
FLWRLX

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Flood Warning
National Weather Service Charleston WV
619 PM EDT Mon Aug 17 2026

...The National Weather Service in Charleston has issued a Flood
Warning for the following rivers in Ohio...

  Muskingum River At Beverly affecting Washington and Morgan
  Counties.

For the Muskingum River...Minor flooding is forecast.

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.

Additional information is available at www.weather.gov/rlx.

The next statement will be issued Tuesday morning at 630 AM EDT.

&&

OHC115-167-181030-
/O.NEW.KRLX.FL.W.0013.260817T2243Z-260818T1600Z/
/BEVO1.1.ER.260817T2243Z.260818T0000Z.260818T1000Z.NO/
619 PM EDT Mon Aug 17 2026

...FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL TUESDAY AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast.

* WHERE...Muskingum River at Beverly.

* WHEN...Through Tuesday morning.

* IMPACTS...At 29.0 feet, Low areas, and farmland, camps, and a few
  homes are flooded.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
  - At 5:45 PM EDT Monday the stage was 28.8 feet.
  - Bankfull stage is 26.0 feet.
  - Forecast...The river is expected to rise above flood stage this
    evening to a crest of 29.3 feet this evening. It will then fall
    below flood stage Tuesday morning.
  - Flood stage is 29.0 feet.
  - Flood History...This crest compares to a previous crest of 29.3
    feet on 02/21/2019.
  - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

&&

LAT...LON 3961 8175 3960 8149 3951 8146 3945 8151
      3952 8184


$$

12
1 follow-up statement
856 
WGUS81 KRLX 180115
FLSRLX

Flood Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
915 PM EDT Mon Aug 17 2026

...The Flood Warning is cancelled for the following rivers in Ohio...

  Muskingum River At Beverly affecting Washington and Morgan
  Counties.

OHC115-167-180215-
/O.CAN.KRLX.FL.W.0013.000000T0000Z-260818T0115Z/
/BEVO1.1.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.NO/
915 PM EDT Mon Aug 17 2026

...FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED...

The Flood Warning is cancelled for
  the Muskingum River At Beverly.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
  - At 8:45 PM EDT Monday the stage was 28.3 feet.
  - Forecast...The river has crested, and is expected to fall to 26.0
    feet Tuesday morning, and to 19.4 feet Saturday evening.
  - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

&&

LAT...LON 3961 8175 3960 8149 3951 8146 3945 8151
      3952 8184


$$

12

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this river 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 river flood warning went out at Aug 17, 1:53 PM EDT, 4 hours 26 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • 1.) Heavy rainfall may lead to additional flash flooding and tree damage across the region, especially the southern coalfields and southwest Virginia, through 2 AM Tuesday. 2.) Widespread low stratus and dense valley fog will build overnight tonight into Tuesday morning across much of the region, creating low visibility for the morning commute Tuesday. 3.) A temporary dry break is expected Tuesday through early Wednesday before another cold front brings renewed shower and thunderstorm chances with flash flood potential Wednesday night through Thursday.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 17, 1:53 PM EDT, 4 hours 26 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Charleston WV
153 PM EDT Mon Aug 17 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Aviation discussion updated at 0930Z

In coordination with the Jackson KY forecast office, the Flash
Flood Watch has been expanded to cover our remaining counties
in southern West Virginia and southwest Virginia. Convective-
allowing models show the potential for up to 2 inches of
new rainfall today in these areas, which may exceed flash flood
guidance.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1.) Heavy rainfall may lead to additional flash flooding and
tree damage across the region, especially the southern
coalfields and southwest Virginia, through 2 AM Tuesday.

2.) Widespread low stratus and dense valley fog will build
overnight tonight into Tuesday morning across much of the
region, creating low visibility for the morning commute Tuesday.

3.) A temporary dry break is expected Tuesday through early
Wednesday before another cold front brings renewed shower and
thunderstorm chances with flash flood potential Wednesday night
through Thursday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...

Destabilization is under way across the region in the wake of a
decaying morning convective complex, with the most robust
clearing located across southern areas. The strongest
convective cores will graze portions of southwest Virginia and
the southern coalfields where SPC has added a slight risk of
severe storms. Additional scattered to numerous showers and
thunderstorms are already developing along a slow-moving
surface cold front pressing southeastward across the Middle Ohio
Valley.

The thermodynamic environment remains exceptionally moist,
characterized by precipitable water values approaching 2.0
inches, which sits well above seasonal climatology. Soundings
display long, skinny instability profiles with Mixed-Layer CAPE
reaching 800 to 1200 J/kg, up to 1500 J/kg across southern
counties. These soundings feature deep warm cloud depths
exceeding 12000 feet, supporting highly efficient warm rain
production with rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Flow
at H700 around 30 to 35KTs out of the west will keep individual
convective cores moving at a modest pace. However, low-level
convergence along the cold front as it sinks slowly to the
southeast runs nearly parallel to the mid-level flow, which may
promote cell training over the same drainages.

Deep-layer bulk shear of 25 to 30KT will favor a predominantly
multicellular storm mode. Low-level hodographs show modest
curvature, yielding effective storm-relative helicity of 70 to
100 m2/s2. This shear profile could foster brief updraft
rotation in any semi-discrete cells, maintaining a low, though
non-zero, threat for a brief tornado. While the primary severe
wind potential remains concentrated along our southern border
where instability is maximized, antecedent saturated ground
conditions mean that even sub-severe wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph
can uproot exposed trees.

Given severely compromised soils from repeated heavy rainfall
over the preceding days, 3 hour flash flood guidance is
generally between 1.0 and 1.5 inches across much of the forecast
area. High precipitation rates will result in rapid runoff into
small streams. A Flash Flood Watch remains active through 2 AM
EDT Tuesday.

KEY MESSAGE 2...

In the wake of the cold frontal passage late tonight, surface
winds will diminish to 5 mph or less under weak northwesterly
flow. While we should maintain at least some mid-level cloud
cover, will likely see surface temperatures falling to
saturation by early Tuesday morning. Widespread low stratus and
fog is expected expected to form over much of the area heading
into Tuesday morning which could impact the morning commute.

KEY MESSAGE 3...

A brief period of dry weather will take hold Tuesday afternoon
through most of Wednesday as high pressure builds across the
Central Appalachians and column moisture decreases behind the
cold front. Precipitable water values drop to around 1.0 to 1.2
inches on Tuesday, allowing small streams and creeks an
opportunity to recede. However, subsurface soil moisture will
remain nearly saturated, leaving infiltration capacity severely
degraded.

Atmospheric moisture will pool northward again late Wednesday
into Wednesday night ahead of the next upper-level shortwave
trough and cold front. Precipitable water values rise back
toward 1.8 inches by Thursday morning. Upper-level dynamics will
strengthen as the right rear quadrant of an H200 jet streak
positions over the Middle Ohio Valley, providing broad synoptic
scale ascent. With modest diurnal destabilization expected
Thursday afternoon, scattered to numerous showers and
thunderstorms will redevelop along the boundary. High
instantaneous rainfall rates falling on saturated soils will
present a renewed flash flood risk, supporting the Weather
Prediction Center Marginal Risk of Excessive Rainfall for
Thursday.

The broad synoptic pattern through the late week and upcoming
weekend will be dominated by strong mid-level ridging over the
western United States and longwave troughing centered over the
eastern tier. This configuration will keep the Central
Appalachians in northwest flow aloft, directing periodic
shortwaves and secondary cold fronts through the region every
couple of days.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms will continue to
develop ahead of a cold front this afternoon and early evening.
Outside of convection, prevailing ceiling heights will hover
between 2500 and 4000 feet  Direct thunderstorm impacts will be
brief, producing temporary IFR visibility down to 1 to 2SM.

As the cold front moves southeast of the region after 02Z
Tuesday, surface winds will diminish to 5KTs or less from the
northwest. Saturated surface conditions and light upslope flow
will foster widespread low stratus and fog development heading
into Tuesday morning. Widespread IFR to LIFR ceilings below 500
feet AGL and visibilities of 1/4 to 1 SM are expected across
most terminals. Expect gradual improvement through 15Z

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

FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Medium.

ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: The timing and spatial extent of fog
overnight tonight may vary depending on extent of partial
clearing behind the cold front.  Thunderstorm direct hits at
any single terminal this afternoon may produce IFR conditions.

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    L    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    M    H    M    M    M    M    H    H    H    H    L
PKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    M    H    H    H    H    H    H    M    H
CKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    M    H    M    H    H    H    H    H

AFTER 18Z TUESDAY...
IFR valley fog possible Wednesday morning.

&&

.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...Flood Watch through late tonight for WVZ005>011-013>020-
     024>034-039-040-515>526.
OH...Flood Watch through late tonight for OHZ066-067-075-076-
     083>087.
KY...Flood Watch through late tonight for KYZ101>103-105.
VA...Flood Watch through late tonight for VAZ003-004.

&&

DISCUSSION...JP
AVIATION...JP

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 17, 5:18 PM EDT, 1 hour 1 minute before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
518 PM EDT Mon Aug 17 2026

WVZ028-039-521-522-525-526-172145-
Southeast Webster WV-Northwest Randolph WV-Northwest Webster WV-
Upshur WV-Braxton WV-Southeast Randolph WV-
518 PM EDT Mon Aug 17 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT WEST CENTRAL RANDOLPH...EAST
CENTRAL BRAXTON...SOUTHWESTERN UPSHUR AND NORTHEASTERN WEBSTER
COUNTIES THROUGH 545 PM EDT...

At 517 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Holly River State Park, or 14 miles east of Sutton, moving southeast
at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Holly River State Park, Bergoo, Hacker Valley, Cleveland, Pickens,
and Waneta.

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.

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 3842 8028 3867 8056 3874 8045 3873 8045
      3873 8043 3872 8041 3873 8040 3875 8040
      3863 8006
TIME...MOT...LOC 2117Z 309DEG 21KT 3871 8045

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

11
Local storm report, Aug 17, 5:27 PM EDT, 52 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
527 PM EDT Mon Aug 17 2026

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

0526 PM     Flash Flood      Nelsonville             39.46N 82.22W
08/17/2026                   Athens             OH   911 Call Center

            Water flowing in house on N HARPER ST,
            NELSONVILLE, OH.

&&

JZ
Local storm report, Aug 17, 5:29 PM EDT, 50 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
529 PM EDT Mon Aug 17 2026

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

0528 PM     Flash Flood      7 NE Burnsville         38.92N 80.55W
08/17/2026                   Lewis              WV   911 Call Center

            Water rushing over Water Creek Road.

&&

JZ
Local storm report, Aug 17, 5:30 PM EDT, 49 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
530 PM EDT Mon Aug 17 2026

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

0530 PM     Flash Flood      3 SSE Auburn            39.06N 80.82W
08/17/2026                   Gilmer             WV   911 Call Center

            High water on STONELICK RUN RD & WV HWY 47
            W.

&&

JZ
Local storm report, Aug 17, 5:32 PM EDT, 47 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
532 PM EDT Mon Aug 17 2026

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

0531 PM     Flash Flood      Buckhannon              38.99N 80.23W
08/17/2026                   Upshur             WV   911 Call Center

            High water on S KANAWHA ST, BUCKHANNON.

&&

JZ
Local storm report, Aug 17, 5:33 PM EDT, 46 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
533 PM EDT Mon Aug 17 2026

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

0532 PM     Flash Flood      1 ESE Buckhannon        38.99N 80.21W
08/17/2026                   Upshur             WV   911 Call Center

            High water on VICKSBURG RD, BUCKHANNON.

&&

JZ

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 16, 8:21 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXWashington39 min
Aug 16, 10:06 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningRLXAthens, Meigs, Vinton3 hr
Aug 16, 10:24 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningRLXGallia3 hr
Aug 17, 1:13 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXMorgan3 hr
Aug 17, 1:15 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXWashington3 hr
Aug 17, 1:53 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXWashington7 hr
Aug 17, 5:02 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningRLXWashington21 hr
Aug 17, 5:22 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXAthens, Morgan, Washington3 hr
Aug 17, 5:34 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXAthens, Washington3 hr
Aug 17, 6:20 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXAthens, Meigs, Vinton70 min
Aug 17, 7:44 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXMeigs3 hr

Nearby

River Flood Warnings in Ohio, 2026Every river 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive; the gauge from the NWS water service and the USGS.