Alert archive / West Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 239, NWS Charleston, WV

July 21, 20264 counties in West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 21, 2026, 7:21 PM EDT for 4 counties in West Virginia. It was in force for 23 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 21, 2026, 7:21 PM EDT (23:21 UTC)
Expired: Jul 21, 2026, 7:44 PM EDT
In force: 23 min
Issued by: NWS Charleston, WV
Area: Storm-based polygon
Hail: 0.75 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

Counties Cabell County, WV, Kanawha County, WV, Lincoln County, WV, Putnam County, WV

The radar

The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 19 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:23 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 watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jul 21, 1:13 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	10 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Cncnati-Daytn, OH (KILN), launched 12:00Z, 11.4 hours before the alert went out and 200 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: 956 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -55 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 883 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 172 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 149 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.9
Supercell composite: 5.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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 21, 7:12 PM EDT, 9 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

1) Severe storms expected this afternoon and early evening.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 21, 7:12 PM EDT, 9 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Charleston WV
712 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
00Z Aviation Discussion Updated.

No significant changes were necessary at this time.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
- 1) Severe storms expected this afternoon and early evening.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...

Mid level shortwave energy will dive south into the area into the
afternoon hours, followed by a cold front late this evening into the
overnight. As a cluster of elevated convection associated with this
shortwave approaches our area, it will encounter a very moist and
unstable environment, with convection becoming more surface based as
it enters our CWA. CAPE values progged to approach 2000 to 4000
J/kg, and increasing shear values of 40 to 60 kts in the 0-6km
layer, will result in potential for storms to become organized.
Damaging winds are the primary hazard, with convection potentially
organizing into lines/bowing segments, but with that being said,
there is a tornado threat as well, with low LCL heights less than
1500m and 0-3km SRH greater than 250.

Timing of the severe activity is difficult to pinpoint, but appears
most should occur in the afternoon to early/mid evening hours, with
an additional round of convection expected with the front later
tonight. It's possible some of this convection associated with the
front could be low end severe, but with loss of heating, and any
effects earlier convection has on the overall environment,
confidence isn't high.

Lastly, with any storms that occur, flash flooding is a possibility,
with the overall anomalously high PW are that continues to remain in
place. This should mainly be a threat in locations that receive
repetitive rounds of convection.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
Heavy rain and strong thunderstorms will continue to produce
IFR flight conditions at times this evening. Although activity
will continue to taper off from west to east tonight, IFR or
worse conditions are expected to develop in fog and stratus.
CIGs/VIS will slowly improve to VFR after 12Z Wednesday.

Expect moderate southwest winds, with stronger gusts in storms
this evening. Flow will then become calm to light out of the northwest
after a front crosses the area tonight.

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

FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Medium

ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Impacts due to thunderstorms could vary.
Fog and/or stratus late tonight and Wednesday morning may be
worse than currently 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.

DATE                                                                 WED
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    L    H    H    M    H    L    L    M
HTS CONSISTENCY  M    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    L    H    H
BKW CONSISTENCY  M    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
EKN CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    M    M    M    M    L    H    M    M
PKB CONSISTENCY  M    H    H    H    H    L    M    L    M    M    H    L
CKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M    H    M    L    H

AFTER 00Z THURSDAY...
IFR valley fog each morning through Friday.

&&

.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...Flood Watch until 2 AM EDT Wednesday for WVZ005>011-013>020-
     024>034-039-040-515>523-525-526.
OH...Flood Watch until 2 AM EDT Wednesday for OHZ067-075-076-
     083>087.
KY...Flood Watch until 2 AM EDT Wednesday for KYZ101>103-105.
VA...Flood Watch until 2 AM EDT Wednesday for VAZ003-004.

&&

DISCUSSION...SL
AVIATION...20

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 21, 6:17 PM EDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
617 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026

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

0609 PM     Flash Flood      3 SSW Flemington        39.22N 80.15W
07/21/2026                   Barbour            WV   911 Call Center

            Portion of Bear Mountain Road reported
            flooded.

&&

Webb

Local storm report, Jul 21, 6:25 PM EDT, 56 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
625 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026

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

0624 PM     Rain             Lost Creek              39.16N 80.35W
07/21/2026  M2.50 Inch       Harrison           WV   Broadcast Media

            Reported to have accumulated in 45 minutes.

&&

Webb

Local storm report, Jul 21, 7:01 PM EDT, 20 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
701 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026

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

0655 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Buckhannon              38.98N 80.22W
07/21/2026                   Upshur             WV   Amateur Radio

            Report of swift water rescue from the creek
            along Little Sand Run Road.

&&

Webb

Local storm report, Jul 21, 7:03 PM EDT, 18 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
703 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026

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

0655 PM     Flash Flood      1 SE Buckhannon         38.98N 80.21W
07/21/2026                   Upshur             WV   Broadcast Media

            Significant flooding along Morgan Addition
            Road with homes affected.

&&

Webb

Local storm report, Jul 21, 7:04 PM EDT, 17 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
704 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026

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

0655 PM     Flash Flood      Buckhannon              38.98N 80.22W
07/21/2026                   Upshur             WV   Amateur Radio

            Corrects previous tstm wnd dmg report from
            Buckhannon. Report of swift water rescue
            from the creek along Little Sand Run Road.

&&

Webb

Local storm report, Jul 21, 7:08 PM EDT, 13 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
708 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026

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

0707 PM     Flash Flood      4 SW Buckhannon         38.96N 80.29W
07/21/2026                   Upshur             WV   Amateur Radio

            Swift water rescues underway for people
            trapped in the upstairs of their home along
            Brush Fork Road.

&&

Webb

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 21, 3:59 AM EDT	Flood Watch	RLX	Barbour, Boone, Braxton, Cabell, Calhoun, Clay and 28 more	22 hr
Jul 21, 4:20 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Barbour, Upshur	40 min
Jul 21, 12:02 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Pleasants, Wood	43 min
Jul 21, 1:07 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Calhoun, Doddridge, Ritchie, Wirt, Wood	38 min
Jul 21, 1:18 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Pleasants, Wood	3 hr
Jul 21, 1:30 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RLX	Calhoun, Gilmer, Ritchie	30 min
Jul 21, 1:57 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Gilmer, Lewis	36 min
Jul 21, 2:06 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Cabell, Mason	39 min
Jul 21, 2:15 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Lewis, Upshur	60 min
Jul 21, 2:41 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Cabell, Kanawha, Lincoln, Mason, Putnam	31 min
Jul 21, 2:55 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Randolph, Upshur	50 min
Jul 21, 3:27 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning Emergency	RLX	Lewis, Randolph, Upshur	11 hr
Jul 21, 3:40 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Pleasants, Tyler	65 min
Jul 21, 3:43 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Pocahontas, Randolph	47 min
Jul 21, 3:53 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RLX	Tyler	37 min
Jul 21, 4:15 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Pleasants, Ritchie, Tyler	4 hr
Jul 21, 4:17 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RLX	Doddridge, Tyler	17 min
Jul 21, 4:24 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Mason	51 min
Jul 21, 4:27 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	RLX	Doddridge, Harrison, Tyler	48 min
Jul 21, 4:29 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Pleasants, Ritchie, Tyler, Wood	46 min
Jul 21, 4:37 PM EDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	RLX	Doddridge, Pleasants, Ritchie, Tyler	27 min
Jul 21, 4:50 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Pleasants, Ritchie, Wood	3 hr
Jul 21, 4:53 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	RLX	Doddridge, Harrison, Lewis, Pleasants, Ritchie, Tyler	52 min
Jul 21, 5:08 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Barbour, Harrison, Taylor	37 min
Jul 21, 5:26 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Cabell, Wayne	49 min
Jul 21, 5:34 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	RLX	Barbour, Doddridge, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis, Upshur	56 min
Jul 21, 5:35 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RLX	Barbour, Taylor	25 min
Jul 21, 5:38 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Barbour, Doddridge, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis, Ritchie and 3 more	7 hr
Jul 21, 5:44 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	RLX	Barbour, Randolph, Taylor	31 min
Jul 21, 5:56 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Braxton, Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Lewis, Ritchie	34 min
Jul 21, 6:08 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Barbour, Randolph	67 min
Jul 21, 6:09 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Cabell, Wayne	36 min
Jul 21, 6:15 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Braxton, Gilmer, Lewis, Ritchie	7 hr
Jul 21, 6:20 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Braxton, Gilmer, Lewis, Pocahontas, Randolph, Upshur and 1 more	55 min
Jul 21, 6:22 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RLX	Cabell, Wayne	23 min
Jul 21, 6:39 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Cabell, Lincoln, Wayne	3 hr
Jul 21, 6:43 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Barbour, Lewis, Pocahontas, Randolph, Upshur	7 hr
Jul 21, 6:43 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Cabell, Lincoln, Putnam, Wayne	47 min
Jul 21, 6:57 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning Considerable damage threat	RLX	Lewis, Upshur	6 hr
Jul 21, 6:57 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Boone, Kanawha, Lincoln	48 min
Jul 21, 7:09 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Braxton, Gilmer, Lewis, Pocahontas, Randolph, Upshur and 1 more	66 min
Jul 21, 7:13 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Mingo, Wayne	47 min
Jul 21, 7:47 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Boone, Kanawha, Lincoln	31 min
Jul 21, 7:51 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Boone, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo, Wayne	35 min
Jul 21, 11:29 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Morgan	46 min
Jul 21, 11:47 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Athens, Morgan, Washington	28 min
Jul 21, 12:32 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Athens	4 hr
Jul 21, 12:48 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Washington	4 hr
Jul 21, 1:37 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Lawrence	38 min
Jul 21, 2:09 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Perry	23 min
Jul 21, 2:59 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RLX	Morgan	18 min
Jul 21, 3:09 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Morgan, Perry	36 min
Jul 21, 3:29 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RLX	Washington	31 min
Jul 21, 3:37 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Perry	4 hr
Jul 21, 3:59 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Morgan, Perry, Washington	4 hr
Jul 21, 4:36 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Lawrence	54 min
Jul 21, 5:12 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Lawrence	3 hr
Jul 21, 7:56 PM EDT	Areal Flood Warning	RLX	Morgan, Perry, Washington	9 hr
Jul 21, 4:56 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RLX	Greenup	37 min
Jul 21, 6:33 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RLX	Carter, Lawrence	42 min
Jul 21, 6:48 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RLX	Lawrence	27 min
Jul 21, 7:11 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RLX	Lawrence	18 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in West Virginia, 2026 Every severe thunderstorm 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.