Alert archive / West Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 243, NWS Charleston, WV
NWS Charleston, WV issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 21, 2026, 8:25 PM EDT for 5 counties in West Virginia. It was in force for 50 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, 8:25 PM EDT (00:25 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 21, 2026, 9:15 PM EDT
- In force
- 50 min
- Issued by
- NWS Charleston, WV
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Possible
- Hail
- 1.0 in
- Wind
- 60.0 mph
Counties Boone County, WV, Fayette County, WV, Kanawha County, WV, Nicholas County, WV, Raleigh County, WV
The radar
The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 46 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:26 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 |
| Jul 21, 6:09 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 00:00Z, 0.4 hours before the alert went out and 185 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 2535 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -3 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 789 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 48 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 155 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 246 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 3.1
- Supercell composite
- 17.2
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, 1 hour 13 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- 1) Severe storms expected this afternoon and early evening.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 21, 7:12 PM EDT, 1 hour 13 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...20In the hours before
Local storm report, Jul 21, 7:36 PM EDT, 49 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
736 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0720 PM Flash Flood Buckhannon 38.99N 80.23W
07/21/2026 Upshur WV Broadcast Media
Photo showing several city streets flooded
with swift moving water.
&&
WebbLocal storm report, Jul 21, 7:47 PM EDT, 38 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
747 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0710 PM Flash Flood 2 SSW Buckhannon 38.96N 80.24W
07/21/2026 Upshur WV 911 Call Center
Stony Run Road near South Route 20 Road
flooded with up to 3 feet of water.
&&
WebbLocal storm report, Jul 21, 7:59 PM EDT, 26 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
759 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0500 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 5 NE Salem 39.33N 80.49W
07/21/2026 Harrison WV 911 Call Center
Tree and lines down on Grass Run Road.
&&
JLBLocal storm report, Jul 21, 8:05 PM EDT, 20 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
805 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 PM Flash Flood 4 E Stonewall Jackson 39.00N 80.39W
07/21/2026 Lewis WV Broadcast Media
Video showing a portion of US Route 33 near
the Lewis County line flooded on all lanes.
&&
WebbLocal storm report, Jul 21, 8:23 PM EDT, 2 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
823 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0815 PM Flash Flood 2 ESE Buckhannon 38.98N 80.19W
07/21/2026 Upshur WV 911 Call Center
People trapped in home by flood waters.
Water is entering structures on Old Elkins
Road.
&&
JLBLocal storm report, Jul 21, 8:25 PM EDT, 0 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
825 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0747 PM Flash Flood 1 SE Buckhannon 38.97N 80.21W
07/21/2026 Upshur WV 911 Call Center
Swift water rescue for two people trapped in
a vehicle on Bailey Ridge Road at Little
Sand Run.
&&
WebbThe office that day
Everything else NWS Charleston, WV issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 21, 8:06 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | RLX | Boone, Fayette, Kanawha | 24 min |
| Jul 21, 8:09 PM EDT | Areal Flood Warning | RLX | Doddridge, Pleasants, Ritchie, Tyler | 35 hr |
| Jul 21, 8:16 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | RLX | Boone, Fayette, Kanawha, Raleigh | 29 min |
| Jul 21, 8:30 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | RLX | Braxton, Lewis, Randolph, Upshur, Webster | 47 min |
| Jul 21, 8:45 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | RLX | Boone, Fayette, Kanawha | 3 hr |
| Jul 21, 8:51 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | RLX | Fayette | 3 hr |
| Jul 21, 8:59 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | RLX | Fayette | 26 min |
| Jul 21, 9:31 PM EDT | River Flood Warning | RLX | Harrison, Lewis | 4 hr |
| Jul 21, 9:37 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | RLX | Fayette | 23 min |
| Jul 21, 10:45 PM EDT | River Flood Warning | RLX | Upshur | 29 hr |
| Jul 21, 11:37 PM EDT | River Flood Warning | RLX | Barbour | 12 hr |
| Jul 22, 12:08 AM EDT | River Flood Warning | RLX | Harrison | 25 hr |
| Jul 22, 12:11 AM EDT | River Flood Warning | RLX | Barbour | 22 hr |
| Jul 22, 12:28 AM EDT | Areal Flood Warning | RLX | Barbour, Doddridge, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis, Randolph and 4 more | 25 hr |
| Jul 22, 12:52 AM EDT | Areal Flood Warning | RLX | Braxton, Calhoun, Gilmer, Lewis, Ritchie | 4 hr |
| Jul 22, 1:24 AM EDT | Areal Flood Warning | RLX | Barbour, Lewis, Pocahontas, Randolph, Upshur | 9 hr |
| Jul 22, 2:54 AM EDT | Areal Flood Warning | RLX | Barbour, Lewis, Randolph, Upshur | 13 hr |
| Jul 22, 6:48 AM EDT | Areal Flood Warning | RLX | Ritchie | 3 hr |
| Jul 22, 10:02 AM EDT | Areal Flood Warning | RLX | Ritchie | 6 hr |
| Jul 22, 10:41 AM EDT | Areal Flood Warning | RLX | Harrison, Lewis | 6 hr |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in West Virginia, 2026Every 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.