Special Weather Statement, NWS Charleston, WV

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

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

OHZ067-075-076-181830-
Washington OH-Athens OH-Morgan OH-
202 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT WEST CENTRAL WASHINGTON...
SOUTHWESTERN MORGAN AND CENTRAL ATHENS COUNTIES THROUGH 230 PM EDT...

At 201 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Glouster, moving east at 15 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...
Athens, Glouster, Coolville, Chesterhill, Chauncey, Jacksonville,
Trimble, Amesville, Stroud Run State Park, Bartlett, and The Plains.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3938 8216 3952 8208 3949 8165 3922 8179
TIME...MOT...LOC 1801Z 288DEG 15KT 3942 8205

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

04

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

VAZ003-181830-
Dickenson VA-
204 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN DICKENSON COUNTY
THROUGH 230 PM EDT...

At 204 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Trammel, or 13 miles southwest of Davenport, moving east at 15 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...
Trammel.

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 3697 8237 3699 8240 3706 8229 3704 8215
      3703 8218 3703 8220 3699 8226 3700 8227
      3700 8229 3696 8235 3696 8236
TIME...MOT...LOC 1804Z 288DEG 15KT 3698 8232

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

04

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

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

0115 PM     Flash Flood      Marlinton               38.22N 80.09W
07/18/2026                   Pocahontas         WV   911 Call Center

            High water reported over several streets in
            Marlinton, water has since receded.

&&

JP

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

WVZ015-027-517-519-181900-
Clay WV-Kanawha WV-Northwest Nicholas WV-Northwest Fayette WV-
214 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN NICHOLAS...EAST
CENTRAL KANAWHA...SOUTHERN CLAY AND NORTHWESTERN FAYETTE COUNTIES
THROUGH 300 PM EDT...

At 214 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles southwest of Glen, or 16 miles southwest of Clay, moving east
at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include...
Clay, Montgomery, Cedar Grove, East Bank, Glasgow, Smithers, Gauley
Bridge, Pratt, Glen, Handley, Bickmore, Swiss, Indore, Bentree,
Drennan, and Pond Gap.

This includes West Virginia Turnpike between mile markers 82 and 85.

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.

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 3818 8152 3843 8140 3846 8085 3815 8100
TIME...MOT...LOC 1814Z 261DEG 42KT 3831 8132

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH

04

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

WVZ019-020-030-181900-
Doddridge WV-Ritchie WV-Lewis WV-
218 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL RITCHIE...DODDRIDGE AND
NORTHWESTERN LEWIS COUNTIES THROUGH 300 PM EDT...

At 217 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
North Bend State Park, or near Harrisville, moving east at 15 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...
Harrisville, Pennsboro, West Union, North Bend State Park, Ellenboro,
Cairo, Pullman, Auburn, Greenwood, Blandville, Avon, Grove, Leopold,
New Milton, Smithburg, and Berea.

This includes Route 50 in West Virginia between mile markers 34 and
63.

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.

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 3937 8064 3919 8055 3918 8057 3918 8059
      3917 8059 3915 8053 3912 8052 3910 8079
      3911 8081 3910 8081 3908 8118 3924 8121
      3931 8089 3930 8089 3932 8085
TIME...MOT...LOC 1817Z 261DEG 15KT 3916 8111

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

04

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

OHZ066-181845-
Perry OH-
221 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN PERRY COUNTY THROUGH
245 PM EDT...

At 221 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 7 miles southeast of Marne to near
Pleasantville. Movement was southeast at 40 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...
Somerset, Thornport, Harbor Hills, Thornville, and Glenford.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3993 8242 3992 8241 3991 8222 3991 8216
      3984 8217 3974 8225 3978 8240 3983 8240
      3984 8247 3992 8247 3993 8246
TIME...MOT...LOC 1821Z 301DEG 42KT 3998 8226 3978 8251

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

04