Alert archive / Virginia / Special Weather Statements in 2026

Special Weather Statement, NWS Charleston, WV

August 2, 2026Buchanan County, Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this special weather statement at Aug 2, 2026, 9:08 PM EDT for Buchanan County, Virginia. It was in force for 52 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Aug 2, 2026, 9:08 PM EDT (01:08 UTC)
Expired: Aug 2, 2026, 10:00 PM EDT
In force: 52 min
Issued by: NWS Charleston, WV
Hail: 0.00 in
Wind: 50

County Buchanan County, VA

The radar

The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 94 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:12 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 nearest sounding before it

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 00:00Z, 1.1 hours before the alert went out and 226 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: 661 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 726 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 21 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 75 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 103 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.2
Supercell composite: 4.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this special weather statement 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 special weather statement went out at Aug 2, 7:26 PM EDT, 1 hour 42 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

1) Localized flash flooding and isolated strong to severe storms will be possible today. Then, expect daily chances of showers and storms throughout the new work week.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 2, 7:26 PM EDT, 1 hour 42 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Charleston WV
726 PM EDT Sun Aug 2 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Latest thoughts on today's strong thunderstorm and flooding
threats. Updated 18Z aviation discussion.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Localized flash flooding and isolated strong to severe
storms will be possible today. Then, expect daily chances of
showers and storms throughout the new work week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...

A postively-tilted trough will track across the middle Ohio
Valley and Appalachians today, bringing scattered showers and
thunderstorms along with it. GOES satellite imagery shows clouds
breaking for brief pockets of sunshine across the middle Ohio
Valley, and this daytime heating may provide fuel for isolated
stronger thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. However, the
thick cloud cover has likely limited the overall severe
thunderstorm threat today. If a few storms are able to mature,
deep-layer shear will be just enough (30-40 kts) to support
organized convection. SPC mesoanalysis also shows around 100
m2/s2 of 0-1 km storm relative helicity across central and
eastern portions of West Virginia today, which could provide
support for a brief spin-up tornado. However, the main threat of
any storms that mature today would be localized damaging wind
gusts and cloud-to-ground lightning.

In addition to a marginal severe weather threat, there is also a
threat of flash flooding due to a very saturated airmass.
Precipitable water values are highest today across central,
northern, and eastern West Virginia at 2.00 to 2.25 inches. These
are the locations where flooding will be a concern today, and a
Flood Watch remains in effect for these areas until late tonight.
Any place that sees training showers and thunderstorms today will be
at risk of flash flooding.

The aforementioned trough will escape to the northeast Monday
and Tuesday, but a cutoff upper-level low will develop over the
Southeast on Tuesday and hang around through much of the
workweek. The upper-level low and lingering vorticity aloft will
support the development of showers and thunderstorms each day
this week, with the highest chances occurring in the afternoon
and evening hours during peak heating.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
Showers and storms are slowly decreasing in coverage/moving
largely east of the area. Expecting most of the activity to
either dissipate or exit the area by or shortly after 04Z.

Otherwise, after 06Z, expecting widespread IFR/LIFR or worse low
stratus and/or fog to develop overnight, and linger through at
least 14Z, and longer in the mountains.

Additional/isolated showers and storms can be expected on
Monday, particularly after 18Z. Most of this activity will be
confined east/south of the Ohio River, with confidence in
coverage and timing too low to include in the TAF this far out.

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

FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Medium.

ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Restrictions tonight and early Monday
morning in fog and low ceilings may vary from 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                                                            MON 08/03/26
UTC 1HRLY       00   01   02   03   04   05   06   07   08   09   10   11
EDT 1HRLY       20   21   22   23   00   01   02   03   04   05   06   07
CRW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    M    H    L    L    L    M    M    M
HTS CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M    M    M    M
BKW CONSISTENCY  H    H    M    L    H    M    L    M    M    M    M    M
EKN CONSISTENCY  H    M    H    M    H    H    M    M    M    M    M    M
PKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    M    M    M    H    H    M
CKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M    H    M    M    H

AFTER 00Z TUESDAY...
IFR restrictions are possible with showers and thunderstorms
throughout the week.

&&

.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...Flood Watch until midnight EDT tonight for WVZ008>011-013>020-
     025>034-039-040-515>526.
OH...None.
KY...None.
VA...None.

&&

DISCUSSION...26
AVIATION...SL

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 2, 8:32 PM EDT, 36 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
832 PM EDT Sun Aug 2 2026

VAZ004-WVZ033-030115-
Buchanan VA-McDowell WV-
832 PM EDT Sun Aug 2 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL BUCHANAN AND WEST
CENTRAL MCDOWELL COUNTIES THROUGH 915 PM EDT...

At 832 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Grundy, moving northeast 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...
Grundy, Bradshaw, Stacy, Vansant, Hurley, Avondale, Jolo, and
Roseann.

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.

This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.

&&

LAT...LON 3715 8201 3725 8221 3748 8204 3740 8172
TIME...MOT...LOC 0032Z 207DEG 20KT 3728 8207

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

JP

Local storm report, Aug 2, 8:37 PM EDT, 31 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
837 PM EDT Sun Aug 2 2026

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

0830 PM     Flash Flood      5 NNW Meadow Bridge     37.92N 80.90W
08/02/2026                   Fayette            WV   Dept of Highways

            High Water on Smokey Br Rd & Meadow Bridge
            Rd.

&&

JP

Local storm report, Aug 2, 8:39 PM EDT, 29 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
839 PM EDT Sun Aug 2 2026

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

0828 PM     Flash Flood      1 NNE Daniels           37.74N 81.12W
08/02/2026                   Raleigh            WV   911 Call Center

            About a foot of water in the roadway along
            Ritter Dr at Knolls Dr.

&&

JP

Local storm report, Aug 2, 8:40 PM EDT, 28 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
840 PM EDT Sun Aug 2 2026

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

0826 PM     Flash Flood      1 NNE Daniels           37.74N 81.11W
08/02/2026                   Raleigh            WV   911 Call Center

            Water across the roadway in the 1600 block
            of Ritter Dr.

&&

JP

Local storm report, Aug 2, 9:00 PM EDT, 8 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
900 PM EDT Sun Aug 2 2026

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

0859 PM     Rain             5 SE Babcock State Park 37.94N 80.90W
08/02/2026  M4.11 Inch       Fayette            WV   Public

            Social Media video shows heavy runoff on
            property and a saturated ground.

&&

Special weather statement, Aug 2, 9:08 PM EDT, 0 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
908 PM EDT Sun Aug 2 2026

VAZ004-WVZ024-033-034-030200-
Buchanan VA-Wyoming WV-McDowell WV-Mingo WV-
908 PM EDT Sun Aug 2 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTH CENTRAL BUCHANAN...
NORTHWESTERN MCDOWELL...SOUTHEASTERN MINGO AND WEST CENTRAL WYOMING
COUNTIES THROUGH 1000 PM EDT...

At 908 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Argo, or 10 miles northeast of Grundy, moving north at 15 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...
Hinch, Gilbert Creek, Iaeger, Stacy, Panther, Hurley, and Roseann.

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.

This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.

&&

LAT...LON 3736 8214 3743 8212 3754 8197 3755 8197
      3753 8201 3755 8204 3753 8205 3754 8205
      3754 8206 3756 8208 3764 8205 3754 8173
      3729 8193
TIME...MOT...LOC 0108Z 200DEG 12KT 3741 8201

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

JP

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 2, 8:02 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Fayette, McDowell, Raleigh, Wyoming	4 hr
Aug 2, 8:03 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Taylor	42 min
Aug 2, 9:38 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	McDowell, Mingo, Wyoming	3 hr
Aug 2, 10:36 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	McDowell, Wyoming	3 hr
Aug 2, 11:44 PM EDT	Areal Flood Warning	RLX	Fayette, McDowell, Nicholas, Raleigh, Wyoming	4 hr
Aug 2, 8:32 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RLX	Buchanan	43 min
Aug 2, 8:59 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	RLX	Buchanan	5 hr

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in Virginia, 2026 Every special weather statement 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.