Alert archive / West Virginia / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 10, NWS Charleston, WV

June 18, 2026Barbour County, Randolph County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this tornado warning at Jun 18, 2026, 7:37 AM EDT for Barbour County, Randolph County, West Virginia. It was in force for 8 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
Jun 18, 2026, 7:37 AM EDT (11:37 UTC)
Expired
Jun 18, 2026, 7:45 AM EDT
In force
8 min
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

Counties Barbour County, WV, Randolph County, WV

The radar

The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 167 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 11:40 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jun 18, 7:09 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 00:00Z, 11.6 hours before the alert went out and 151 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Pittsburgh, PA at 00:00Z on 2026-06-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 12 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Pittsburgh, PA at 00:00Z on 2026-06-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 143 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
12 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-30 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1446 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
59 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
143 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
196 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

718 
WFUS51 KRLX 181137
TORRLX
WVC001-083-181145-
/O.NEW.KRLX.TO.W.0010.260618T1137Z-260618T1145Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Charleston WV
737 AM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

The National Weather Service in Charleston West Virginia has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  North central Randolph County in northeastern West Virginia...
  East central Barbour County in northeastern West Virginia...

* Until 745 AM EDT.

* At 736 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Jackson Mill, or near Weston, moving east at 60
  mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* This tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
  north central Randolph and east central Barbour Counties, including
  the following locations... Montrose and Kerens.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 3897 7988 3915 7987 3915 7984 3912 7983
      3911 7981 3909 7978 3904 7978 3900 7964
TIME...MOT...LOC 1136Z 271DEG 53KT 3908 8038 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

01
1 follow-up statement
294 
WWUS51 KRLX 181148
SVSRLX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
748 AM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

WVC001-083-181156-
/O.EXP.KRLX.TO.W.0010.000000T0000Z-260618T1145Z/
Randolph WV-Barbour WV-
748 AM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTH CENTRAL RANDOLPH AND EAST CENTRAL
BARBOUR COUNTIES HAS EXPIRED...

The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning has been allowed to expire.  However, gusty
winds are still possible with this thunderstorm.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until noon EDT for
northeastern West Virginia.

Remember, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning still remains in effect for
Barbour and Randolph counties until 815 AM EDT.

&&

LAT...LON 3897 7988 3915 7987 3915 7984 3912 7983
      3911 7981 3909 7978 3904 7978 3900 7964
TIME...MOT...LOC 1146Z 271DEG 53KT 3897 8020 

$$

01

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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 tornado warning went out at Jun 18, 4:42 AM EDT, 2 hours 55 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • 1) Potential for strong to severe storms this morning through the afternoon along with a threat for excessive rainfall as a cold front moves through the area. 2) Drier start to the weekend but storm chances return by Sunday evening.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 18, 4:42 AM EDT, 2 hours 55 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Charleston WV
442 AM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
A new Tornado Watch has been issued for much of the area until
11am.

12Z Aviation Forecast Discussion update.

No major changes to the forecast at this time.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Potential for strong to severe storms this morning through
the afternoon along with a threat for excessive rainfall as
a cold front moves through the area.

2) Drier start to the weekend but storm chances return by
Sunday evening.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...

A Tornado Watch is out for northeast Kentucky counties of Cater
and Greenup until 5am. This is due to robust helicity, abundant
shear and a the STP tornado parameter of 1+ which indicates
possible tornadic environment not too mention tornadic activity
upstream.

Activity is already upstream and headed our way for the first
push of convection into the area although the threat is
weakening, therefore the watch is not being expanded anywhere.
This watch may have to be expanded if trends persist west into
our Ohio counties but the last tornado warning out west has
expired therefore currently holding off on expanding at this
time.

Hi-res and convection allowing models (CAMs) have another push of
convection in the form of a line settling in by mid morning.
The HRRR, FV3 and NAM Nest are most aggressive and suggest
potential super cellular activity with embedded thunderstorms
along a line progressing southeast into our area moving south
throughout the late morning and into the afternoon.

With enough instability for the late morning and afternoon
storms will be able to continue under a strong low level jet
support and high shear to promote a damaging wind threat as well
as tornadic threat with rotating showers possible along the
line or from super cellular storms. Even though prior
convection will weaken instability the line will have enough
support to keep going through the area, however it may not be as
potent as other models suggest.

The winds will be a thing to watch as shower and thunderstorm
activity will have a good environment with high DCAPE and high
PWATs to promote downbursts and heavy downpours which could
promote flooding potential, however it should be more isolated
in nature and be more apparent across low lying or flood prone
areas unless training occurs elsewhere. One caveat is that the
line will be moving fast with strong steering flow aloft which
may deter flash flooding all together this late morning and
afternoon.

Unless rates exceed flash flood guidance or rather
2+ inches per hour or high rates affect an area repeatedly or
under training will possibly cause issues to the aforementioned
areas and elsewhere. Shower activity could bring down strong
winds which could be damaging and severe but this will involve
convection rather than synoptic winds which made the decision of
holding off on a wind advisory being issued at this time.

By mid morning, the tornado threat diminishes and only a
damaging wind threat will remain, however we cannot rule out a
quick spin up along the line as the cold front sags south into
the southern portions of our county warning area. Due to our
radar being down it will be hard to detect low level rotation
therefore shower activity or heavy thunderstorm activity will
likely be warned on if there is any indication of rotation or a
meso even though the tornadic environment will be diminishing.

As the line exits toward the south another push of convection is
indicated by some of the Hi-res models coming in from the west
to affect our southern half of the area. This will add to QPF
values but the activity will be across our driest portions of
our CWA, so basically no flood watch is needed and will be
handled by the warning process.

WPC does have us in a slight risk for a excessive rainfall
threat for this area so isolated flooding issues could occur in
areas susceptible to flood or drainage issues. This activity
will be coming in behind the front, therefore much of the
instability will be used up so the environment should not pose
a severe threat.

After the aforementioned convection subsides things will clear
out and any activity will exit by early afternoon opening the
area up to a dry rest of the day on Friday and into the weekend.

KEY MESSAGE 2...

High pressure at the surface and a semi flat ridge aloft will
help keep the weekend settled although by late Sunday a low
pressure system will traverse into the region just north of us
and drop down a weak frontal band for Monday. Models have this
feature weakening as it comes through the area so frontolysis is
likely.

Thereafter, zonal flow will settle in and keep the area safe
until Thursday as a short wave moves into the region which could
promote chances for diurnal convection on next Thursday
afternoon and evening.

&&

.AVIATION /08Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
As the cold front pushes further toward the area rain and
thunderstorms will become more prevalent and drop CIGs down to
MVFR toward late morning. VIS restrictions will accompany
shower activity and under heavy thunderstorm activity VIS could
drop to IFR at times. Winds will increase out of the southwest
gusting to 30kt by late morning.

Gusty conditons will prevail until the early evening as the
cold front sags south of the area. By evening, winds will
diminish and CIGs will lift to VFR except for EKN/BKW who will
endure MVFR CIGs into the evening and overnight. Clouds may
clear out around a few western sites to promote fog formation
overnight into Friday morning. If clouds clear out quicker fog
could potentially affect the other sites in mid to late
morning.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY...

FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Medium.

ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Timing of shower and thunderstorm
activity could vary. Fog overnight into Friday morning could
become areawide dependent upon how fast the clouds move out.

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               THU 06/18/26
UTC 1HRLY       09   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20
EDT 1HRLY       05   06   07   08   09   10   11   12   13   14   15   16
CRW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    M    M    H    H    M    H    H    H    H
HTS CONSISTENCY  H    H    M    M    H    M    M    M    H    H    H    H
BKW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    L    H    H    H    M    M    M
EKN CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    M    M    M    H    H    H    H    H    H
PKB CONSISTENCY  M    M    M    H    M    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
CKB CONSISTENCY  H    M    H    M    L    M    M    H    H    H    H    H

AFTER 06Z FRIDAY...
IFR ceilings may be possible with lingering showers along the
mountains Thursday night. IFR fog is possible overnight into
Friday morning.

&&

&&

.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...None.
OH...None.
KY...None.
VA...None.

&&

DISCUSSION...JZ
AVIATION...JZ
EQUIPMENT...JZ

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 18, 7:03 AM EDT, 34 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
703 AM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

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

0630 AM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     9 NNE Leon              38.87N 81.89W
06/18/2026                   Jackson            WV   911 Call Center

            Multiple trees down including Mt Altro, Jack
            Burlingam Rd and Schoolhouse Run.

&&

ABE
Local storm report, Jun 18, 7:04 AM EDT, 33 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
704 AM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

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

0635 AM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     4 S Ravenswood          38.90N 81.76W
06/18/2026                   Jackson            WV   911 Call Center

            Several trees down near Ravenswood including
            Kenwood Ln and Pt Pleasant Rd.

&&

ABE
Local storm report, Jun 18, 7:07 AM EDT, 30 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
707 AM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

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

0640 AM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     3 E Ripley              38.81N 81.65W
06/18/2026                   Jackson            WV   911 Call Center

            Tree and power lines down on Spencer Rd.

&&

ABE
Local storm report, Jun 18, 7:30 AM EDT, 7 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
730 AM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

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

0640 AM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     8 ENE Kermit            37.88N 82.28W
06/18/2026                   Mingo              WV   911 Call Center

            Several trees down in northern Mingo County
            including Stonecoal Rd, Low Gap Hollow Rd,
            Jennies Creek Rd, and Messenger Branch.

&&

ABE
Local storm report, Jun 18, 7:36 AM EDT, 1 minute before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
736 AM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

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

0535 AM     Flash Flood      6 WNW Mcarthur          39.27N 82.59W
06/18/2026                   Vinton             OH   911 Call Center

            Occupied vehicle stranded in high water.

&&

ABE
Local storm report, Jun 18, 7:37 AM EDT, 0 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
737 AM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

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

0717 AM     Flash Flood      2 N Hamden              39.19N 82.53W
06/18/2026                   Vinton             OH   911 Call Center

            Flash flooding reported on Rt 683 in Clinton
            Township.

&&

ABE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 18, 4:01 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRLXPleasants29 min
Jun 18, 4:59 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXWood3 hr
Jun 18, 5:14 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXJackson, Mason, Wood31 min
Jun 18, 5:33 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXWayne27 min
Jun 18, 5:54 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXCabell, Lincoln, Mason, Putnam, Wayne36 min
Jun 18, 6:02 AM EDTTornado WarningRLXCabell, Mason, Putnam28 min
Jun 18, 6:11 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXCalhoun, Jackson, Mason, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt and 1 more34 min
Jun 18, 6:19 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBoone, Cabell, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan and 5 more26 min
Jun 18, 6:28 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXCalhoun, Jackson, Kanawha, Mason, Putnam, Roane32 min
Jun 18, 6:36 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXJackson, Mason, Wood3 hr
Jun 18, 6:39 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBoone, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo, Wayne, Wyoming36 min
Jun 18, 6:44 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBoone, Calhoun, Clay, Fayette, Jackson, Kanawha and 5 more31 min
Jun 18, 6:47 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBraxton, Calhoun, Clay, Doddridge, Gilmer, Harrison and 4 more28 min
Jun 18, 6:53 AM EDTTornado WarningRLXBoone, Logan, Mingo, Wyoming37 min
Jun 18, 7:11 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBoone, Fayette, Kanawha, Logan, Raleigh, Wyoming34 min
Jun 18, 7:13 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBarbour, Braxton, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis, Randolph and 2 more32 min
Jun 18, 7:17 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBoone, Braxton, Calhoun, Clay, Fayette, Gilmer and 7 more28 min
Jun 18, 7:17 AM EDTTornado WarningRLXBoone, Fayette, Kanawha, Logan, Raleigh, Wyoming28 min
Jun 18, 7:25 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBoone, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo, Wayne35 min
Jun 18, 7:34 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXFayette, Nicholas, Raleigh, Wyoming26 min
Jun 18, 7:39 AM EDTTornado WarningRLXFayette, Raleigh, Wyoming36 min
Jun 18, 7:44 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBarbour, Braxton, Clay, Lewis, Nicholas, Pocahontas and 4 more31 min
Jun 18, 7:54 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBoone, Fayette, Kanawha, Logan, McDowell, Mingo and 2 more36 min
Jun 18, 7:55 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRLXWood3 hr
Jun 18, 8:08 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXFayette, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Webster37 min
Jun 18, 8:18 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXPocahontas, Randolph, Webster27 min
Jun 18, 8:27 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXFayette, Logan, McDowell, Mingo, Raleigh, Wyoming33 min
Jun 18, 8:55 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXMcDowell, Raleigh, Wyoming35 min
Jun 18, 10:02 AM EDTFlood WatchRLXBoone, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mingo, Raleigh and 2 more15 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in West Virginia, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes 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.