West Virginia, 1993

Hail and Damaging Winds in West Virginia, May 18, 1993

May 18, 1993 · 23 events in 14 counties and zones

16 thunderstorm wind, 7 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 23 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
1
Property damage
$537,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
23

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

16 thunderstorm wind, 7 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Boone

When
May 18, 3:45 PM EST
Where
Boone County, Madison
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
38.023, -81.711 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Putnam

When
May 18, 4:05 PM EST
Where
Putnam County, Eleanor
Coordinates
38.509, -81.909 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Boone

When
May 18, 4:15 PM EST
Where
Boone County, Rock Creek
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
38.023, -81.711 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Roane

When
May 18, 4:15 PM EST
Where
Roane County, Walton
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
38.714, -81.348 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Braxton

When
May 18, 4:45 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Braxton County, Frametown to To 6e Sutton
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$500,000
Coordinates
38.700, -80.719 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Logan

When
May 18, 4:45 PM EST
Where
Logan County to Logan
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.832, -81.935 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Braxton

When
May 18, 4:48 PM EST
Where
Braxton County, Gassaway
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
38.700, -80.719 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Fayette

When
May 18, 4:50 PM EST to 5:10 PM EST
Where
Fayette County, Ansted to Fayetteville
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
38.029, -81.081 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Braxton

When
May 18, 4:55 PM EST
Where
Braxton County, Sutton
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
38.700, -80.719 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Webster

When
May 18, 5:05 PM EST
Where
Webster County, Hacker Valley
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
38.495, -80.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Webster

When
May 18, 5:05 PM EST
Where
Webster County, Hacker Valley
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
38.495, -80.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Nicholas

When
May 18, 5:07 PM EST
Where
Nicholas County, Summersville
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
38.292, -80.799 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Fayette

When
May 18, 5:11 PM EST
Where
Fayette County, Lookout
Property damage
$500
Coordinates
38.029, -81.081 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Webster

When
May 18, 5:15 PM EST
Where
Webster County, Diana
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
38.495, -80.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Lewis

When
May 18, 5:15 PM EST
Where
Lewis County, Walkersville
Coordinates
38.996, -80.502 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Nicholas

When
May 18, 5:20 PM EST
Where
Nicholas County, Mt. Nebo
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
38.292, -80.799 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Upshur

When
May 18, 5:27 PM EST
Where
Upshur County, French Creek
Coordinates
38.898, -80.233 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Randolph

When
May 18, 5:39 PM EST
Where
Randolph County, Dailey
Property damage
$500
Coordinates
38.775, -79.876 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Raleigh

When
May 18, 5:40 PM EST
Where
Raleigh County, Prosperity
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.771, -81.249 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Randolph

When
May 18, 5:41 PM EST
Where
Randolph County, Glenmore
Coordinates
38.775, -79.876 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Randolph

When
May 18, 5:45 PM EST
Where
Randolph County, Elkins
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
38.775, -79.876 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Pocahontas

When
May 18, 5:50 PM EST
Where
Pocahontas County, Edray
Property damage
$500
Coordinates
38.332, -80.008 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Greenbrier

When
May 18, 5:55 PM EST
Where
Greenbrier County, Williamsburg
Property damage
$500
Coordinates
37.947, -80.453 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A squall line raced across southern and central counties at about 50 MPH. Brief wind gusts of 40 to 50 MPH were widespread. The highest measured wind speed was around 55 MPH at both Elkins and Beckley. Estimated wind gusts of around 70 MPH were associated with the strongest storms and in areas exposed to the west or southwest. Numerous trees were uprooted or snapped off. The largest concentration of fallen trees and property damage was in Braxton County. The Army Corps of Engineers at Sutton reported fallen trees at random intervals along the hillsides adjacent to the lake. A utility pole fell on a mobile home in Sutton, injuring a man. State and county officials reported 24 mobile homes were damaged and one destroyed in the Frametown to Sutton region. The WV Department of Highways had an overhead interstate sign at the Sutton exit of Interstate 79 destroyed. Elsewhere, two teenagers were struck by lightning and radio equipment was destroyed at the Madison Fire Department. The roof to a dry cleaners in Elkins was damaged. Over 20,000 dwellings lost electrical power. Lightning struck a service station at Edray and ignited a fire that destroyed the facility.

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in West Virginia in 1993Every state in 1993This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, May 1993

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10356222, 10358259, 10356223, 10358341, 10356230, 10358266, 10356231, 10356166, 10356232, 10358129, 10358130, 10358158, 10356167, 10358131, 10358228, 10358178, 10358076, 10358302, 10358284, 10358303, 10358304, 10358215, 10356188.