West Virginia, 1996

Flash Flood in West Virginia, May 16, 1996

May 16, 1996 · NWS RNK · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Heavy rains during the morning hours on the 16th resulted in flash flooding across much of Mercer County. Heavy rains flooded numerous roads, homes and businesses, washed out bridges, resulted in evacuations, caused mudslides, and damaged a school and a park.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
0
Property damage
$800,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS RNK wrote it up.

Heavy rains during the morning hours on the 16th resulted in flash flooding across much of Mercer County. Heavy rains flooded numerous roads, homes and businesses, washed out bridges, resulted in evacuations, caused mudslides, and damaged a school and a park. At one time, downtown Matoaka was covered with 18 inches of water. A mudslide resulted in $ 30,000 in damage to a church in Bluewell. In Oakdale, several families were trapped in their home. A family of nine was rescued from the roof of thier home in Kellysville. Overall, 62 houses and 107 mobile homes sustained minor damage, 4 houses and 14 mobile homes sustained major damage, and one house was destroyed.Mercer County was declared a federal disaster area and the National Guard was brought in assist in the cleanup.

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 85 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:31 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Mercer

When
May 16, 4:15 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where
Mercer County, Countywide
Property damage
$800,000
Coordinates
37.406, -81.111 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in West Virginia in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, May 1996

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: 5554582.