West Virginia, 1997

Drought in West Virginia, July 1 to 31, 1997

July 1 to 31, 1997 · NWS LWX · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A very dry month, containing one 7-day heat wave, exacerbated drought-like conditions across much of the fertile farmland of eastern West Virginia. The weather in July proved to be the death knell for much of the crop yields, including corn, hay, and pasture.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
None recorded
Crop damage
$12 million
Events
7

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 LWX wrote it up.

A very dry month, containing one 7-day heat wave, exacerbated drought-like conditions across much of the fertile farmland of eastern West Virginia. The weather in July proved to be the death knell for much of the crop yields, including corn, hay, and pasture. The West Virginia Farm Service Agency reported the following damage statistics: Corn, hay, and pasture yields were 40 to 50 percent of normal. Estimated damage to the corn crop included 2500 to 3000 acres per county in the Potomac Highlands (WVZ048>051, 055) but as much as 10,000 acres in the eastern panhandle (WVZ052>053). Hay damage was estimated to be 40,000 acres per county; pasture land an additional 80,000 acres per county. No significant damage to alfalfa was noted. Though some summer fruit was damaged by the drought, most of what survived was excellent.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Grant

When
July 1, 12:00 AM EST to July 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Grant forecast zone
Crop damage
$1.6 million

Drought, Mineral

When
July 1, 12:00 AM EST to July 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Mineral forecast zone
Crop damage
$1.6 million

Drought, Hampshire

When
July 1, 12:00 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Hampshire forecast zone
Crop damage
$1.6 million
Coordinates
39.317, -78.614 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Morgan

When
July 1, 12:00 AM EST to July 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Morgan forecast zone
Crop damage
$1.6 million
Coordinates
39.560, -78.258 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Berkeley

When
July 1, 12:00 AM EST to July 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Berkeley forecast zone
Crop damage
$2.1 million
Coordinates
39.464, -78.027 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Jefferson

When
July 1, 12:00 AM EST to July 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Crop damage
$2.1 million
Coordinates
39.308, -77.863 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hardy

When
July 1, 12:00 AM EST to July 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Hardy forecast zone
Crop damage
$1.6 million
Coordinates
39.008, -78.858 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Drought
A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in West Virginia in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, July 1997

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: 5611223, 5611224, 5611225, 5611226, 5611227, 5611228, 5611229.