West Virginia, 1997Flash Flood and Hail in West Virginia, July 27, 1997
July 27, 1997 · NWS RLX · 12 events in 5 counties and zones
6 thunderstorm wind, 3 lightning, 1 strong wind, 1 flash flood, 1 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.
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
Open the live radar over this ground
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 2
- Property damage
- $128,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 12
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
6 thunderstorm wind, 3 lightning, 1 strong wind, 1 flash flood, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong Wind, Wood
- When
- July 27, 5:30 PM EST
- Where
- Wood County, Mineral Wells
- Injuries
- 2 direct, 0 indirect
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Coordinates
- 39.211, -81.515 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A 45 to 50 mph wind gust lifted a 10 foot scaffold stand at a motor speedway. Some of the debris slightly injured two nearby spectators.
Thunderstorm Wind, Wood
- When
- July 27, 6:30 PM EST
- Where
- Wood County, Chesterville
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Coordinates
- 39.150, -81.500
Thunderstorm Wind, Wood
- When
- July 27, 6:45 PM EST
- Where
- Wood County, Mineral Wells
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Coordinates
- 39.180, -81.530
Flash Flood, Wood
- When
- July 27, 7:30 PM EST to 9:30 PM EST
- Where
- Wood County, Wadeville
- Property damage
- $8,000
- Coordinates
- 39.211, -81.515 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
An estimated 3 inches of rain fell in less than 2 hours. Several roads were blocked by the various forks of Lee Creek. No damage to homes was reported.
Lightning, Wood
- When
- July 27, 8:00 PM EST
- Where
- Wood County, Blennerhassett
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Coordinates
- 39.211, -81.515 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A fire, ignited by lightning, extensively damaged a home.
Hail, Jackson
- When
- July 27, 8:05 PM EST
- Where
- Jackson County, 5 mi N of Le Roy
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Coordinates
- 38.970, -81.550
Thunderstorm Wind, Kanawha
- When
- July 27, 9:11 PM EST
- Where
- Kanawha County, (Crw) Yeager Arpt
- Measured
- 57 kt (66 mph)
- Coordinates
- 38.370, -81.600
The airport tower reported a gust to 66 mph from one of their anemometers.
Thunderstorm Wind, Kanawha
- When
- July 27, 9:20 PM EST to 9:30 PM EST
- Where
- Kanawha County, Charleston
- Property damage
- $20,000
- Coordinates
- 38.350, -81.630
Numerous trees or large branches were downed.
Lightning, Jackson
- When
- July 27, 9:30 PM EST
- Where
- Jackson County, Ripley
- Property damage
- $20,000
- Coordinates
- 38.835, -81.675 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A transformer near the emergency communication center was hit. The electrical surge travelled into the building, destroying some of the phone lines, televisions, and computers.
Lightning, Lewis
- When
- July 27, 9:45 PM EST
- Where
- Lewis County, Weston
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Coordinates
- 38.996, -80.502 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A school's roof and fire alarm system was damaged.
Thunderstorm Wind, Webster
- When
- July 27, 10:15 PM EST
- Where
- Webster County, 3 mi E of Bolair
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Coordinates
- 38.430, -80.400
Fallen trees cut power lines on MIller Mountain.
Thunderstorm Wind, Webster
- When
- July 27, 10:20 PM EST
- Where
- Webster County, Cowen
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Coordinates
- 38.420, -80.550
Minor roof damage occurred to residents in town.
- Strong Wind
- Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
- 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.
- 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.
- Lightning
- A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Heat in Pennsylvania, July 27 to 28, 19975 deaths · 2 events
- Hail in Colorado, July 27, 1997$500,000 · 1.75 in hail · 5 events
- Damaging Wind in South Dakota, July 27, 1997$300,000 · 57 kt wind · 1 event
- Damaging Wind in South Dakota, July 27, 1997$250,000 · 61 kt wind · 1 event
- Hail and Damaging Wind in South Dakota, July 27, 1997$200,000 · 1 in hail · 2 events
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Ohio, July 27, 1997$86,000 · 52 kt wind · 19 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Michigan, July 27, 19971 injured · $100,000 · 0.75 in hail · 5 events
- Damaging Winds in Georgia, July 27, 1997$44,000 · 22 events
- Hail and Damaging Wind in South Dakota, July 27, 1997$100,000 · 61 kt wind · 3 events
- Flash Flooding and Lightning Strike in Colorado, July 27, 1997$75,000 · 3 events
- Damaging Wind in Iowa, July 27, 1997$50,000 · 52 kt wind · 1 event
- Damaging Wind in Iowa, July 27, 1997$50,000 · 61 kt wind · 1 event
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: 5606663, 5606665, 5606666, 5606667, 5606664, 5606670, 5606671, 5606672, 5606661, 5606662, 5606668, 5606669.