West Virginia, 1999

Flash Flooding in West Virginia, January 21 to 22, 1999

January 21 to 22, 1999 · NWS RLX · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

5 inches were common between 1100 to 1900E, in a narrow band located north of a warm frontal zone. The heaviest rains, estimated at over 3 inches fell over northern Roane County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
1
Injuries
0
Property damage
$290,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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 RLX wrote it up.

Rains of 2 to 2.5 inches were common between 1100 to 1900E, in a narrow band located north of a warm frontal zone. The heaviest rains, estimated at over 3 inches fell over northern Roane County. The most rain measured by cooperative observers included Ripley with 2.7 inches, Racine Locks near Letart 2.5 inches, and Creston with 2.4 inches. Flooding occurred along Reedy Creek that flows into southern Wirt County. Around 1700E, a 27 old female, driving a small car, flipped over into Stover Fork, west of Spencer. Only the 4 wheels of the vehicle were showing. Two fireman got her out. She died later that evening. In the community of Reedy, evacuations of 40 to 45 people were required. They were sheltered at the Reedy Grade School. One home and one mobile home had major damage. A total of 20 dwellings and businesses had minor water damage in the Reedy vicinity. One home near Ellamore of Upshur County and another home near Lucille of Wirt County had minor damage.

The radar

The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 55 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:00 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Roane

When
January 21, 4:00 PM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where
Roane County, Spencer
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$250,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
38.714, -81.348 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Wirt

When
January 21, 6:00 PM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where
Wirt County, 4 mi S of Palestine
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
39.022, -81.379 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Lewis

When
January 21, 6:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Lewis County, Crawford
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
38.996, -80.502 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Upshur

When
January 21, 8:00 PM EST to January 22, 2:00 AM EST
Where
Upshur County, Countywide
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
38.898, -80.233 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Flash Flood, Roane1999-01-2127FemaleVehicle/Towed TrailerDirect

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 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, January 1999

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5679071, 5679072, 5679074, 5679073.