West Virginia, 1999Winter Storm and Damaging Winds in West Virginia, March 3 to 4, 1999
March 3 to 4, 1999 · NWS LWX · 14 events in 8 counties and zones
A low pressure system moved from West Virginia to Pennsylvania on the evening of the 3rd. This system produced sustained winds of 25 to 40 MPH from the afternoon of the 3rd through the morning of the 4th.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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
- 0
- Property damage
- $33,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 14
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.
A low pressure system moved from West Virginia to Pennsylvania on the evening of the 3rd. This system produced sustained winds of 25 to 40 MPH from the afternoon of the 3rd through the morning of the 4th. A cold front associated with the system moved through during the early evening and produced a line of thunderstorms that brought heavy rain, small hail, and wind gusts in excess of 55 mph to the Eastern Panhandle. In Berkeley County, lightning struck the 911 Central Dispatch communication tower in Martinsburg, resulting in a service disruption. A lightning strike also ruptured a gas line and exposed electrical wires at a home east of Martinsburg. Power lines were downed on U.S. Highway 11 South near Tabler Station Road, and 1,200 customers lost power as a result. A wind gust of 59 MPH was recorded in Falling Waters. Jefferson County reported downed power lines and the chimney of a home blown over on South Childs Road. After the cold front passed, temperatures dropped rapidly and rain turned to snow. Pendleton and Jefferson County reported 2 inches of accumulation, Grant County reported 15 inches in the highest elevations to only 1 inch near the Hardy County border, Hardy County reported 1 to 3 inches, Mineral and Morgan County reported 5 inches, and Hampshire County reported 1 inch. The combination of winds and snowfall made travel difficult during the early morning of the 4th.
Event by event
4 thunderstorm wind, 4 winter storm, 4 winter weather, 2 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning, Berkeley
- When
- March 3, 5:41 PM EST
- Where
- Berkeley County, Martinsburg
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.464, -78.027 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lightning strike disabled Berkeley County 911 Communication Tower
Thunderstorm Wind, Berkeley
- When
- March 3, 6:31 PM EST
- Where
- Berkeley County, Tablers
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 39.400, -78.020
Power lines downed on U.S. 11 South near Tablers Station Road
Thunderstorm Wind, Berkeley
- When
- March 3, 6:35 PM EST
- Where
- Berkeley County, Martinsburg
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.450, -77.970
Power lines and transformers downed
Thunderstorm Wind, Berkeley
- When
- March 3, 6:42 PM EST
- Where
- Berkeley County, Falling Waters
- Measured
- 51 kt (59 mph)
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 39.550, -77.900
Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson
- When
- March 3, 6:50 PM EST
- Where
- Jefferson County, Charles Town
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 39.300, -77.850
Power lines downed and chimney on house blown over
Winter Storm, Mineral
- When
- March 3, 7:00 PM EST to March 4, 8:00 AM EST
- Where
- Mineral forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
Winter Storm, Grant
- When
- March 3, 7:00 PM EST to March 4, 8:00 AM EST
- Where
- Grant forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
Winter Storm, Morgan
- When
- March 3, 7:00 PM EST to March 4, 8:00 AM EST
- Where
- Morgan forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 39.560, -78.258 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Berkeley
- When
- March 3, 7:00 PM EST to March 4, 8:00 AM EST
- Where
- Berkeley forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 39.464, -78.027 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Weather, Pendleton
- When
- March 3, 7:00 PM EST to March 4, 8:00 AM EST
- Where
- Pendleton forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
Winter Weather, Hardy
- When
- March 3, 7:00 PM EST to March 4, 8:00 AM EST
- Where
- Hardy forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 39.008, -78.858 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Weather, Hampshire
- When
- March 3, 7:00 PM EST to March 4, 8:00 AM EST
- Where
- Hampshire forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 39.317, -78.614 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Weather, Jefferson
- When
- March 3, 7:00 PM EST to March 4, 8:00 AM EST
- Where
- Jefferson forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 39.308, -77.863 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lightning, Berkeley
- When
- March 3, 7:47 PM EST
- Where
- Berkeley County, Martinsburg
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 39.464, -78.027 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lightning strike ruptured gas line and exposed electrical wires at a home
- Lightning
- A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
- 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.
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
- Winter Weather
- Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Virginia, March 3, 199917 injured · $176,000 · F1 · 17 events
- Damaging Winds in Alabama, March 3, 19991 death · $280,000 · 70 kt wind · 4 events
- Avalanche in Alaska, March 3 to 4, 19991 death · $5,000 · 1 event
- Strong Wind in North Carolina, March 3, 19991 death · $10,000 · 1 event
- Tornado in Florida, March 3, 1999$1.0 million · F1 · 1 event
- Storm Surge in Washington, March 3, 1999$1.0 million · 1 event
- High Wind in North Carolina, March 3, 1999$700,000 · 60 kt wind · 7 events
- High Wind in North Carolina, March 3, 19994 injured · $120,000 · 65 kt wind · 1 event
- Damaging Wind in Alabama, March 3, 19992 injured · $150,000 · 75 kt wind · 1 event
- High Wind in North Carolina, March 3, 1999$150,000 · 65 kt wind · 1 event
- Damaging Winds in Florida, March 3, 1999$119,000 · 5 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Georgia, March 3, 1999$77,000 · 1 in hail · 13 events
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: 5687153, 5687154, 5687155, 5687156, 5687158, 5687145, 5687146, 5687147, 5687148, 5687149, 5687150, 5687151, 5687152, 5687157.