West Virginia, 2000Flash Flooding in West Virginia, August 18, 2000
August 18, 2000 · NWS RLX · 6 events in 6 counties and zones
The heavy rain fell during the late night hours, ahead of a warm front. The runoff drained into several different river basins, the West Fork, the Tygart Valley, the Little Kanawha, the Elk, and the Greenbrier.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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- Floods
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- Hail
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $1.1 million
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 6
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.
The heavy rain fell during the late night hours, ahead of a warm front. The runoff drained into several different river basins, the West Fork, the Tygart Valley, the Little Kanawha, the Elk, and the Greenbrier. The Red Cross and the state, aided residents in flood recovery. By month's end, Hacker Valley had 9 inches of rain, with Kumbrabow State Forest 8.9 inches, and Pickens 8.4 inches.
Flash Flood, Braxton
- When
- August 18, 3:30 AM EST to 6:00 AM EST
- Where
- Braxton County, Falls Mill
- Property damage
- $200,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 38.700, -80.719 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Small tributaries feeding into the headwaters of the Little Kanawha River flooded. Gregory measured 3 inches of rain in about 7 hours. County emergency officials surveyed 9 homes with major damage. Six private bridges were washed out. The river gauge at Wildcat on the Little Kanawha River near the Webster County line, measured a 13 foot rise in about 6 hours, peaking shortly after dawn, between 17 and 18 feet.
Flash Flood, Lewis
- When
- August 18, 3:30 AM EST to 6:00 AM EST
- Where
- Lewis County, Walkersville
- Property damage
- $450,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 38.996, -80.502 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A rain gauge near Walkersville and Ireland measured 3.8 inches of rain. Damage from small stream flooding including areas around the communities of Crawford, Ireland, Wildcat, and Walkersville. Three homes were destroyed, with 41 homes sustaining minor damage. One church and 5 businesses also received water damage. One Walkersville resident had his house ripped off its foundation and moved 200 yards while he slept. He said, "When I woke up, my house was just surrounded by water. We tried to get out but couldn't. The only thing holding the house was the electric lines, but they eventually gave way." When the house stopped moving, he and his wife swam away from it. Thankfully, all the citizens across southern Lewis County were accounted for. However, a number of livestock and family pets were unable to be saved.
Flash Flood, Upshur
- When
- August 18, 3:30 AM EST to 6:00 AM EST
- Where
- Upshur County, Rock Cave
- Property damage
- $250,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 38.898, -80.233 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A rain gauge on Heaston Ridge, between Arlington and Holly Grove, measured 4.5 inches of rain in a 3 to 6 hour period. Alton had 3.4 inches of rain. Six homes had major damage, 4 private bridges and 1 state bridge sustained damage.
Flash Flood, Pocahontas
- When
- August 18, 4:00 AM EST to 6:00 AM EST
- Where
- Pocahontas County, Slaty Fork
- Property damage
- $150,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 38.332, -80.008 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowshoe measured 4 inches of rain in a 3 to 6 hour period. A washout occurred along the Cass Scenic Railroad track to Bald Knob. Roads and culverts received minor damage.
Flash Flood, Webster
- When
- August 18, 4:00 AM EST to 6:00 AM EST
- Where
- Webster County, Cleveland
- Property damage
- $40,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 38.495, -80.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Hacker Valley measured 3.5 inches of rain. Small streams feeding into the headwaters of the Elk River overflowed, including the Holly River. Damage was mainly to roads.
Flash Flood, Randolph
- When
- August 18, 4:00 AM EST to 6:00 AM EST
- Where
- Randolph County, Mingo
- Property damage
- $20,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 38.775, -79.876 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Kumbrabow State Forest measured 3.5 inches of rain, with 3.1 inches recorded at Valley Head. Small streams flooded and damaged roads.
- 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.
- Flood and Hail in North Carolina, August 18, 20001 death · 2 injured · $525,000 · 1.75 in hail · 20 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Georgia, August 18, 20001 injured · $265,000 · 1.75 in hail · 10 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, August 18, 20001 injured · $15,000 · 2.5 in hail · 35 events
- Damaging Wind in Alabama, August 18, 2000$70,000 · 50 kt wind · 1 event
- Damaging Wind in South Carolina, August 18, 2000$65,000 · 70 kt wind · 1 event
- Damaging Wind in North Carolina, August 18, 2000$50,000 · 1 event
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Colorado, August 18, 20003 injured · 1.25 in hail · 8 events
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, August 18, 2000$32,000 · 1 event
- Damaging Wind in Alabama, August 18, 2000$30,000 · 1 event
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, August 18, 2000$23,000 · 1 event
- Lightning Strike in Idaho, August 18, 2000$20,000 · 1 event
- Damaging Wind in North Carolina, August 18, 2000$20,000 · 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: 5171207, 5171208, 5171209, 5171210, 5171211, 5171212.