Thunderstorm Wind, Hancock
- When
- March 9, 6:45 PM EST to 7:00 PM EST
- Where
- Hancock County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 40.517, -80.583
Damaging Winds and High Wind in West Virginia, March 9 to 10, 2002
A deepening area of low pressure moving eastward across the northern Great Lakes swept a strong cold front across northern West Virginia during the late afternoon/early evening hours of the 9th. This intensifying low produced a large area of strong low-level winds, both ahead of and behind the cold front.
Where it happened
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.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $270,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 18
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 PBZ wrote it up.
A deepening area of low pressure moving eastward across the northern Great Lakes swept a strong cold front across northern West Virginia during the late afternoon/early evening hours of the 9th. This intensifying low produced a large area of strong low-level winds, both ahead of and behind the cold front. Winds of between 70 - 80 MPH were present just a few thousand feet off the surface across the area by the mid-afternoon hours. As showers formed during the day, these strong winds were occasionally brought down to the surface. To further complicate matters, by the late afternoon hours enough instability was present to produce a line of severe thunderstorms along the main cold front as it entered northern West Virginia. This combination of strong gradient winds and severe thunderstorm winds produced widespread damage across the area, mostly in the form of downed trees and power lines. These high winds continued after the cold frontal passage, downing trees and power lines, until the early morning hours of the 10th. At that time, the surface low moved off into Quebec and the strong gradient winds finally diminished.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Pittsburgh, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 9, 5:09 PM EST, 1 hour 36 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 9, 5:09 PM EST, 1 hour 36 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION -UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
505 PM AM EST SAT MAR 9 2002
ZONE FORECASTS UPDATED PER NEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10 PM
FOR REST OF CWA. BEEF WORDING FURTHER PER DAMAGING WINDS NOW
OCCURRING IN CENTRAL OHIO. EXPECT SQUALL LINE TO EXIT CWA BY AROUND
9 PM. ...GIORDANO
.PBZ...
MD...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4AM SUNDAY
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10PM SATURDAY.
MDZ001.
OH...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4AM SUNDAY
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 7-10PM SATURDAY.
OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069.
PA...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4AM SUNDAY
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10PM SATURDAY.
PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023-029>032.
WV...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4AM SUNDAY
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10PM SATURDAY.
WVZ001>004-012-021>023-041.In the hours before
Special weather statement, Mar 9, 2:46 PM EST, 3 hours 59 minutes before
100000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 246 PM EST SAT MAR 9 2002 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EST SATURDAY EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... COSHOCTON...MUSKINGUM...TUSCARAWAS...GUERNSEY...NOBLE. DAMAGING THUNDERSTORMS WINDS OF OVER 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE. WHEN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THREATEN...SEEK SHELTER INDOORS. STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Mar 9, 5:01 PM EST, 1 hour 44 minutes before
OHZ039>041-049-050-058-059-068-069-WVZ001>004-012-100000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 501 PM EST SAT MAR 9 2002 ...DAMAGING WINDS WILL AFFECT THE AREA... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE WINDS OF UP TO 80 MILES AN HOUR ACROSS EAST CENTRAL OHIO, AND THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA. THESE STORMS WILL SWEEP INTO TUSCARAWAS, GUERNSEY, AND NOBLE COUNTIES AROUND 5:30 PM. CARROLL, HARRISON, BELMONT, AND MONROE COUNTIES AROUND 6 PM. AND THEN INTO COLUMBIANA, JEFFERSON, HANCOCK, BROOKE, OHIO, AND MARSHALL COUNTIES BY 630 PM. YOU SHOULD SECURE LOOSE ITEMS IMMEDIATELY. WHEN THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES, MOVE INDOORS. ALSO, BE PREPARED FOR POWER OUTAGES. AFTER THE LINE OF VERY WINDY STORMS MOVES THROUGH, WEST WINDS WILL STILL GUST TO 40 MILES AN HOUR DURING THE EVENING HOURS, AND TEMPERATURES WILL QUICKLY DROP INTO THE 30S. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL EARLY THIS EVENING, AND A HIGH WIND WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.
Special weather statement, Mar 9, 5:01 PM EST, 1 hour 44 minutes before
OHZ039>041-049-050-058-059-068-069-WVZ001>004-012-100000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 501 PM EST SAT MAR 9 2002 ...DAMAGING WINDS WILL AFFECT THE AREA... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE WINDS OF UP TO 80 MILES AN HOUR ACROSS EAST CENTRAL OHIO, AND THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA. THESE STORMS WILL SWEEP INTO TUSCARAWAS, GUERNSEY, AND NOBLE COUNTIES AROUND 5:30 PM. CARROLL, HARRISON, BELMONT, AND MONROE COUNTIES AROUND 6 PM. AND THEN INTO COLUMBIANA, JEFFERSON, HANCOCK, BROOKE, OHIO, MARSHALL, AND WETZEL COUNTIES BY 630 PM. YOU SHOULD SECURE LOOSE ITEMS IMMEDIATELY. WHEN THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES, MOVE INDOORS. ALSO, BE PREPARED FOR POWER OUTAGES. AFTER THE LINE OF VERY WINDY STORMS MOVES THROUGH, WEST WINDS WILL STILL GUST TO 40 MILES AN HOUR DURING THE EVENING HOURS, AND TEMPERATURES WILL QUICKLY DROP INTO THE 30S. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL EARLY THIS EVENING, AND A HIGH WIND WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.
Special weather statement, Mar 9, 5:20 PM EST, 1 hour 25 minutes before
100300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 520 PM EST SAT MAR 9 2002 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EST SATURDAY EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... IN EASTERN OHIO... COLUMBIANA...CARROLL...JEFFERSON...HARRISON...BELMONT...MONROE. IN NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA... HANCOCK...BROOKE...OHIO...MARSHALL...WETZEL...MONONGALIA... MARION...PRESTON...TUCKER. IN WESTERN MARYLAND... GARRETT. IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA... ALLEGHENY...ARMSTRONG...BEAVER...BUTLER...CLARION...FAYETTE... FOREST...GREENE...INDIANA...JEFFERSON...LAWRENCE...MERCER... VENANGO...WASHINGTON...WESTMORELAND. DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS OF OVER 60 MPH...MAYBE EVEN 80 MPH ...CAN OCCUR THIS EVENING.
Special weather statement, Mar 9, 5:39 PM EST, 1 hour 6 minutes before
MDZ001-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023-029>032-WVZ021>023-041-100230- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 539 PM EST SAT MAR 9 2002 ...DAMAGING WINDS WILL AFFECT THE AREA... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE WINDS OF UP TO 80 MILES AN HOUR ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA, NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA, AND WESTERN MARYLAND. THESE STORMS WILL SWEEP INTO MERCER, LAWRENCE, BEAVER, WASHINGTON, AND GREEN COUNTIES AROUND 6:30 PM. VENANGO, BUTLER, ALLEGHENY, MONONGALIA, AND MARION COUNTIES AROUND 7 TO 7:30 PM. THIS INCLUDES PITTSBURGH. AND THEN INTO FOREST, CLARION, JEFFERSON, ARMSTRONG, INDIANA, WESTMORELAND, FAYETTE, PRESTON, TUCKER, AND GARRETT AROUND 7:30 OR 8 PM. THE HIGH WINDS HAVE PRODUCED WIDESPREAD DAMAGE ACROSS OHIO. YOU SHOULD SECURE LOOSE ITEMS IMMEDIATELY. WHEN THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES, MOVE INDOORS. ALSO, BE PREPARED FOR POWER OUTAGES. AFTER THE LINE OF VERY WINDY STORMS MOVES THROUGH, WEST WINDS WILL STILL GUST TO 40 MILES AN HOUR DURING THE EVENING HOURS, AND TEMPERATURES WILL QUICKLY DROP INTO THE 30S. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL EARLY THIS EVENING, AND A HIGH WIND WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.
The radar
The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 31 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:47 UTC.
Event by event
9 thunderstorm wind, 9 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Brooke
- When
- March 9, 6:45 PM EST to 7:00 PM EST
- Where
- Brooke County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 40.300, -80.600
Thunderstorm Wind, Ohio
- When
- March 9, 6:45 PM EST to 7:00 PM EST
- Where
- Ohio County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 40.117, -80.617
Thunderstorm Wind, Marshall
- When
- March 9, 6:45 PM EST to 7:00 PM EST
- Where
- Marshall County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $100,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.883, -80.683
Thunderstorm winds blew the roofs from two Moundsville businesses.
High Wind, Hancock
- When
- March 9, 7:00 PM EST to March 10, 12:00 AM EST
- Where
- Hancock forecast zone
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 40.522, -80.574 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Brooke
- When
- March 9, 7:00 PM EST to March 10, 12:00 AM EST
- Where
- Brooke forecast zone
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 40.274, -80.576 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Ohio
- When
- March 9, 7:00 PM EST to March 10, 12:00 AM EST
- Where
- Ohio forecast zone
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 40.097, -80.619 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Marshall
- When
- March 9, 7:00 PM EST to March 10, 12:00 AM EST
- Where
- Marshall forecast zone
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.861, -80.663 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Thunderstorm Wind, Wetzel
- When
- March 9, 7:20 PM EST to 7:35 PM EST
- Where
- Wetzel County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.567, -80.667
High Wind, Wetzel
- When
- March 9, 7:35 PM EST to March 10, 1:00 AM EST
- Where
- Wetzel forecast zone
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.605, -80.639 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Thunderstorm Wind, Marion
- When
- March 9, 7:45 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
- Where
- Marion County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.500, -80.183
Thunderstorm Wind, Monongalia
- When
- March 9, 7:45 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
- Where
- Monongalia County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.567, -80.050
High Wind, Marion
- When
- March 9, 8:00 PM EST to March 10, 1:00 AM EST
- Where
- Marion forecast zone
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.510, -80.243 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Monongalia
- When
- March 9, 8:00 PM EST to March 10, 1:00 AM EST
- Where
- Monongalia forecast zone
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
Thunderstorm Wind, Preston
- When
- March 9, 8:15 PM EST to 8:30 PM EST
- Where
- Preston County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.467, -79.683
High Wind, Preston
- When
- March 9, 8:30 PM EST to March 10, 2:00 AM EST
- Where
- Preston forecast zone
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
Thunderstorm Wind, Tucker
- When
- March 9, 8:30 PM EST to 8:45 PM EST
- Where
- Tucker County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.133, -79.567
High Wind, Tucker
- When
- March 9, 8:45 PM EST to March 10, 2:00 AM EST
- Where
- Tucker forecast zone
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
What these are
- 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.
- High Wind
- Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- High Wind in Illinois, March 9, 2002
- High Wind in Ohio, March 9 to 10, 2002
- High Wind in Ohio, March 9, 2002
- Blizzard in Minnesota, March 9, 2002
- High Wind in Iowa, March 9, 2002
- Damaging Wind in Illinois, March 9, 2002
- Damaging Wind and High Wind in New York, March 9, 2002
- High Wind in Michigan, March 9 to 10, 2002
- Damaging Winds and High Wind in Pennsylvania, March 9 to 10, 2002
- High Wind in Michigan, March 9, 2002
- Damaging Winds and High Wind in Ohio, March 9, 2002
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Iowa, March 9, 2002
More
Every storm in West Virginia in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, March 2002
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: 5287138, 5287140, 5287142, 5287144, 5287139, 5287141, 5287143, 5287145, 5287146, 5287147, 5287148, 5287150, 5287149, 5287151, 5287152, 5287153, 5287154, 5287155.