Extreme Cold in West Virginia, May 19 to 22, 2002

Name: Extreme Cold in West Virginia, May 19 to 22, 2002
Start: 2002-05-19T06:00
End: 2002-05-22T08:00
Location: West Virginia

May 19 to 22, 2002 · NWS RLX · 34 events in 34 counties and zones

Record low temperatures were set at several locations for 4 consecutive days. Dawn readings were in the 20s and 30s.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 28 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

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 34

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.

Record low temperatures were set at several locations for 4 consecutive days. Dawn readings were in the 20s and 30s. Glady was 21 degrees on the 22nd. Little damage to agriculture was noted. However, the growth of the spring vegetation was slowed.

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 Charleston, WV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 19, 4:00 AM EST, 2 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 19, 4:00 AM EST, 2 hours before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
500 AM EDT SUN MAY 19 2002

I THINK I SAW A ROBIN PACK ITS BAGS AND HEAD BACK SOUTH.

DURATION OF THE COOL SPELL IS THE MAIN THEME...LASTING 4 DAYS -
FM SAT INTO TUE. RECORD LO TEMPS R LKLY.

AS WE THOUGHT YESTERDAY...CLOUDS AT NIGHT R THE DIFFICULT FEATURE
IN THIS FCST.  PATCHES OF CLDS REFORMED OVERNIGHT ACRS THE WV MTNS.
FOG FORMG ALG MAJOR RVRS.

NEXT VORT PASSING US ARND 00Z TNGT. MAY GET A FEW LGT SHWRS THIS
AFTN OR THIS EVE..AS SUBSIDENCE INVERSION WEAKENS LATE TDY..SPCLY
NRN COUNTIES.  NEXT VORT MAX SWINGING THRU NRN WV/WRN PA MON.  AGAIN
A CHC OF BRIEF SHWRS.

DEW POINTS LKLY TO BE A FEW DEGS LWR TNGT AND MON NGT.  MENTIONED
SCT FROST AND A FREEZE IN WV MTNS.  NO NPW/HEADLINE ISSUED ON ELY
MRNG RELEASE DUE TO CLOUD COVER ISSUE.

NO BIG CHANGES MADE TO OUR EXTENDED FCST WED-SAT.

.RLX...
WV...NONE.
VA...NONE.
KY...NONE.
OH...NONE.

.END/ BATTY

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

34 extreme cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Barbour

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Barbour forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.133, -80.003 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Boone

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Boone forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.023, -81.711 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Braxton

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Braxton forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.700, -80.719 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Cabell

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Cabell forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.420, -82.242 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Calhoun

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Calhoun forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.845, -81.118 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Clay

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Clay forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.463, -81.075 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Doddridge

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Doddridge forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.269, -80.707 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Fayette

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Fayette forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Gilmer

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Gilmer forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.924, -80.857 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Harrison

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Harrison forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.284, -80.380 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Jackson

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Jackson forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.835, -81.675 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Kanawha

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Kanawha forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.337, -81.528 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Lewis

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Lewis forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.996, -80.502 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Lincoln

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.175, -82.070 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Logan

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Logan forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.832, -81.935 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Mason

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Mason forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.770, -82.026 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, McDowell

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: McDowell forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.379, -81.654 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Mingo

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Mingo forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.726, -82.135 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Nicholas

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Nicholas forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Pleasants

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Pleasants forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.371, -81.161 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Pocahontas

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Pocahontas forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Putnam

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Putnam forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.509, -81.909 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Raleigh

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Raleigh forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Randolph

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Randolph forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Ritchie

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Ritchie forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.178, -81.063 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Roane

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Roane forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.714, -81.348 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Taylor

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Taylor forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.336, -80.046 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Tyler

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Tyler forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.465, -80.885 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Upshur

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Upshur forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.898, -80.233 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Wayne

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.146, -82.427 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Webster

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Webster forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Wirt

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Wirt forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.022, -81.379 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Wood

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Wood forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.211, -81.515 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Wyoming

When: May 19, 6:00 AM EST to May 22, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Wyoming forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.610, -81.549 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill: Temperatures or wind chills at or below the local warning criteria, or cold that caused deaths.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in West Virginia in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in West Virginia, May 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: 5291161, 5291162, 5291163, 5291164, 5291165, 5291166, 5291167, 5291281, 5291282, 5291283, 5291284, 5291285, 5291286, 5291287, 5291288, 5291289, 5291290, 5291291, 5291292, 5291293, 5291294, 5291295, 5291296, 5291297, 5291298, 5291299, 5291300, 5291301, 5291302, 5291303, 5291304, 5291305, 5291306, 5291307.