1 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 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 Aug 8, 1:22 PM EST, 4 hours 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV 222 PM EDT FRI AUG 8 2003 ******************************************************************* 222 PM EDT FRI AUG 8 2003 TONIGHT AND SATURDAY... LATEST WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS STRONG MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROF IS LOCATED JUST SOUTHWEST OF OUR OFFICE. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA WITH THE GREATEST CONCENTRATION BEGIN LOCATED ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN WV MOUNTAINS. SOME MINOR WATER PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN AND AROUND THE BECKLEY AREA WITH THESE STORMS. HOWEVER...THE RAIN HAS PUSHED NORTH AND EAST OF THAT AREA. THE SHORTWAVE TROF IS EXPECTED TO PUSH NORTHEAST OVERNIGHT WITH THE RAIN CHANCES DECREASING ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA. THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL EARLY TONIGHT AND ISOLATED WATER PROBLEMS ARE QUITE POSSIBLE. HOWEVER...WILL NOT ISSUE A FFA BECAUSE OF THE UNCERTAINTY OF EXACTLY WHERE THE BIGGEST THREAT OF FLOODING IS. WILL ALSO CONTINUE MENTION OF PATCHY DENSE FOG AND LOW CLOUDS TONIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. EVEN THOUGH MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROF WILL BE LOCATED NORTHEAST OF FORECAST AREA ON SATURDAY...MAIN AXIS OF LONG-WAVE TROF WILL REMAIN IN THE AREA. COMBINATION OF ABUNDANT MOISTURE...DAYTIME HEATING AND THIS TROUGH SHOULD RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT... NO BIG CHANGES MADE TO EXISTING FORECAST AS UPPER AIR TROF AXIS INCHES EAST ON SUNDAY...WITH SOME LIGHT N/NW WINDS DEVELOPING ALOFT. BUT WITH STILL MORE ENERGY ENTERING BACK SIDE OF TROF SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY...KEEPING REMAINS OF A WEAKENING UPPER AIR TROF IN VICINITY. WILL STILL NEED TO MONITOR THE SLOW MOVING CONVECTION DURING THIS PERIOD. TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY... MODELS COMING INTO AGREEMENT THAT THE UPPER TROUGH WILL FINALLY LIFT OUT OF THE OHIO VALLEY AS THE BERMUDA HIGH BUILDS INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN US AND THE WESTERN US RIDGE BREAKS DOWN AND SLIDES INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS. ENOUGH WEAKNESS BETWEEN THE RIDGES REMAINS ACROSS THE REGION...ALONG WITH A SLOW MOVING FRONTAL BOUNDARY...TO KEEP SHOWERS IN THE FORECAST AREA WIDE ON TUESDAY AND IN THE MOUNTAINS ON WEDNESDAY...AS THE SFC CONVERGENCE SETTLES IN THE MOUNTAINS. BY THURSDAY...HIGH PRESSURE FINALLY MOVES INTO THE REGION TO BRING AN END TO THE UNSETTLED WEATHER WITH DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED. TEMPERATURE WILL REMAIN ON THE COOL SIDE FOR DAYS 4 THROUGH 7 AS 850 TEMPERATURES HANG IN THE 14C TO 16C RANGE. BUT WITH MORE SUNSHINE...A WARMING TREND CAN BE EXPECTED TOWARD THE END OF NEXT WEEK. MEX GUIDANCE SEEMS VERY REASONABLE AND WAS VERY CLOSE TO PREVIOUS FORECAST SO ONLY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE TO THE GRIDS. .RLX... WV...NONE. VA...NONE. KY...NONE. OH...NONE. JSH/KTB/ESS ******************************************************************* 1030 AM EDT FRI AUG 8 2003 LOOKS LIKE CURRENT FORECAST IS ON TRACK. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS THE CENTER OF A DECENT SHORTWAVE TROF IS CURRENTLY LOCATED OVER THE FAR WESTERN COUNTIES OF VIRGINIA. SHOWERS CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTH ACROSS EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA. WHILE MOST OF THE REGION IS CLOUDY AT THIS TIME...STILL THE WESTERN AND POSSIBLY CENTRAL COUNTIES OF OUR FORECAST AREA WILL SEE SOME SUN THIS AFTERNOON. THIS WILL RESULT IN INCREASING INSTABILITY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THAT PORTION OF THE REGION. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL BECOME QUITE STRONG AND PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. WILL MAKE SOME MINOR TWEAKS TO THE GRIDS AND UPDATE ZONES TO REMOVE MENTION OF MORNING FOG AND/OR LOW CLOUDS. JSH ******************************************************************* 317 AM EDT FRI AUG 8 2003 TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT... BKN AC MOVING ASSOCIATED WITH 310K ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE MOVING UP APPALACHIANS WHICH IS KEEPING EKN AND BKW OUT OF IFR RANGE...WHILE CLR SKIES ACROSS SERN CWA ALLOWING FOR 1/8SM -1/4SM VIS. AGAIN EXPECT GOOD AREAL COVERAGE OF PRECIP NEXT 48 HRS ESPECIALLY DURING THE DAYTIME. H5 S/W...H7-H3 Q-VEC CONV...AND H8-H7 DEFORMATION ZONE WILL BRING ANOTHER MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN E OF OH RVR. PLAYED LIKELY POPS AFTER 16Z OVER AFOREMENTIONED AREAS...FARTHER W EXPECT SCT TSTMS AFTER STRATUS BREAKS. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES OF 1.5 INCHES...STORM MOTION LESS THAN 10KTS...AND WARM CLOUD DEPTH OF 11KFT COULD BRING PRECIP AMNTS INTO 0.50-1.00...BUT FEEL DURATION SHOULD KEEP AREAS UNDER 3HR FFG. EVEN THOUGH WINDS GO FROM VEER TO ERLY DURING THE DAY AS MID LEVEL CYCLONE LIFTS NORTH...DOWNSLOPE NOT A CONCERN TO SHUT OFF PRECIP WITH WINDS SPEEDS BELOW 10KTS. SUNDAY FOCUS SHIFTS W AS TROF AXIS AND ACCOMPANYING AXIS OF DEEP MSTR RETROGRADE. INVERTED POP GRIDS FM PREVIOUS DAY WITH HIGHEST ONES W AND LOWEST ONES E. 00Z NCEP SUITE INDICATE A DRY CONVEYOR BELT MOVING ACROSS I-79 AND E DURING THE AFTERNOON...WHICH WILL HELP KEEP EASTERN MOST LOWLANDS AND MTNS SOMEWHAT DRY. FRI AND SAT NGT...EXPECT PRECIP TO DECREASE SUBSTANTIALLY AFTER 02Z...BUT GIVEN H8-H5 OMEGA AND HI MEAN LAYER RH KEPT POPS ALL NIGHT. LOW CLOUDS AND FG AGAIN A CONCERN FM 04Z-14Z WHERE SKIES BECOME MCLR...SO MENTIONED AREAS OF FG/LOW CLDS. PRESENT GRIDS REFLECT COOLER SIDE OF GUIDANCE AND CONCUR...SO LEFT THEM IN TACT. SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... ON SUNDAY LOW LIFTS NORTHWARD AND OUT OF THE CWA. THIS WILL ALSO LIFT THE TROUGH NORTHWARD AS WELL. VORT DIVES SOUTH FROM GREAT LAKES AND ROTATES THROUGH ON MONDAY AND EXITS TUESDAY. WILL KEEP CHC POPS IN THROUGH MONDAY AND SLIGHT CHC ON TUESDAY WITH SHORT WAVE AND LEFT OVER MOISTURE AND AFTERNOON HEATING. BY TUESDAY RIDGING WILL TRY TO BUILD EASTWARD INTO THE WESTERN OHIO VALLEY AND GREAT LAKE STATES AND KEEP OUR WEATHER DRY THROUGH THURSDAY. KEPT TEMPERATURES CLOSE TO CURRENT GRIDS/CLUSTER/GUID AS THEY SEEM REASONABLE WITH CURRENT FORECAST THINKING. 29/SIKORA ******************************************************************* 930 PM EDT THU AUG 7 2003 SHOWERS AND STORMS LOSING THEIR PUNCH WITH SUNSET...ALTHOUGH A COUPLE OF HEALTHY CELLS REMAIN OVER THE COALFIELDS. EXPECT SOME SHOWERS TO PERSIST THROUGH THE NIGHT...ESPECIALLY IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH A SLIGHT UPSLOPE COMPONENT CONTINUING. WILL REDUCE POPS TO SLIGHT CHANCE IN THE WEST...AND CHANCE EAST OF THE OHIO. WINDS HAVE GONE LIGHT AND WILL ADJUST WORDING AS SUCH. DENSE FOG AGAIN A GOOD BET. TEMPERATURES LOOK OK. CL
KYZ101>103-105-OHZ066-067-075-076-083>087-VAZ003-004-WVZ005>011- 013>020-024>040-046-047-081500- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV 357 AM EDT FRI AUG 08 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEASTERN OHIO...NORTHEASTERN KENTUCKY...SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA...AND MOST OF WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE... MOST OF REGION IS IN THE EXCESSIVE RAINFALL POTENTIAL OUTLOOK TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL FORM OVER THE AREA BY THIS AFTERNOON. ANY THUNDERSTORM THAT DOES FORM WILL BE SLOW-MOVING AND POSSIBLY RESULTING IN LOCALLY EXCESSIVE RAINFALL. A FLOOD WATCH MAY BE NEEDED LATER TODAY...IF THE POTENTIAL FOR MORE WIDESPREAD EXCESSIVE RAINFALL...OVER A SEVERAL COUNTY AREA...BECOMES EVIDENT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED. JS
OHZ076-WVZ009-082215- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV 540 PM EDT FRI AUG 8 2003 HERE IS A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE... TROPICAL DOWNPOURS WERE SCATTERED ACROSS WOOD AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES. THE RAIN WAS FROM SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS. AT 5:40 PM...THE HEAVIEST WERE NEAR MARIETTA AND WILLIAMSTOWN...ON DOWN THE OHIO RIVER TO NEAR BELPRE AND VETO. THE RAIN WAS NOT MOVING MUCH...BUT DISSIPATING...THEN REFORMING IN NEW LOCATIONS. RAINS OF A HALF INCH TO AN INCH ARE POSSIBLE IN LESS THAN 30 MINUTES. WATCH OUT FOR POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING...RUNOFF ACROSS ROADS...AND MINOR STREAM OVERFLOW. SEEK SHELTER INSIDE...IF LIGHTNING IS NEARBY. ALSO...SOME SMALL HAIL MAY BRIEFLY FALL. IF THE HEAVIER SHOWERS PERSIST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL BE MONITORING THE POTENTIAL FOR MORE SERIOUS SMALL STREAM FLOODING. KTB
The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 102 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:24 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Estimated rain amounts of 2 to 3 inches fell in less than 2 hours. Briscoe Run flooded and blocked Route 14 in Central. Water surrounded some homes in Vienna, and caused some basement flooding. Route 31 was flooded south of Williamstown.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in West Virginia in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, August 2003
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: 5334868.