Flash Flood and Hail in West Virginia, July 27, 2005

Name: Flash Flood and Hail in West Virginia, July 27, 2005
Start: 2005-07-27T12:30
End: 2005-07-27T20:00
Location: West Virginia

July 27, 2005 · NWS RLX · 14 events in 9 counties and zones

8 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail, 1 lightning, 1 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

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.

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: 1
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $23,000
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.

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 Jul 27, 11:44 AM EST, 46 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 27, 11:44 AM EST, 46 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
1244 PM EDT WED JUL 27 2005

.LONG TERM (SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)...

06Z GFS DISPLACES BAROCLINIC ZONE FARTHER EAST ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE
SATURDAY THEN RETROGRADES IT EASTWARD SUNDAY.  PLAYED HIGHEST POPS
SUNDAY IN THE CNTRL AND SRN MTNS WITH HIGH CHANCE TO LKLY...WITH A
SHARP GRADIENT TO DRY IN THE ADJACENT LOWLAND COUNTIES.  FRONT THEN
MOVES EAST BY NEXT WEEK AS TRANSITORY RIDGE BUILDS IN FM THE WEST
ALLOWING FOR MORE DIURNAL TYPE PRECIP.

CONT WITH TEMPS WARMER THAN GUID ALONG AND WEST OF THE OHIO RIVER
PER A DECENT AMOUNT OF SUNSHINE FCST...WHILE SLIGHTLY BELOW IN THE
MTNS WHERE CLOUDS AND RW WILL BE AROUND.  ALSO JACKED UP LOWS IN THE
EKN VCNTY AS SKY CVR WILL NOT BE CONDUCIVE FOR TEMPS IN THE MID AND
UPR 50S.  NUMBERS RETURN TO SEASONAL BENCHMARKS BY DAY 5 AND CONT
THRU DAY7.

&&

.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
(ISSUED 1048 AM EDT WED JUL 27 2005)

SHORT TERM (REST OF TODAY)...

TRIED TO ADJUST HOURLY TEMPERATURES IN GRAPHICS TO DEPICT FALLING
TEMPS IN SE OHIO DURING THE AFTERNOON...AND AN EARLY MAX IN WESTERN
WV.

SEE PKB HAVING NW WIND...BUT THINK SURFACE BOUNDARY STILL NW OF PKB
AT 15Z.  HAVE FRONT SINKING SE AROUND 10-15 KNOTS. 30 KNOT FLOW AT 3
THSD FT RESULTING IN GOOD BREEZE IN THE MUGGY AIR AHEAD OF THE
FRONT.  LOW LEVEL CLOUDS SHOULD BE FORMING RAPIDLY AT MIDDAY.

DESPITE TEMPS WARMING RAPIDLY AND CAPE REACHING 3000 AHEAD OF
FRONT...NOT TOO EXCITED FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN OUR
CWA...CONVERGENCE IS MINIMAL. THINKING MORE TO OUR EAST.

WILL BE TOUGH AVIATION FORECAST WITH LOW STRATUS BEHIND FRONTAL ZONE
TONIGHT...BUT THATS FOR ANOTHER SECTION.

PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
(ISSUED 617 AM EDT WED JUL 27 2005)

AVIATION...

STRONG COLD FRONT AT 10Z FROM NORTH CENTRAL OHIO THROUGH SOUTHERN
INDIANA WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TODAY. EXPECT CONVECTION WITH
THE FRONT TO REDEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT OVER FAR
SOUTHEASTERN OHIO BY LATE MORNING WITH HEATING AND INSTABILITY. THE
CONVECTION WILL INCREASE AND SHIFT SOUTH AND EAST WITH THE FRONT
DURING THE AFTERNOON. VFR AHEAD OF THE FRONT...EXCEPT IN SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. BEHIND THE FRONT...GENERAL MVFR WITH
OCCASIONAL RAIN SHOWERS...TENDING TO DIMINISH WEST OF PKB-HTS LINE
BY 02Z...CKB-CRW LINE BY 04Z...AND EKN-BKW LINE BY 08Z TONIGHT.

PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
(ISSUED 231 AM EDT WED JUL 27 2005)

LONG TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT)...

MODELS IN A LITTLE BETTER AGREEMENT WITH FRONT PUSHING INTO OUR
MOUNTAINS THIS EVENING AND THEN STALLING OUT...HOWEVER THE BIG
DIFFERENCE REMAINS THAT THE GFS DEVELOPS ANOTHER WAVE ALONG THE
FRONT AND LIFTS IT UP OVER SOUTHEASTERN CWA ON THURSDAY.  HAVE
TRENDED MORE TOWARDS THE NAM SOLUTION AND THEREFORE NOT PLAYING AS
HIGH POPS AS MAV GUIDANCE WOULD SUGGEST...BUT DO HEDGE A
LITTLE...ESPECIALLY IN THE EAST.  THE KEY WILL BE WHERE DOES A
BAROCLINIC ZONE SET UP AND ALLOW WAVES TO RIDE UP THE FRONT.  AT
THIS POINT...THINK THE BEST PRECIP WILL BE EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS
THROUGH SATURDAY AND HAVE TONED DOWN THE LIKELY POPS I
INHERITED...ALTHOUGH THERE IS STILL ENOUGH OF A THREAT TO KEEP HIGH
CHANCE GOING IN THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS.

WENT A BIT MORE OPTIMISTIC ON CLOUD COVER WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS
ESPECIALLY ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE SINKS SOUTH INTO
THE REGION AND DRIER AIR SHOULD ALLOW FOR MORE SUN.

&&

.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...NONE.
OH...NONE.
KY...NONE.
VA...NONE.
&&

LONG TERM...29

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 27, 3:34 AM EST, 8 hours 56 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
434 AM EDT WED JUL 27 2005

KYZ101>103-105-OHZ066-067-075-076-083>087-VAZ003-004-WVZ005>011-
013>020-024>040-046-047-280845-
GREENUP-CARTER-BOYD-LAWRENCE-PERRY-MORGAN-ATHENS-WASHINGTON-
JACKSON-VINTON-MEIGS-GALLIA-DICKENSON-BUCHANAN-WAYNE-CABELL-MASON-
WOOD-PLEASANTS-TYLER-LINCOLN-PUTNAM-KANAWHA-ROANE-WIRT-CALHOUN-
RITCHIE-DODDRIDGE-MINGO-LOGAN-BOONE-CLAY-BRAXTON-GILMER-LEWIS-
HARRISON-TAYLOR-MCDOWELL-WYOMING-RALEIGH-FAYETTE-NICHOLAS-WEBSTER-
UPSHUR-BARBOUR-POCAHONTAS-RANDOLPH-
434 AM EDT WED JUL 27 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WEST VIRGINIA...
SOUTHEAST OHIO...VIRGINIA...OH AND KENTUCKY.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 27, 11:19 AM EST, 1 hour 11 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
1219 PM EDT WED JUL 27 2005

WVZ019-020-271700-
DODDRIDGE-RITCHIE-
1219 PM EDT WED JUL 27 2005

HERE IS A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE...

AT 1219 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES WEST OF HARRISVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 30
MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE AVON...
  SMITHBURG...GREENWOOD...BLANDVILLE...GROVE AND WEST UNION.

WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM. A BRIEF DOWNPOUR WILL ALSO OCCUR.

10

Special weather statement, Jul 27, 11:46 AM EST, 44 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
1246 PM EDT WED JUL 27 2005

WVZ006-013>015-271730-
CABELL-KANAWHA-LINCOLN-PUTNAM-
1246 PM EDT WED JUL 27 2005

HERE IS A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE...

AT 1246 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM HURRICANE TO 9 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
BARBOURSVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE WEST
  HAMLIN...TORNADO...ST. ALBANS...SOUTH CHARLESTON...SISSONVILLE AND
  POCA.

WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM. A QUICK HALF TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH OF RAIN MAY ALSO BE
SEEN.

10

The radar

The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 30 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:28 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail, 1 lightning, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Mason

When: July 27, 12:30 PM EST
Where: Mason County, Apple Grove
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.433, -82.033

Trees were blown down along Route 2.

Hail, Jackson

When: July 27, 12:53 PM EST
Where: Jackson County, Ripley
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates: 37.683, -82.283

Thunderstorm Wind, Kanawha

When: July 27, 1:00 PM EST
Where: Kanawha County, 6 mi NE of Charleston
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 38.817, -81.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Clay

When: July 27, 1:05 PM EST
Where: Clay County, Lizemores
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.900, -81.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Putnam

When: July 27, 1:20 PM EST
Where: Putnam County, Red House
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.650, -82.167

Hail, Boone

When: July 27, 2:30 PM EST
Where: Boone County, Van
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.333, -81.167

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When: July 27, 2:55 PM EST
Where: Jackson County, Kenna
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 38.483, -82.033

Lightning, Kanawha

When: July 27, 3:08 PM EST
Where: Kanawha County, 1 mi NW of St Albans
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 38.433, -82.033

A 53 year old male was on top of a car hauler, preparing to unload a vehicle, when he was struck and killed. The storm did not contain a lot of cloud to ground lightning, which may have been deceptive to the worker.

Hail, Mingo

When: July 27, 3:14 PM EST
Where: Mingo County, Williamson
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 37.726, -82.135 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Putnam

When: July 27, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Putnam County, Hurricane
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates: 38.417, -81.550

Thunderstorm Wind, Roane

When: July 27, 5:25 PM EST
Where: Roane County, Grace
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.533, -81.900

Large branches fell and a playhouse was blown over.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cabell

When: July 27, 5:35 PM EST
Where: Cabell County, Salt Rock
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 37.967, -81.717

Trees fell across Route 10.

Hail, Putnam

When: July 27, 6:05 PM EST
Where: Putnam County, Hurricane
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 38.683, -81.650

Flash Flood, Putnam

When: July 27, 6:45 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Putnam County, 4 mi N of Hurricane
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates: 38.317, -82.217

Several separate thunderstorms affected the Hurricane Creek basin. Rains of 3.2 inches were measured in a 7 hour period. County Route 19, residential yards, and a few basements were flooded.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Hail, Mingo	2005-07-27	53	Male	Outside/Open Areas	Direct

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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
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.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in West Virginia in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in West Virginia, July 2005

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: 5461659, 5461658, 5461247, 5461660, 5461248, 5461249, 5461250, 5461662, 5461251, 5461320, 5461321, 5461322, 5461323, 5461661.