Flash Flooding and Flooding in West Virginia, November 29, 2005

Name: Flash Flooding and Flooding in West Virginia, November 29, 2005
Start: 2005-11-29T17:30
End: 2005-11-29T21:30
Location: West Virginia

November 29, 2005 · NWS LWX · 5 events in 4 counties and zones

A large low pressure system moved from the Ohio Valley into the Middle Appalachians on November 29. Southerly winds brought moisture into the region.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: $300,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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 LWX wrote it up.

A large low pressure system moved from the Ohio Valley into the Middle Appalachians on November 29. Southerly winds brought moisture into the region. Prolonged heavy rainfall occurred in the Eastern West Virginia Panhandle. This heavy rainfall lead to flooding in some areas. Small streams were out of their banks in Berkeley Springs with several streets downtown flooded. In addition, flooded streams lead to road closures in Hardy County. On the evening of the 29th, some thunderstorms produced flash flooding in Jefferson and Berkeley counties. A few severe thunderstorms also occurred.

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 Baltimore/Washington wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 29, 2:51 PM EST, 2 hours 39 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 29, 2:51 PM EST, 2 hours 39 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 29, 2:54 PM EST, 2 hours 36 minutes before

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In the hours before

Local storm report, Nov 29, 2:40 PM EST, 2 hours 50 minutes before

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Local storm report, Nov 29, 3:07 PM EST, 2 hours 23 minutes before

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The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 86 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:28 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flood, 2 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Hardy

When: November 29, 5:30 PM EST to 6:40 PM EST
Where: Hardy forecast zone
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates: 37.400, -81.117

Numerous roads closed county wide.

Flood, Morgan

When: November 29, 5:30 PM EST to 7:15 PM EST
Where: Morgan forecast zone
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.883, -80.683

Small streams out of banks in the town. Several downtown streets flooded.

Flash Flood, Berkeley

When: November 29, 6:55 PM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where: Berkeley County, Martinsburg
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 39.450, -77.967

Flooding was reported over several city roads.

Flash Flood, Jefferson

When: November 29, 7:30 PM EST to 9:30 PM EST
Where: Jefferson County, Countywide
Property damage: $150,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 39.300, -77.867

Vehicles were flooded out in water across the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson

When: November 29, 7:30 PM EST
Where: Jefferson County, Countywide
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 39.300, -77.867

Tree downed into a house. Powerlines downed. Trees blocking roads, scattered throughout the county.

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
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.
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.

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, November 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5480091, 5480092, 5480093, 5480094, 5480095.