West Virginia, 2009

Hail and Damaging Wind in West Virginia, July 21, 2009

July 21, 2009 · NWS LWX · 5 events in 2 counties and zones

A surface boundary remained over West Virginia while a south-southeast flow aloft pumped in plenty of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. The moisture lead to unstable conditions and the surface boundary combined with the instability to trigger showers and thunderstorms.

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
None recorded
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 surface boundary remained over West Virginia while a south-southeast flow aloft pumped in plenty of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. The moisture lead to unstable conditions and the surface boundary combined with the instability to trigger showers and thunderstorms. Some thunderstorms were severe, causing damaging winds and large hail.

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 171 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:30 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Pendleton

When
July 21, 2:32 PM EST to 2:34 PM EST
Where
Pendleton County, 0.88 mi NW of Harper Mill
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
38.740, -79.440

Penny size hail was reported in Riverton.

Hail, Pendleton

When
July 21, 3:04 PM EST to 3:09 PM EST
Where
Pendleton County, 3.2 mi NNW of Franklin
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
38.690, -79.360

Nickel size hail was reported near Franklin.

Hail, Pendleton

When
July 21, 3:13 PM EST
Where
Pendleton County, 1.28 mi WSW of Franklin
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
38.640, -79.350

Penny size hail was reported near Franklin.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pendleton

When
July 21, 3:13 PM EST
Where
Pendleton County, 1.28 mi WSW of Franklin
Measured
60 kt (69 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
38.640, -79.350

A wind gust of 60 knots was measured near Franklin.

Hail, Hardy

When
July 21, 3:32 PM EST
Where
Hardy County, Oldfields
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
39.130, -78.950

Penny size hail was reported near Old Fields.

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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

More

Every storm in West Virginia in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, July 2009

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 187297, 187300, 187305, 187309, 187307.