Flash Flooding and Hail in West Virginia, July 12 to 13, 2013

Name: Flash Flooding and Hail in West Virginia, July 12 to 13, 2013
Start: 2013-07-12T17:33
End: 2013-07-13T01:30
Location: West Virginia

July 12 to 13, 2013 · NWS RLX · 11 events in 3 counties and zones

A mid and upper level low developed over West Virginia on the 12th, then drifted into southeast Ohio by that evening. This stopped the expected dry air intrusion along the Ohio Valley.

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: $206,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 11

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.

A mid and upper level low developed over West Virginia on the 12th, then drifted into southeast Ohio by that evening. This stopped the expected dry air intrusion along the Ohio Valley. The low level flow brought an increase in moisture again from the east.

Rain showers developed over the mountainous counties by midday. Plenty of sunshine in the western lowlands increased instability. Clusters of convection developed during the afternoon with a slow west or southwest drift.

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 12, 2:49 PM EST, 2 hours 44 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 12, 2:49 PM EST, 2 hours 44 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
349 PM EDT FRI JUL 12 2013

.SYNOPSIS...
UPPER LOW BRINGS THUNDERSTORMS TO THE CWA TODAY AND TONIGHT...DRIFTS
WESTWARD OVER THE WEEKEND...PULLING DEEPER MOISTURE INTO THE AREA.
SOME MOISTURE REMAINS AS A HIGH AND WARM TEMPS SET UP FOR NEXT
WEEK.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/...
UPPER LOW OVER THE AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT...WITH A MOIST NE TO EAST
FLOW ACROSS THE CWA. CONVECTION FORMED OVER THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS
THIS MORNING IN THE EASTERLY FLOW...AND HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR MUCH OF
THE DAY. POPS WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE IN COVERAGE AS THE DAY
PROGRESSES...AND AFTERNOON PEAK HEATING GETS INTO FULL SWING.
MAINTAINED HIGH CHANCE TO LIKELY POPS ACROSS THE NORTH...WITH CHANCE
TO SLIGHT CHANCE OF POPS ACROSS THE SOUTH AND WEST. AT THIS POINT
STILL NOT OVERLY CONCERNED ABOUT WATER ISSUES. 12Z RNK SOUNDING
INDICATED PW VALUES AT 1.08 INCHES...AND SO FAR PRECIPITATION FROM
ANY ACTIVITY HAS BEEN GENERALLY LIGHT.

BULK OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WILL TAPER OFF ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT
WITH THE LOSS OF HEATING...BUT WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A SLIGHT
CHANCE ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS...PARTICULARLY NORTHERN MOUNTAIN ZONES.
IN ADDITION...SCATTERED CU FIELD SHOULD MOSTLY CLEAR OUT ACROSS THE
WEST AND SOUTH...BUT THINKING CLOUD COVER WILL HANG ON ACROSS THE
HIGHER TERRAIN COUNTIES OVERNIGHT.

UPPER LOW WILL BEGIN TO PUSH OFF TO THE SOUTH AND EAST LATER TONIGHT
AND ON SATURDAY...AS UPPER LEVEL RIDGE NUDGES IN FROM THE EAST. THIS
WILL LEAD TO A TREND OF WARMER TEMPERATURES...AND SOMEWHAT DRIER
WEATHER...ALTHOUGH SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL CONTINUE PARTICULARLY
DURING THE PEAK HEATING HOURS. MADE NO MAJOR CHANGES TO THE PREVIOUS
TEMPERATURE FORECAST OTHER THAN MINOR TWEAKS.

&&

.SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
THE UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL CONTINUE TO DRIFT SOUTH AND WEST DUE TO A
FAIRLY STRONG HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING ACROSS THE AREA FROM THE EAST.
STILL EXPECT DIURNAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM THROUGH THE PERIOD
WITH TEMPERATURE BEGINNING TO WARM.

&&

.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
SUMMER PATTERN CONTINUES WITH A 598/599 MB HIGH OVER THE AREA.  EVEN
THOUGH THE FORECAST AREA HAS BEEN WET IT WON/T TAKE LONG TO DRY OUT
BEING JULY.  EXPECT WARM TEMPERATURES FOR THE FORECAST
AREA...POSSIBLE THE WARMEST TEMPERATURES SO FAR THIS SUMMER.  RAISED
AFTERNOON HIGHS AND DEW POINTS.  THERE WILL STILL BE MOISTURE AROUND
THE AREA TRAPPED UNDER THE HIGH THUS DIURNAL POPS.  THE RIDGE BEGINS
TO FLATTEN OUT ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AS THE NEXT FRONTAL SYSTEM
APPROACHES THE OHIO VALLEY BY FRIDAY.  TIMING WITH THE FRONT IS
STILL IFFY AS IT IS SEVEN DAYS OUT.

&&

.AVIATION /20Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
18Z FRIDAY THRU 18Z SATURDAY... UPR LOW SLOWLY TREKKING SW INTO SE
KY BY THIS AFTN...WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
DEVELOPING...PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN COUNTIES...AND
ACROSS NORTHERN WV AND SOUTHEAST OHIO COUNTIES. EXPECT BRIEF MVFR
CONDITIONS IN VICINITY OF STORMS.

BULK OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WILL DIE OFF AFTER 00Z...WITH A BRIEF
RETURN TO MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS MANY AREAS. HOWEVER...MVFR/IFR
STRATUS EXPECTED ONCE AGAIN ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN
COUNTIES...WITH PATCHY MVFR/IFR FOG POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF
LOWLANDS...PARTICULARLY IN AREAS THAT RECEIVE RAIN ON FRIDAY. ANY
FOG THAT IS ABLE TO DEVELOP AFTER 03Z WILL IMPROVE TO VFR AFTER
13Z. IFR/MVFR STRATUS ACROSS HIGHER TERRAIN COUNTIES WILL
GRADUALLY LIFT TO VFR AFTER 15-16Z.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY...
     SATURDAY...

FORECAST CONFIDENCE...MEDIUM.

ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: TIMING OF CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING COULD BE DIFFERENT THAN FORECAST. TIMING AND EXTENT OF
STRATUS ACROSS HIGHER TERRAIN COUNTIES TONIGHT...AS WELL AS FOG
CONDITIONS COULD VARY FROM CURRENT FORECAST.

EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY
OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION:
H = HIGH:   TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL.
M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS.
L = LOW:    TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL.

UTC 1HRLY       18   19   20   21   22   23   00   01   02   03   04   05
EDT 1HRLY       14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   00   01
CRW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M
HTS CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M
BKW CONSISTENCY  M    M    M    H    H    H    H    H    M    M    M    M
EKN CONSISTENCY  H    H    L    L    L    L    L    L    H    H    H    M
PKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
CKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H

AFTER 18Z SATURDAY...
IFR IN FOG POSSIBLE SATURDAY NIGHT. BRIEF IFR IN THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE
WEEKEND.

&&

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

&&

SYNOPSIS...FB/SL
NEAR TERM...SL
SHORT TERM...RPY
LONG TERM...FB
AVIATION...SL

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 12, 12:57 PM EST, 4 hours 36 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
157 PM EDT FRI JUL 12 2013

KYZ101>103-105-OHZ066-067-075-076-083>087-VAZ003-004-WVZ005>011-
013>020-024>040-046-047-131800-
GREENUP-CARTER-BOYD-LAWRENCE KY-PERRY-MORGAN-ATHENS-WASHINGTON-
JACKSON OH-VINTON-MEIGS-GALLIA-LAWRENCE OH-DICKENSON-BUCHANAN-WAYNE-
CABELL-MASON-JACKSON WV-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-
157 PM EDT FRI JUL 12 2013

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST
KENTUCKY...SOUTHEAST OHIO...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND MUCH OF WEST
VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 12, 3:50 PM EST, 1 hour 43 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
450 PM EDT FRI JUL 12 2013

OHZ076-WVZ009-010-122130-
PLEASANTS WV-WASHINGTON OH-WOOD WV-
450 PM EDT FRI JUL 12 2013

...A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL AFFECT CENTRAL
WASHINGTON...NORTHERN WOOD AND PLEASANTS COUNTIES...

AT 441 PM EDT...A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WAS LOCATED 8
MILES SOUTHWEST OF ST. MARYS...MOVING WEST AT 10 MPH.

VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THIS THUNDERSTORM...AND WILL CAUSE
WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL
STREAMS. WIND GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.

THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR WAVERLY AROUND 500 PM AND BOAZ AROUND
530 PM.

THIS WILL IMPACT THE FOLLOWING INTERSTATES...I-77 BETWEEN MILE
MARKERS 1 AND 3 IN OHIO...AND BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 175 AND 186 IN
WEST VIRGINIA.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

YOU MAY REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER BY POSTING YOUR REPORT TO THE
CHARLESTON WEST VIRGINIA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FACEBOOK PAGE...OR
BY USING THE TWITTER HASHTAG...NWSRLX.

LAT...LON 3941 8122 3927 8124 3927 8125 3924 8128
      3925 8166 3948 8163

50

Special weather statement, Jul 12, 4:26 PM EST, 1 hour 7 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
526 PM EDT FRI JUL 12 2013

WVZ016>019-029-122215-
CALHOUN WV-GILMER WV-RITCHIE WV-ROANE WV-WIRT WV-
526 PM EDT FRI JUL 12 2013

...A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL AFFECT NORTH CENTRAL
ROANE...NORTHERN CALHOUN...SOUTH CENTRAL RITCHIE...SOUTHEASTERN WIRT
AND WEST CENTRAL GILMER COUNTIES...

AT 516 PM EDT...A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WAS LOCATED
JUST NORTH OF GRANTSVILLE...MOVING WEST AT 10 MPH.

VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THIS THUNDERSTORM...AND WILL CAUSE
WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL
STREAMS. IN ADDITION...WIND GUSTS OF AROUND 40 MPH AND PEA-SIZED
HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.

THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR BROHARD AROUND 530 PM...MUNDAY AROUND
545 PM...ANNAMORIAH AROUND 600 PM AND CRESTON AROUND 615 PM.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

YOU MAY REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER BY POSTING YOUR REPORT TO THE
CHARLESTON WEST VIRGINIA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FACEBOOK PAGE...OR
BY USING THE TWITTER HASHTAG...NWSRLX.

LAT...LON 3881 8139 3904 8145 3909 8095 3889 8088

50

Local storm report, Jul 12, 4:30 PM EST, 1 hour 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
530 PM EDT FRI JUL 12 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0530 PM     HAIL             VIENNA                  39.32N  81.54W
07/12/2013  E0.25 INCH       WOOD               WV   PUBLIC

&&

EVENT NUMBER RLX1300758

JM

Local storm report, Jul 12, 4:55 PM EST, 38 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
555 PM EDT FRI JUL 12 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0555 PM     HAIL             BECKLEY                 37.79N  81.19W
07/12/2013  E0.25 INCH       RALEIGH            WV   PUBLIC

&&

EVENT NUMBER RLX1300759

JM

Special weather statement, Jul 12, 5:21 PM EST, 12 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
621 PM EDT FRI JUL 12 2013

WVZ034-035-122300-
RALEIGH WV-WYOMING WV-
621 PM EDT FRI JUL 12 2013

...A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL AFFECT EASTERN
WYOMING AND SOUTH CENTRAL RALEIGH COUNTIES...

AT 618 PM EDT...A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WAS LOCATED
11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BECKLEY...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 5 MPH.

WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND PEA-SIZED HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
THUNDERSTORM.

THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR RHODELL AROUND 640 PM AND MABEN AROUND
700 PM.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE ELEVATED LEVELS ON
SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...AND PONDING OF WATER ON COUNTRY ROADS AND
FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

YOU MAY REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER BY POSTING YOUR REPORT TO THE
CHARLESTON WEST VIRGINIA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FACEBOOK PAGE...OR
BY USING THE TWITTER HASHTAG...NWSRLX.

LAT...LON 3763 8161 3779 8131 3766 8116 3746 8138
      3746 8141

08

Local storm report, Jul 12, 5:33 PM EST, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
633 PM EDT FRI JUL 12 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0633 PM     HAIL             ELKVIEW                 38.43N  81.47W
07/12/2013  E0.88 INCH       KANAWHA            WV   PUBLIC

&&

EVENT NUMBER RLX1300760

JM

The radar

The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 26 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:31 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 hail, 3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Kanawha

When: July 12, 5:33 PM EST
Where: Kanawha County, Elkview
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.450, -81.480

Flash Flood, Roane

When: July 12, 6:00 PM EST to 7:30 PM EST
Where: Roane County, 0.71 mi WSW of Kettle to 0.5 mi SSE of Kettle
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $80,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 38.576, -81.492

Rains of 1 to 1.75 inches fell over wet terrain in about an hour. This caused small streams in extreme southern Roane County to flood.

Green Creek flooded, especially its Left Fork. Roads were flooded and driveways were blocked. One truck was swept downstream. The vehicle was destroyed.

Hail, Kanawha

When: July 12, 6:01 PM EST
Where: Kanawha County, Charleston
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.350, -81.630

Hail, Kanawha

When: July 12, 6:05 PM EST
Where: Kanawha County, 1.15 mi E of Guthrie
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.397, -81.649

Hail, Kanawha

When: July 12, 6:07 PM EST
Where: Kanawha County, 0.5 mi S of Ruth
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.313, -81.719

Hail, Kanawha

When: July 12, 6:12 PM EST
Where: Kanawha County, 0.78 mi WSW of (Crw) Yeager Arpt
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.365, -81.613

Hail as large as quarters fell along Interstate 77.

Flash Flood, Kanawha

When: July 12, 6:15 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Kanawha County, 2.65 mi NNW of Sissonville to 1.86 mi ESE of Upper Falls
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $90,000
Reported by: 911 Call Center
Coordinates: 38.563, -81.654

Rains of 1.25 to 1.75 inches in an hour or less over wet terrain caused small streams to flood roads. Streams such as Sugar Creek, Kanawha Two Mile, Legg Fork, and Magazine Branch flooded.

A couple of parked vehicles were damaged by flood waters from Kanawha Two Mile. The water from Kanawha Two Mile also got under one mobile home and damaged some insulation.

Hail, Kanawha

When: July 12, 6:24 PM EST
Where: Kanawha County, 0.33 mi ENE of Ruth
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.322, -81.714

Hail, Kanawha

When: July 12, 6:32 PM EST
Where: Kanawha County, St Albans
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.380, -81.830

Hail, Kanawha

When: July 12, 6:32 PM EST
Where: Kanawha County, Charleston
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.350, -81.630

Flash Flood, Nicholas

When: July 12, 10:00 PM EST to July 13, 1:30 AM EST
Where: Nicholas County, 1 mi NNW of Muddlety to 1 mi NW of Mt Lookout
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: 911 Call Center
Coordinates: 38.383, -80.827

Slow moving downpours caused streams to flood and block roads.

A spotter in Craigsville measured 2.42 inches of rain, while another spotter near Runa measured 2.37 inches.

For example, Route 55 south of Craigsville was flooded with water 6 to 12 inches deep. Meadow Creek had several feet of water over Runa Road. Muddlety Creek also flooded roads.

There was no damage to structures reported to the county emergency management.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in West Virginia, July 2013

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: 453069, 453167, 453070, 453072, 453074, 453077, 453114, 453080, 453082, 453085, 453148.