Hail in West Virginia, April 25, 2015

Name: Hail in West Virginia, April 25, 2015
Start: 2015-04-25T20:45
End: 2015-04-25T21:35
Location: West Virginia

April 25, 2015 · NWS RLX · 4 events in 2 counties and zones

A low pressure wave rode east through Kentucky during the late afternoon and evening, along a strong east to west front. There was a 30 degree temperature contrast on either side of the front, say from around Huntington to southeast Kentucky.

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: 4

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 few discrete thunderstorms cells formed ahead of the main cluster of convection. These cells moved through extreme southern West Virginia during the evening hours.

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 Apr 25, 6:48 PM EST, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 25, 6:48 PM EST, 1 hour 57 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
748 PM EDT SAT APR 25 2015

.SYNOPSIS...
LOW PRESSURE RIDES EAST ALONG FRONT AND PASSES LATE TONIGHT. DRIER
AIR MOVES SOUTH SUNDAY. CHILLY NORTH FLOW SUNDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY.
AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE ON MONDAY COULD PROVIDE SOME SHOWERS.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/...
8 PM UPDATE...NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.

PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
7 PM UPDATE. TOOK THUNDER CHANCES NORTHWARD INTO CENTRAL WV PER
RADAR TRENDS UNTIL 04Z...UNTIL FRONT DROPS FAR ENOUGH SOUTH. SEVERE
POTENTIAL STILL LIMITED OVER FAR SOUTHERN AREAS OF CWA.
OTHERWISE...NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE.

PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
THE WARM FRONTAL BOUNDARY QUASI STATIONARY JUST S OF I64
CORRIDOR. TREND IN THE HI RES MODELS IS FOR BULK OF QPF LATER THIS
AFTN AND THIS EVE TO REMAIN ALONG AND S OF THIS BOUNDARY...WHERE
CONVECTION RESIDES. IN FACT...HRRR IS TRENDING DRY ACROSS SE OH
AND N WV THIS EVENING. SO...APPEARS THE ONLY AREA OF CONCERN IS
TWO SW VA CO AND MAYBE SE WV WITH REGARDS TO FLOODING. WILL FORGO
ANY WATCH AT THIS POINT AS THIS AREA SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE 1 TO
1.5 INCHES. SOMETHING TO WATCH THOUGH AS CONVECTION WILL BE TRYING
TO FIRE ALONG THE BOUNDARY DOWN THERE THIS AFTN...PROVIDING FOR A
3 HR WINDOW OF TRAINING POTENTIAL BEFORE THE BAROCLINIC ZONE
BEGINS TO SHIFT S AS A COLD FRONT WITH LOW PRESSURE TRAVERSING
THRU CUMBERLAND PLATEAU.

CONCERNING SVR POTENTIAL...
THERE DOES EXIST SOME IMPRESSIVE DEEP AND LOW LEVEL SHEAR ALONG
THE BOUNDARY WITH INSTABILITY BECOMING SFC BASED JUST SOUTH OF THE
BOUNDARY. TEMPS WILL TRY TO SPIKE TO NEAR 70 IN SW VA. SPC CONT TO
HIGHLIGHT MAINLY DICKENSON IN SLIGHT RISK...WITH ENHANCED JUST TO
THE SW. RIGHT NOW IT APPEARS THERE WILL BE ABOUT A 3 HR WINDOW IN
THE 21Z TO 00Z TIME FRAME FOR SVR WITH SCT CONVECTION DEVELOPING
ALONG THE BOUNDARY. AFTER THAT...UPSTREAM LOW PRESSURE/COMPLEX
WILL TRACK FROM C KY INTO NE TN...ALLOWING THIS BOUNDARY TO SHIFT
S...TAKING THE SVR POTENTIAL WITH IT.

&&

.SHORT TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/...
MODELS HAVE A HEALTHY SHORT WAVE MOVING THROUGH THE REGION ON
MONDAY. MODELS DIFFER ON HOW DYNAMIC THIS SYSTEM IS...WITH THE NAM
BEING ONE OF THE MORE AGGRESSIVE. THE NAM HOWEVER IS EXTREMELY
CONSISTENT WITH RUNS ON FRIDAY...SO WILL INCREASE POPS A LITTLE
MORE...BUT STILL KEEP IN THE CHANCE/SLIGHT CHANCE CATEGORIES. WITH
CLOUDS MOVING IN AND THE POTENTIAL FOR SHOWERS...WILL GO BELOW MOS
GUIDANCE HIGH TEMPERATURES.

COOL NORTHWEST FLOW CONTINUES MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY BUT MOISTURE
BECOMES TO THIN FOR ANY PRECIPITATION.

&&

.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
UPPER TROUGH DROPPING IN FROM THE GREAT LAKES WILL PHASE WITH AN
UPPER TROUGH AXIS OVER THE DEEP SOUTH OVER THE SOUTHERN
APPALACHIANS TO THE CAROLINA COAST. SOUTHERN SYSTEM SHOULD STAY TO
THE SOUTH OF US...WHERE THE BETTER THREAT FOR RAIN LIES...BUT THE
PHASING NORTHERN STREAM TROUGH ALOFT WILL BRING SCATTERED SHOWERS
AND GENERAL COOL AND UNSETTLED CONDITIONS TO THE AREA FOR THE END
OF THE WEEK. DEEP SOUTH RIDGING WILL FOLLOW ITS WAKE...ALLOWING
FOR A MARKED CHANGE IN THE SYNOPTIC SCALE PATTERN...WHICH SHOULD
DRY US OUT AND WARM US UP TO MORE NORMAL TEMPERATURES.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
00Z SUNDAY THRU 00Z MONDAY...
EAST TO WEST FRONTAL BOUNDARY CURRENTLY SOUTH OF A HTS-CRW-BKW LINE
WILL SLOWLY DROP SOUTHWARD LATER TONIGHT BEHIND A WAVE OF LOW
PRESSURE THAT RIDES EAST ALONG THE FRONT. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS
SOUTH DURING THE AFTERNOON.

SOUTH OF HTS-CRW-BKW LINE...CONVECTIVE COMPLEX WILL CROSS THE AREA
THRU 04Z...WITH VFR/MVFR CEILINGS BECOMING GENERAL IFR IN SHOWERS
AND STORMS. AFTER 04Z...NORTHERLY WINDS WILL INITIALLY BRING IFR
CEILINGS IN LIGHT RAIN TIL AROUND 13Z...THEN IMPROVING FROM NORTH TO
SOUTH TO VFR BY 22Z.

NORTH OF A PKB-CKB-EKN LINE...OCCASIONAL LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS TIL
AROUND 03Z...OTHERWISE...MVFR CEILINGS THRU 08Z. AFTER 08Z BECOMING
VFR AND SCT CLDS BY 16Z.

REMAINDER OF AREA...MAINLY EXTREME SOUTHEAST OHIO ACROSS CENTRAL
WEST VIRGINIA...LIFR WITH RAIN SHOWERS AND AN EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS
THRU 04Z. AFTER 04Z IFR IN LIGHT RAIN. AFTER 09Z IMPROVING TO MVFR
CEILINGS AND THEN TO VFR CEILINGS AFTER 15Z.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY...

FORECAST CONFIDENCE: LOW TO MEDIUM TONIGHT.

ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: FORECAST CONDITIONS MAY SHIFT NORTH OR SOUTH
SOMEWHAT...DEPENDING ON EXACT TRACK OF THE WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE
ALONG THE FRONT.

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.

DATE                                                            SUN 04/26/15
UTC 1HRLY       00   01   02   03   04   05   06   07   08   09   10   11
EDT 1HRLY       20   21   22   23   00   01   02   03   04   05   06   07
CRW CONSISTENCY  M    M    H    M    M    M    H    H    H    M    M    H
HTS CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M    H    M    H
BKW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    L    L    M    M    M    M    M    H    H
EKN CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
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 00Z MONDAY...
IFR POSSIBLY LINGERING IN STRATUS INTO SUNDAY MORNING...MAINLY IN
THE MOUNTAINS.

&&

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

&&

SYNOPSIS...RPY/JMV/30/26
NEAR TERM...JMV/30
SHORT TERM...RPY
LONG TERM...26
AVIATION...JMV

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 25, 8:26 AM EST, 12 hours 19 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
926 AM EDT SAT APR 25 2015

VAZ003-004-261330-
DICKENSON-BUCHANAN-
926 AM EDT SAT APR 25 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO
TONIGHT...WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL THE MAIN THREAT.

ALSO...AREAS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME ALIGNED ALONG A
NEARLY STATIONARY WARM FRONT...CAUSING REPETITIVE ROUNDS AND
INCREASING FLASH FLOOD CONCERNS LATE TODAY OR TONIGHT. SHOULD
CONFIDENCE INCREASE IN THIS SCENARIO...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE
NEEDED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

WVZ024-025-033-034-261330-
MINGO-LOGAN-MCDOWELL-WYOMING-
926 AM EDT SAT APR 25 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

AN ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON
INTO TONIGHT...WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL THE MAIN
THREAT.

AREAS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME ALIGNED ALONG A
NEARLY STATIONARY WARM FRONT...CAUSING REPETITIVE ROUNDS AND
INCREASING FLASH FLOOD CONCERNS LATE TODAY OR TONIGHT. SHOULD
CONFIDENCE INCREASE IN THIS SCENARIO...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE
NEEDED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

KYZ101>103-105-WVZ005-013-026-035-261330-
GREENUP-CARTER-BOYD-LAWRENCE KY-WAYNE-LINCOLN-BOONE-RALEIGH-
926 AM EDT SAT APR 25 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST KENTUCKY...SOUTHERN
WEST VIRGINIA AND WESTERN WEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

AREAS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME ALIGNED ALONG A
NEARLY STATIONARY WARM FRONT...CAUSING REPETITIVE ROUNDS AND
INCREASING FLASH FLOOD CONCERNS LATE TODAY OR TONIGHT. SHOULD
CONFIDENCE INCREASE IN THIS SCENARIO...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE
NEEDED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

OHZ066-067-075-076-083>087-WVZ006>011-014>020-027>032-036>040-046-
047-261330-
PERRY-MORGAN-ATHENS-WASHINGTON-JACKSON OH-VINTON-MEIGS-GALLIA-
LAWRENCE OH-CABELL-MASON-JACKSON WV-WOOD-PLEASANTS-TYLER-PUTNAM-
KANAWHA-ROANE-WIRT-CALHOUN-RITCHIE-DODDRIDGE-CLAY-BRAXTON-GILMER-
LEWIS-HARRISON-TAYLOR-FAYETTE-NICHOLAS-WEBSTER-UPSHUR-BARBOUR-
POCAHONTAS-RANDOLPH-
926 AM EDT SAT APR 25 2015

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 25, 7:38 PM EST, 1 hour 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
838 PM EDT SAT APR 25 2015

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

0834 PM     HAIL             2 N DARWIN              37.13N  82.49W
04/25/2015  E0.25 INCH       DICKENSON          VA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SPOTTER REPORTING PEA SIZED HAIL

&&

EVENT NUMBER RLX1501301

DTC

Local storm report, Apr 25, 7:39 PM EST, 1 hour 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
839 PM EDT SAT APR 25 2015

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

0825 PM     HAIL             SETH                    38.11N  81.62W
04/25/2015  M0.38 INCH       BOONE              WV   COCORAHS

            HAIL LASTED APPROX 3 MINUTES

&&

EVENT NUMBER RLX1501302

DTC

Special weather statement, Apr 25, 7:41 PM EST, 1 hour 4 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
841 PM EDT SAT APR 25 2015

WVZ033-260115-
MCDOWELL WV-
841 PM EDT SAT APR 25 2015

...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR SOUTHEASTERN MCDOWELL COUNTY UNTIL
915 PM EDT...

AT 838 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 4 MILES SOUTH OF
WELCH...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND HAIL UP TO NICKEL SIZE ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR ANAWALT AROUND 850 PM AND MAYBEURY AROUND 855
PM.

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 3727 8163 3743 8163 3742 8131 3732 8136
      3730 8140 3728 8140 3727 8145 3724 8148
      3725 8150 3724 8150 3721 8155

26

Local storm report, Apr 25, 7:52 PM EST, 53 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
852 PM EDT SAT APR 25 2015

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

0830 PM     HAIL             2 SSW CLINTWOOD         37.12N  82.47W
04/25/2015  E1.00 INCH       DICKENSON          VA   PUBLIC

            QUARTER SIZED HAIL REPORTED NEAR CLINTWOOD

&&

EVENT NUMBER RLX1501303

DTC

Special weather statement, Apr 25, 7:58 PM EST, 47 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
858 PM EDT SAT APR 25 2015

VAZ004-WVZ024-033-034-260145-
BUCHANAN VA-MCDOWELL WV-MINGO WV-WYOMING WV-
858 PM EDT SAT APR 25 2015

...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR WESTERN WYOMING...NORTHWESTERN
MCDOWELL...SOUTHEASTERN MINGO AND NORTHERN BUCHANAN COUNTIES UNTIL
945 PM EDT...

AT 857 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 16 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF WILLIAMSON...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND HAIL UP TO NICKEL SIZE ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR PANTHER AROUND 910 PM...IAEGER AROUND 915
PM...HANOVER AROUND 920 PM AND BAILEYSVILLE AROUND 925 PM.

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 3746 8208 3753 8199 3753 8205 3755 8208
      3755 8213 3757 8215 3759 8213 3759 8216
      3760 8216 3766 8165 3739 8165

26

Local storm report, Apr 25, 8:45 PM EST, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
945 PM EDT SAT APR 25 2015

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

0945 PM     HAIL             HANOVER                 37.58N  81.79W
04/25/2015  E0.70 INCH       WYOMING            WV   PUBLIC

            DIME SIZED HAIL COVERING THE GROUND

&&

EVENT NUMBER RLX1501304

DTC

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Wyoming

When: April 25, 8:45 PM EST
Where: Wyoming County, Jesse
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 37.670, -81.580

Hail, Wyoming

When: April 25, 8:55 PM EST
Where: Wyoming County, Rockview
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 37.620, -81.550

Hail, Raleigh

When: April 25, 9:25 PM EST
Where: Raleigh County, Coal City
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 37.680, -81.220

Hail, Raleigh

When: April 25, 9:35 PM EST
Where: Raleigh County, Shady Spg
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 37.700, -81.100

What these are

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

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in West Virginia in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in West Virginia, April 2015

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: 562826, 562827, 562856, 562828.