A warm front lifted north through West Virginia on the 3rd with a half inch to an inch of rain over the central mountain counties. Less rain fell elsewhere.
Every event with a place to put it; 52 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS RLX wrote it up.
A warm front lifted north through West Virginia on the 3rd with a half inch to an inch of rain over the central mountain counties. Less rain fell elsewhere. Late afternoon and evening temperatures rose into the 50s and lower 60s over the lowlands. Winds and dew points also increased. This combination helped accelerate the melting of the leftover snow pack, especially across the western slopes and southern mountain counties including around Oak Hill and Beckley. About 2 to 3 inches of water resided in the 10 to 20 inches of snow that was melting over the West Virginia mountains.
Rains increased again overnight, with 1 to 1.5 inches of rain falling by dawn on the 4th in 2 separate areas. One heavier rain area was in the mid Ohio Valley, closer to the cold front that was sinking slowly southeast. Streams began to flood. One example, was Middle Island Creek. Eventually, the gauge at Little reached over 3 feet above bank full around 0100E on the 5th. The other rain maximum by early on the 4th was over the southern coal fields including the headwaters of the Guyandotte and Tug Fork Rivers. The Guyandotte River at Man even surged above flood stage early in the morning on the 4th.
Small stream flooding, rock and mud slides were common during the day on the 4th as a steady rain fell. The most common problem was roads closures. Several roads were undermined by runoff channels or adjacent swollen streams. Culverts under roads were damaged. Damage to structures was limited. Rain rates were mostly 1 to 2 tenths of an inch per hour. Total rainfall of 1.5 to 2 inches became common by that evening. Other headwater rivers began to reach their flood stage. The Tygart Valley at Belington went into flood around 1200E, with Philippi around 1600E. Williamson on the Tug Fork, and the Buckhannon River at Buckhannon exceeded their flood stages during the early evening on the 4th.
As the rivers continued to rise, the rain changed to sleet and wet snow from northwest to southeast during the evening hours. Heavy wet snow quickly accumulated along the Ohio River counties during the late evening on the 4th and into the morning hours of Thursday the 5th. The transition to all snow was slower from the Interstate 79 and Route 119 corridor on east into the mountain counties. The snow diminished during the afternoon of the 5th over the Ohio River counties, then by evening further east. A few snow showers lingered in the evening.
A total snow accumulation of 10 to 13 inches was common from northern Wayne County on up the Ohio Valley Counties to Wood, Pleasants, and Tyler Counties. For example, the snowfall at Huntington was 12.8 inches with a measured accumulation of 1 foot. Spencer had a 11 inch accumulation. Reliable spotters near Fairplain of Jackson County also measured 11 inches. Belleville Lock and Dam measured 10 inches.
Snow accumulations dropped off into the 6 to 8 inch range from Clarksburg to Charleston into the mountains. The least amount of snow accumulation was on the order of 3 to 6 inches over the southern coal field counties of Wyoming and McDowell and into the southern mountains around Beckley.
After transitioning from rain to snow, the wet snow accumulated on trees, especially evergreen trees. Prolonged power outages were common in the Ohio Valley Counties. A few areas waited 48 to 60 hours for their electricity to be restored. Counties set up warming shelters for their affected residents. Further east, the counties with less snow had much fewer problems concerning electrical outages.
Meanwhile, during the snow storm on the 5th, the rivers continued to flood. The Little Kanawha River had minor flooding when Glenville crested around 24.5 feet near dawn on the 5th. Also early on the 5th, while the snow was falling, the Tygart Valley and Buckhannon Rivers were both cresting over flood stage. The crest was 22.65 feet at Philippi and around 17.1 feet at Belington. At Buckhannon in Upshur County the crest was just under 26 feet. This was the highest water level in 15 years there.
The Tug Fork River crested just under 40 feet at Williamson midday on the 5th. This was the 9th highest crest on record at Williamson. The city water plant was flooded. However, a flood wall protects most of the town. Further down the river, the estimated crest was 45.2 feet at Kermit, more than 6 feet over the 38 foot flood stage. This crest was the highest level at Kermit since the flood back in February of 2003. The Guyandotte crested around 34.6 feet at Branchland during the evening of the 5th. Flood stage is 30 feet. This Lincoln County crest was also the highest since the flood back February of 2003. The crest on the Big Coal River at Ashford was 23.6 feet on the 5th. Bank full is around 17 feet. The Coal River crested at 28.45 feet late in the afternoon on the 5th in the community of Tornado. These water levels were the highest on the lower Coal River in nearly 8 years. The Lincoln County water plant was damaged along the Big Coal River.
Even rivers that did not reach flood stage were high enough to cause minor backwater flooding. One example was the Kanawha River at Charleston. It crested around 27.6 feet during the late afternoon on the 5th.
Eventually, even the Ohio River had minor flooding from Point Pleasant on down thru Huntington, Ceredo, and Kenova. Point Pleasant crested near 44.5 feet around 1330E on the 6th. The crest at Huntington was about 1.5 feet above flood stage around 0015E on Saturday the 7th.
To dampen the crest further down the Ohio River, the Corps of Engineers held back water at their projects on the Guyandotte River and Twelvepole Creek. As a result, the stored water rose the lake elevation about 102 feet in the vertical at R.D. Bailey Lake on the Guyandotte River. This set a new record pool elevation there.
Mud and rock slides continued during the snow storm. In Mingo County, 1 slide near Gilbert pushed a house off its foundation, and jolted a woman out of her bed. Another slide near Nolan in Splint Hollow damaged at least 3 mobile homes.
One final element was seen in this episode. After the storm, clearing resulted in a cold morning on the 6th for so late in the season. Temperatures on either side of zero were common. Elkins reached 10 below zero. Middlebourne was 6 below zero. West Union was 5 below zero. Parkersburg and Spencer observed 3 below zero. The cooperative observer in downtown Clarksburg was also 3 below zero. Temperatures were not as cold over the extreme southern coal field counties.
Governor Tomblin declared a state of emergency during this minor flood to heavy snow episode. Initially, 25 counties in this portion of West Virginia were declared a federal disaster for public assistance by President Obama. This was for the combination of winter storms, flooding and landslides. Nearly 90 percent of the preliminary damage assessment was attributed to road and bridge damage. A few more counties were added to the disaster at a later date. See FEMA disaster 4210 for more information.
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 Mar 4, 4:42 AM EST, 1 hour 28 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
442 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015
.SYNOPSIS...
COLD FRONT TONIGHT. FRONT STALLS TO THE SOUTH WITH LOW PRESSURE
MOVING ALONG THE FRONT TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. HIGH PRESSURE FRIDAY.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
COLD FRONT AS OF 06Z HAS CROSSED CRW AND EKN AND SAGGING SE.
NARROW BAND OF HIGH REFLECTIVITIES AS WELL AS WSR-88D VELOCITY
IMAGE DEPICTS FRONT VERY NICELY ON ITS TREK. NOT LOOKING AT A
SIGNIFICANT DROP BEHIND THE FRONT...BUT MORE OF A SLOW DECLINE.
NEEDLESS TO SAY...THE 60S ARE GONE.
STILL LOOKING AT SE OH FOR FIRST CONCERN FOR WATER ISSUES IN
CREEKS AND STREAMS THRU MORNING. THIS CONCERN EXPANDS INTO
REMAINDER OF THE AREA TODAY AS STRONG FRONTOGENETIC FORCING ACTING
ON A MOIST FETCH SLOPED BEHIND THE SFC COLD FRONT AMID A STOUT
UPPER LEVEL JET...WILL ALLOW FOR PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN INTO THE
AFTERNOON HRS. WORRIED ABOUT SNOWPACK RELEASE IN THE MOUNTAINS
INTO THE MORNING HOURS WITH HIGH DEWPOINTS AND A STIFF WIND THRU
MUCH OF TUESDAY.
TREND IN THE MODELS...PARTICULARLY THE NAM IS FOR SLIGHTLY COLDER
AIR ALOFT TONIGHT ACROSS THE LOWLANDS. THIS WOULD LIMIT THE
SIGNIFICANT SLEET ACCUMULATIONS AND CONFINE THEM MORE ACROSS SE
WV AS THE NEXT WAVE THROWS SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE IN THE COLD
SECTOR. THIS WOULD SUPPORT HIGHER SNOWFALL AMOUNTS IN THE
LOWLANDS BUT STILL NOT TO THE EXTENT THAT MODELS ARE SUGGESTING
GIVEN HEAVY RAIN PRECEDING IT. THERE IS ALSO A FZRA CONCERN IN THE
MOUNTAINS LATE TONIGHT AND IN PARTICULAR OUR SW VA COUNTIES WHERE
ONE TO TWO TENTHS OF ICE ACCRETION IS POSSIBLY BY 12Z THURSDAY.
AS FOR TIMING OF CHANGEOVER ACROSS THE AREA...NOT MUCH IN THE WAY
OF CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS FORECAST. STILL LOOKING AT THIS AFTERNOON
ACROSS SE OH IN THE FORM OF A TRANSITION FROM RAIN TO SLEET TO
SNOW. THIS THINKING PROGRESSES SE INTO THE EVENING HRS WITH NE KY
AND WV LOWLANDS TRANSITIONING IN THIS EVENING AND INTO THE
MOUNTAINS AROUND MIDNIGHT. AGAIN...THE WARMER AIR ALOFT WILL TRY
TO HANG ON ACROSS SW VA AND SE WV...MEANING MORE IN THE WAY OF
SLEET AND FZRA.
CONCERNING RAIN TOTALS...LIQUID QPF LOOKS TO BE A BIT LESS THAN
HAS BEEN EXPECTED. GENERALLY LOOKING AT 1 TO 1.5 INCHES OF RAIN
BEFORE THE CHANGEOVER WITH LOLLIPOPS OF 2 INCHES POSSIBLE. THAT
WILL STILL CAUSE SOME PROBLEMS...ESPECIALLY IN THE MOUNTAINS.
AS FOR HEADLINES...WILL BE EXPANDING WINTER STORM WARNING TO COVER
REMAINDER OF THE N WV LOWLANDS AND N MOUNTAINS. STILL DEBATING ON
HOW TO HANDLE THE COAL FIELDS INTO SE WV AND SW VA GIVEN MORE IN
THE WAY OF SLEET AND ICE.
&&
.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/...
MODELS ARE A BIT SLOWER WITH THE SYSTEM PULLING OUT ON THURSDAY...SO
WILL LINGER HIGHER POPS A BIT LONGER. ALTHOUGH STILL SOME
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE MODELS IN PRECIPITATION TYPE CHANGE OVER
TIMES...FEEL THAT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WILL SUPPORT WARNING CRITERIA
ANOTHER TIER OF COUNTIES SOUTHWARD...SO WILL UPGRADE. FROM MCDOWELL
AND WYOMING COUNTIES INTO SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...THINK THE CHANGE OVER
WILL OCCUR TO LATE FOR WARNING CRITERIA...SO WILL GO WITH AN
ADVISORY FOR THESE COUNTIES.
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN THURSDAY NIGHT...ALLOWING FOR SOME DECENT
LATE NIGHT RADIATION. WITH SNOW EXPECTED TO BE ON THE GROUND...WILL
GO BELOW MOS GUIDANCE NUMBERS FOR LOWS..
&&
.LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
HIGH PRESSURE IN PLACE TO START THE LONG TERM PERIOD...GRADUALLY
BEING SQUASHED TO THE SOUTH AS AN UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH DROPS
THROUGH THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES SUNDAY. MODELS STRUGGLING SOME WITH
THIS FEATURE...BOTH IN SPEED AND JUST HOW FAR SOUTH PRECIPITATION
WITH THIS WILL MAKE IT. HAVE ANOTHER 500MB SHORTWAVE TROUGH
FOLLOWING THE FIRST AROUND MONDAY. 00Z ECMWF TRIES TO KEEP THESE TO
FEATURES SEPARATE...WHILE GFS DOES NOT HAVE MUCH OF A BREAK BETWEEN
THEM. ENDED UP WITH A NEAR 50/50 BLEND OF GFS/ECMWF THROUGH THE LONG
TERM FOR POPS. GENERALLY STUCK CLOSE TO WPC FOR TEMPS/WINDS.
&&
.AVIATION /10Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH SE WV BY 12Z. EXPECT A PROLONG PERIOD OF
IFR CONDITIONS ALONG THIS LINE AS MODELS SUGGEST IT WILL BECOME
NEARLY STATIONARY.
HEAVY RAIN COULD FALL ALONG THE BAROCLINIC ZONE ALOFT BEHIND THE
SURFACE FRONT...SENDING AVIATION CONDITIONS INTO IFR OR WORSE INTO
LATE WEDNESDAY. RAIN WILL TRANSITION INTO A MIX AND THEN SNOW FROM
WEST TO EAST WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON INTO THURSDAY WITH IFR CONDITIONS.
STRONG SW LLJ OF AROUND 50 KTS WILL WANE THRU MORNING AND FLOW
VEERING TO W DIRECTION WHILE SURFACE FLOW WILL GENERALLY BE OUT OF
THE NW AND LIGHT ON THE ORDER OF 5 TO 10 KTS.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY...
FORECAST CONFIDENCE: MEDIUM.
ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: LOWERING OF FLIGHT CATEGORIES TO MVFR/IFR WILL
VARY.
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 WED 03/04/15
UTC 1HRLY 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
EST 1HRLY 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14
CRW CONSISTENCY L L L L L L L L L M M M
HTS CONSISTENCY L L L L L M M M M M M M
BKW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H L L L
EKN CONSISTENCY L M M M L L L L L L H L
PKB CONSISTENCY L L L L L L L L L H H M
CKB CONSISTENCY L L L L L L L L L L L L
AFTER 12Z THURSDAY...
IFR POSSIBLE IN RAIN WEDNESDAY NIGHT...UNDER RAIN/SLEET OR SNOW.
IFR IN SNOW SHOWERS THURSDAY.
&&
.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR WVZ005>011-013>020-
024>040-046-047.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST
THURSDAY FOR WVZ005>008-013>020-024>032-035>040-046-047.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 PM EST
THURSDAY FOR WVZ009>011.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 7 PM EST
THURSDAY FOR WVZ033-034.
OH...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR OHZ066-067-075-076-
083>087.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 PM EST
THURSDAY FOR OHZ085>087.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 PM EST
THURSDAY FOR OHZ066-067-075-076-083-084.
KY...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR KYZ101>103-105.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST
THURSDAY FOR KYZ105.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 PM EST
THURSDAY FOR KYZ101>103.
VA...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR VAZ003-004.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 7 PM EST
THURSDAY FOR VAZ003-004.
&&
SYNOPSIS...RPY/MZ/30
NEAR TERM...30
SHORT TERM...RPY
LONG TERM...MZ
AVIATION...30HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV 448 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 KYZ105-WVZ005>008-013>020-024>032-035>040-046-047-051000- LAWRENCE KY-WAYNE-CABELL-MASON-JACKSON WV-LINCOLN-PUTNAM-KANAWHA- ROANE-WIRT-CALHOUN-RITCHIE-DODDRIDGE-MINGO-LOGAN-BOONE-CLAY-BRAXTON- GILMER-LEWIS-HARRISON-TAYLOR-RALEIGH-FAYETTE-NICHOLAS-WEBSTER-UPSHUR- BARBOUR-POCAHONTAS-RANDOLPH- 448 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING... ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST KENTUCKY AND MUCH OF WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. WINTER STORM WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. WINTER STORM WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. KYZ101>103-OHZ085>087-WVZ009>011-051000- GREENUP-CARTER-BOYD-MEIGS-GALLIA-LAWRENCE OH-WOOD-PLEASANTS-TYLER- 448 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING... ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 PM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST KENTUCKY...SOUTHEAST OHIO AND NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. WINTER STORM WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. WINTER STORM WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. VAZ003-004-WVZ033-034-051000- DICKENSON-BUCHANAN-MCDOWELL-WYOMING- 448 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING... ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 7 PM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. OHZ066-067-075-076-083-084-051000- PERRY-MORGAN-ATHENS-WASHINGTON-JACKSON OH-VINTON- 448 AM EST WED MAR 4 2015 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING... ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 PM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST OHIO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. WINTER STORM WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. WINTER STORM WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
34 heavy snow, 30 flood, 30 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.
Small streams flooded and closed roads. One example was Worthington Creek.
Small streams overflowed and closed roads. One example, was the headwaters of Middle Island Creek closing Route 18 near West Union. Another location was along Meathouse Fork near New Milton.
Small streams flooded and closed roads. One example was Slab Fork flooding the Auburn Road, which is Route 74.
Several small streams and the headwaters of the Guyandotte River flooded and blocked roads. The Clear Fork got into a few buildings near Oceana and flooded Route 971. The Laurel Fork flooded Route 10 near Matheny. Milam Fork flooded Route 5/1 near McGraws.
Many streams overflowed and blocked roads. Gilbert Creek, Pigeon Creek, and Marrowbone Creek are a few reported. A small rocks slide near Gilbert damaged a home.
The Tug Fork River remained in flood into the 6th in the Kermit reach of the river.
Several streams flooded and closed roads. Longpole Creek was one example. It flooded Route 1/3 near Panther.
Small stream flooding was scattered about the county. One example was Sandlick Creek near Bruno. Even the Guyandotte River downstream of R.D. Bailey Lake rose quickly above bank full during the morning of the 4th and crested near 15.6 feet. A temporary road causeway across the river near Lyburn was washed away by the river. Nearby, Madison Creek flooded roads.
The swollen Guyandotte River, combined with the feeder streams of Mud Lick and Copperas Mine Fork to flood buildings around Mt Gay during the afternoon of the 4th.
| At least 7 apartments had water damage around Mt Gay due to the combined affects of a swollen Guyandotte River and the mouths of 2 creeks.
Several streams and headwater rivers flooded roads. The headwater of the Coal River, including the Clear Fork and the Marsh Fork rose into roads and surrounded a few homes. Water got into basements. Near Beaver, a few homes were evacuated along Tank Branch. Near Crab Orchard, Stover Fork Creek was flowing across Silver Fork Road. Slab Fork damaged roads.
Several roads were closed by flooding small streams, such as Middle Island Creek and Indian Creek.
Roads were blocked by small stream flooding, including near Middle Island Creek.
Small streams flooded roads. One example was Grassy Run over Route 1 or Alice Road. The Little Kanawha River kept roads blocked into the afternoon of the 5th.
The West Fork of Twelvepole Creek and other streams were flooding during the morning of the 4th. Eventually, flooding became restricted to near the major rivers, including the Ohio. Roads were blocked by the high water.
Streams flooded and closed roads. One example, was Little Ten Mile Creek and its feeder streams near Wallace. Racoon Run flooded roads near Flinderation.
Small streams and headwater river overflowed and blocked roads. One example, water surrounded some mobile homes and vehicles in the Coalton area. Leading Creek also flooded roads in spots.
Small streams flooded roads. One example, was Right Reedy Creek along the Garfield Road. The main branch of Reedy Creek also overflowed near Route 14.
Small streams overflowed and blocked roads. One example, was Murphy Creek flooding Limestone Hill near Camden.
Several small streams overflowed onto roads. One example, was Brushy Fork coming off Laurel Mountain in the Valley Furnace vicinity. Route 38 was flooded in this vicinity. Despite the snow storm, roads along the Tygart Valley River remained flooded into the afternoon of the 5th.
Small stream overflowed and blocked roads. Headwater rivers such as the Middle Fork along the county border also flooded roads. The Buckhannon River also crested 2 to 3 feet above flood stage, keeping roads blocked into the afternoon of the 5th.
Streams such as Paint Creek and Dunlloup Creek flooded roads. Water surrounded homes in Pax.
Small stream flooding was scattered about the county on the 4th. One example, was Haines Branch flooding near Interstate 77. Lower Paint Creek caused some flooding near Gallagher.
The flooding became concentrated along the Coal and Kanawha River by the 5th. The Coal River surrounded a few homes and got water into basements. Back water from the Kanawha River surrounded homes near the mouth of Kanawha Two Mile. A few vehicles were left in a vulnerable parking lot and were flooded near the mouth of Davis Creek in South Charleston.
Several small streams overflowed onto roads. The Pond Fork flooded sections of Route 85.
The Big and Little Coal Rivers continued to cause minor flooding into the 5th.
Small streams flooded by early afternoon. One example, was Green Shoals Branch flooding its adjacent road near Harts. In the same vicinity, Big Harts Creek also flooded roads.
The Guyandotte, the Mud, and the Coal Rivers continued to cause flooding of roads through most of the 5th. Several roads and culverts were damaged.
Small streams flooding begin by early afternoon on the 4th. Thirteenmile Creek and Popular Fork flooded roads. Minor flooding continued along the Kanawha and Ohio River into the 6th.
Small stream flooding began in scattered locations about the county by early afternoon on the 4th. One example was Lower Creek flooding roads near Milton. Streams near Salt Rock also spilled onto roads. The minor flooding continued into the 7th since the Mud, the Guyandotte, and the Ohio Rivers were all running high.
Small streams flooded roads. One example was Laurel Creek east of Procious.
Small streams flooded roads.
Several streams flooded roads. Water surrounded buildings in the community of Reedy, where the various forks of Reedy Creek meet. Left Hand Creek flooded near Cotton.
Minor small stream flooding occurred during the afternoon into the evening of the 4th. Back water flooding from the swollen Kanawha River continued through much of the 5th. The main result was road blockages.
Small streams and headwater rivers flooded roads. One example, the upper Gauley River was flooding sections of Route 42.
Small streams overflowed and blocked roads.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in West Virginia in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, March 2015
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: 554538, 554536, 554540, 554644, 554646, 554645, 554653, 554643, 554534, 554535, 554629, 554670, 554537, 554617, 554541, 554548, 554543, 554553, 554639, 554652, 554667, 554669, 554677, 554681, 554638, 554633, 554637, 554673, 554622, 554624, 554441, 554423, 554427, 554435, 554413, 554432, 554410, 554417, 554433, 554437, and more.