Hail and Damaging Winds in West Virginia, May 11, 2015

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in West Virginia, May 11, 2015
Start: 2015-05-11T16:35
End: 2015-05-11T18:35
Location: West Virginia

May 11, 2015 · NWS RLX · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

Well in advance of a surface cold front, afternoon heating had temperatures in the mid 80s to around 90 in the lowlands. Dew points were in the mid 60s.

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: $14,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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.

Well in advance of a surface cold front, afternoon heating had temperatures in the mid 80s to around 90 in the lowlands. Dew points were in the mid 60s. Clusters of thunderstorms formed and moved into western West Virginia during the late afternoon and early evening.

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 May 11, 2:11 PM EST, 2 hours 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 11, 2:11 PM EST, 2 hours 24 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
311 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015

.SYNOPSIS...
THE UNSEASONABLY WARM WEATHER CONTINUES TODAY. A COLD FRONT CROSSES
EARLY TUESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE BRINGS NEAR TO JUST BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES
FOR MID WEEK. ANOTHER SYSTEM FOR FRIDAY INTO THE WEEKEND.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/...
MODELS PUSH A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT...PRECEDED BY A
PREFRONTAL SURFACE TROUGH. THIS SURFACE TROUGH WILL BE THE MAIN
FOCUS FOR ORGANIZED CONVECTION WITH THIS SYSTEM...NOT MUCH
CONVECTION WITH THE FRONT ITSELF AS MUCH OF THE MOISTURE WILL BE
SWEPT OUT AHEAD OF IT. EVEN THOUGH MOST OF THE DYNAMICS WILL LIFT
NORTH AND WEST OF THE AREA...THERE WILL BE ENOUGH INSTABILITY AND
SHEAR FOR A FEW OF THE STORMS TO BE SEVERE IN THE WESTERN PORTION OF
THE AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE
SURFACE TROUGH. BEST POPS WILL BE IN THE NORTH AND WEST. ANY
SEVERITY WILL DECREASE THIS EVENING WITH LOSS OF HEATING. THE FRONT
ITSELF WILL BE ACROSS THE OHIO RIVER AROUND MIDNIGHT AND EAST OF THE
MOUNTAINS BEFORE DAWN TUESDAY. THUS...WILL END THE POPS BY 12Z
TUESDAY. GOOD COLD ADVECTION BEHIND THE FRONT WILL KEEP CLOUDS INTO
TUESDAY MORNING...BUT WILL BREAK UP FROM WEST TO EAST TO ALLOW
SUNSHINE MOST AREAS BY EARLY AFTERNOON. TEMPS WILL BE MUCH COOLER
WITH READINGS GETTING BACK TO NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL.

&&

.SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/...
RATHER QUITE SHORT TERM PERIOD WITH HIGH PRESSURE PASSING TO THE
NORTH...AND AN UPPER RIDGE APPROACHING FROM THE WEST. EXPECT
TEMPERATURES AT TO JUST BELOW NORMAL TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH
WEDNESDAY NIGHT...AND THEN WARMING UP AGAIN ON THURSDAY. CURRENT
GUIDANCE KEEPS US ABOVE FROST LEVELS...BUT MAY NEED TO WATCH FOR THE
POTENTIAL IN THE TYPICALLY COOLER LOW SPOTS. BLENDED IN THE MET FOR
LOWS...AND USED A CONSENSUS BLEND FOR HIGHS.

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...
TRENDED TOWARD WPC GUIDANCE FOR THE LONG TERM...ALTHOUGH DID STAY A
BIT HIGHER ON POPS FOR THE WEEKEND. WHILE DETAILS ARE SOMEWHAT MUDDY
IN THE MODELS...BOTH GFS AND ECMWF SHOW A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WITH
PRECIP FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. OVERALL PATTERN APPEARS TO BE A
DIRTY UPPER LEVEL RIDGE...WITH A SLOWLY MEANDERING OR STATIONARY
SURFACE BOUNDARY IN THE VICINITY.

&&

.AVIATION /19Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
18Z MONDAY THRU 18Z TUESDAY...
A PREFRONTAL SURFACE TROUGH WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE AREA LATER
THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...FOLLOWED BY A COLD FRONT. WHILE EXACT
TIMING IS DIFFICULT AS THE FEATURES LOSE DEFINITION...BOTH FEATURES
WILL BE EAST OF THE AREA PRIOR TO 12Z TUESDAY. OTHER THAN A THIN
BAND OF SHOWERS AND STORMS ALONG THE PREFRONTAL SURFACE
TROUGH...MAINLY WIDELY SCATTERED TO SCATTERED CONVECTION WILL BE THE
RULE AHEAD OF THESE FEATURES...EXCEPT MORE NUMEROUS IN THE HIGHER
MOUNTAIN ELEVATIONS DURING MAX AFTERNOON HEATING. BUT STILL NOT
CONFIDENT TO GO PREVAILING THUNDER IN EKN AND BKW THIS AFTERNOON.

BEHIND THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY OVERNIGHT...MVFR CEILINGS WILL
OVERSPREAD THE AREA FROM WEST TO EAST. THESE WILL THEN BREAK UP
FROM WEST TO EAST TUESDAY MORNING AS DRIER AIR FILTERS IN.
HOWEVER...WINDS WILL BECOME GUSTY TO OVER 20 MPH FROM THE WEST BY
TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

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

FORECAST CONFIDENCE: MEDIUM.

ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: TIMING OF ANY ORGANIZED CONVECTION MAY VARY BY
2-3 HOURS...ALONG WITH ONSET OF MVFR CEILINGS TONIGHT BEHIND 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.

UTC 1HRLY       20   21   22   23   00   01   02   03   04   05   06   07
EDT 1HRLY       16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   00   01   02   03
CRW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    M    M    H    H    H    H
HTS CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    M    M    H    H    H    H    H
BKW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M    M    M    H
EKN CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M    M    M    M
PKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    M    M    M    H    H    H    H
CKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M    M    M    M    H

AFTER 18Z TUESDAY...
WIDESPREAD IFR CONDITIONS NOT EXPECTED.

&&

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

&&

SYNOPSIS...JMV/MZ
NEAR TERM...JMV
SHORT TERM...MZ
LONG TERM...MZ
AVIATION...JMV

Hazardous weather outlook, May 11, 1:34 PM EST, 3 hours 1 minute before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
234 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015

KYZ101>103-105-OHZ066-067-075-076-083>087-WVZ005>009-013-014-017-
121845-
GREENUP-CARTER-BOYD-LAWRENCE KY-PERRY-MORGAN-ATHENS-WASHINGTON-
JACKSON OH-VINTON-MEIGS-GALLIA-LAWRENCE OH-WAYNE-CABELL-MASON-
JACKSON WV-WOOD-LINCOLN-PUTNAM-WIRT-
234 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 165 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

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.

VAZ003-004-WVZ010-011-015-016-018>020-024>040-046-047-121845-
DICKENSON-BUCHANAN-PLEASANTS-TYLER-KANAWHA-ROANE-CALHOUN-RITCHIE-
DODDRIDGE-MINGO-LOGAN-BOONE-CLAY-BRAXTON-GILMER-LEWIS-HARRISON-
TAYLOR-MCDOWELL-WYOMING-RALEIGH-FAYETTE-NICHOLAS-WEBSTER-UPSHUR-
BARBOUR-POCAHONTAS-RANDOLPH-
234 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...CENTRAL
WEST VIRGINIA...NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA AND SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

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

Special weather statement, May 11, 2:14 PM EST, 2 hours 21 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
314 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015

WVZ013-024>026-112015-
BOONE WV-LINCOLN WV-LOGAN WV-MINGO WV-
314 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015

...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR CENTRAL BOONE...SOUTHWESTERN
LINCOLN...NORTHWESTERN LOGAN AND NORTHWESTERN MINGO COUNTIES UNTIL
415 PM EDT...

AT 309 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 12 MILES EAST OF
INEZ...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AND HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR DINGESS AROUND 320 PM...HARTS AROUND 325
PM...CHAPMANVILLE AROUND 330 PM...TURTLE CREEK AROUND 345 PM...
MADISON AROUND 350 PM AND FOSTER AROUND 355 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 3797 8227 3800 8224 3817 8179 3808 8169
      3796 8169 3783 8234 3790 8237

17

Special weather statement, May 11, 3:26 PM EST, 1 hour 9 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
426 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015

WVZ015-026-112100-
BOONE WV-KANAWHA WV-
426 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015

...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR NORTHERN BOONE AND SOUTHERN KANAWHA
COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM EDT...

AT 425 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 6 MILES SOUTH OF
MADISON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AND HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR MADISON AROUND 435 PM...PRENTER AROUND 445
PM...SETH AROUND 455 PM AND CHESAPEAKE AROUND 500 PM.

THIS WILL IMPACT THE FOLLOWING INTERSTATE...THE WEST VIRGINIA
TURNPIKE BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 85 AND 90.

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 3795 8182 3795 8186 3795 8188 3799 8191
      3827 8157 3808 8140 3794 8180

17

Local storm report, May 11, 3:45 PM EST, 50 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
445 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015

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

0444 PM     HAIL             1 SSE FAIRPLAIN         38.74N  81.69W
05/11/2015  M0.70 INCH       JACKSON            WV   NWS EMPLOYEE

&&

EVENT NUMBER RLX1501315

MAC

Special weather statement, May 11, 3:48 PM EST, 47 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
448 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015

WVZ008-016>019-112130-
CALHOUN WV-JACKSON WV-RITCHIE WV-ROANE WV-WIRT WV-
448 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015

...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR SOUTHWESTERN RITCHIE...NORTHWESTERN
ROANE...WIRT...NORTHWESTERN CALHOUN AND EASTERN JACKSON COUNTIES IN
WEST VIRGINIA UNTIL 530 PM EDT...

AT 446 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 5 MILES EAST OF
RIPLEY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR LEROY AROUND 500 PM...REEDY AROUND 510 PM...
LUCILLE AROUND 520 PM...PALESTINE AROUND 525 PM AND CHERRY AROUND 530
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 3918 8127 3913 8112 3898 8107 3872 8162
      3880 8169

17

Local storm report, May 11, 4:19 PM EST, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
519 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015

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

0505 PM     TSTM WND DMG     LOUISA                  38.11N  82.60W
05/11/2015                   LAWRENCE           KY   911 CALL CENTER

            MULTIPLE TREES DOWN IN AND JUST TO THE NORTH OF LOUISA.
            EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTED ROOF DAMAGE AS WELL. REPORTS
            OF STREET FLOODING AS WELL.

&&

EVENT NUMBER RLX1501316

MAC

The radar

The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 47 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:33 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Hail, Lincoln

When: May 11, 4:35 PM EST
Where: Lincoln County, Harts
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.030, -82.130

Thunderstorm Wind, Putnam

When: May 11, 4:53 PM EST
Where: Putnam County, 4 mi S of Hurricane
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.372, -82.030

Trees were blown down in forested area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wyoming

When: May 11, 5:55 PM EST
Where: Wyoming County, 0.56 mi WNW of Cyclone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 37.732, -81.690

About a dozen small trees were blown down along Route 10.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When: May 11, 5:55 PM EST
Where: Jackson County, 0.42 mi W of Lockhart
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 38.969, -81.628

Trees fell on telephone and power lines.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wood

When: May 11, 6:15 PM EST
Where: Wood County, Walker
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: 911 Call Center
Coordinates: 39.180, -81.380

Trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wirt

When: May 11, 6:17 PM EST
Where: Wirt County, Elizabeth
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: 911 Call Center
Coordinates: 39.070, -81.400

Trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Braxton

When: May 11, 6:35 PM EST
Where: Braxton County, 0.87 mi NE of Frametown
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 38.639, -80.859

A few trees fell on power lines around Frametown. This caused an electric outage which included the elementary school.

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

Every storm in West Virginia in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in West Virginia, May 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: 565883, 565880, 566114, 566115, 565881, 565882, 566121.