Following a prolonged cold stretch to end December and begin January, many rivers and streams across the middle Ohio River Valley became ice covered. January 10-12 saw temperatures surge into the 50s and 60s, along with over 2 inches of rain.
Every event with a place to put it. 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.
Following a prolonged cold stretch to end December and begin January, many rivers and streams across the middle Ohio River Valley became ice covered. January 10-12 saw temperatures surge into the 50s and 60s, along with over 2 inches of rain. This caused river ice to start breaking up and flowing. An ice jam occurred on the Muskingum River near Stockport on the 14th, which caused localized flooding along the river between McConnelsville and Stockport. Several roads were closed, and water rose around several homes.
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 Jan 14, 9:39 AM EST, 3 hours 21 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Charleston WV 939 AM EST Sun Jan 14 2018 .SYNOPSIS... High pressure today exits tonight. Low pressure drags a cold front across Monday night, followed by arctic air for mid week. Moderating temperatures for the end of the week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 930 AM Sunday... Winds have slackened across the high terrain this morning, so the wind chill advisory has been let go a little early. It cleared out in time for temps to dip below zero at dawn this morning across much of southeast Ohio. Some unofficial personal weather stations dipped into the -10 to -12 degree range across Perry County. Pesky stratus still holding on across southern WV and sw VA this morning, essentially moving with the low level flow which is now out of the northeast. Flurries continue to be reported out of these clouds from time to time and have lingered flurry mention a few more hours there. These clouds should finally breakup by early afternoon, as the the low level flow backs more easterly and eventually southeasterly. It will remain cold today with highs running about 15 degrees below normal. As of 455 AM Sunday... Much quieter weather in the near term period. Still lingering stratus across the area in northerly flow, with -sn continuing to fall. Still thinking this should generally dissipate by mid morning. Due to the cloud cover in place, overnight low temperatures are having a hard time falling as quickly as previously forecast. In areas that have cleared, such as just north of the CWA, temperatures are already below zero. Did not change inherited low temperatures for this morning, but if sky cover continues to hold, forecast lows may not quite be realized in many spots. Otherwise, gradual clearing today, with warmer temperatures with ample sunshine expected. Most locations should top out in the lower to upper 20s. Tonight, clouds will gradually increase from the west out ahead of the next approaching shortwave, which will spread -sn back into SE Ohio zones towards the end of the near term period. && .SHORT TERM /MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... As of 455 AM Sunday... An upper level low pivots through the midwest and Great Lakes states this period. A lead short wave trough rotating around it, and associated low pressure system tracking north of the area, could push light snow into the middle Ohio Valley on Monday. As the lead short wave trough lifts out, a second, positively tilted elongated short wave trough approaches Monday night through Tuesday night, as it becomes oriented parallel to and northwest of the cold front associated with the surface low. This will create a zone of undercutting, likely resulting in a band of snow sliding southeast across the area Monday night into Tuesday. Model QPF consensus and snow ratios suggest only an inch or two. However, embedded bands of frontogenesis and associated wave development may enhance snowfall Monday night or Tuesday, within a more limited band and time period. This would introduce some bust potential with the forecast snowfall amounts. The precipitation shifts east Tuesday night, even with the upper level trough still approaching. Upslope precipitation is minimized via the lack of coupling of low level moisture and low level upslope flow this time around. Central guidance temperatures looked good, including its depiction of the baroclinic zone moving through the area. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... As of 455 PM Saturday... There may be upslope snow showers in the mountains Wednesday, depending on the low level flow associated with an east coast low, as an upper level trough crosses. Otherwise, Arctic high pressure will rule the frozen roost through Thursday night, before giving way to a southerly flow of milder air for Friday and the weekend. A strong southern stream system approaches Sunday, with surface low pressure destined to track toward the Great Lakes states. Central guidance temperatures looked good, other than to lower in the valleys a bit beneath arctic high pressure Thursday and Friday mornings. && .AVIATION /15Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 555 AM Sunday... 12Z Sunday through 12Z Monday... Still have some MVFR stratus hanging around, mainly across West Virginia and southwest VA, with occasional -SN. This should gradually dissipate after 14Z, with VFR conditions expected area wide with light surface winds. Clouds will increase from the west towards the end of the TAF period out ahead of the next weather system, but should remain VFR. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 12Z MONDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: High. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Timing of breakup of MVFR cloud deck 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 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 EST 1HRLY 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 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 M H H H H H H H M EKN CONSISTENCY M M M M H H H H H H H M PKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H M CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H M AFTER 12Z MONDAY... IFR possible in snow Monday into Wednesday. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...None. OH...None. KY...None. VA...None. && SYNOPSIS...TRM/SL NEAR TERM...SL/30 SHORT TERM...TRM LONG TERM...TRM AVIATION...SL
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Charleston WV 932 AM EST Sun Jan 14 2018 KYZ101>103-OHZ066-067-075-076-083>087-WVZ007>011-016>020-027>032-039- 040-515>526-151445- Greenup-Carter-Boyd-Perry-Morgan-Athens-Washington-Jackson OH-Vinton- Meigs-Gallia-Lawrence OH-Mason-Jackson WV-Wood-Pleasants-Tyler-Roane- Wirt-Calhoun-Ritchie-Doddridge-Clay-Braxton-Gilmer-Lewis-Harrison- Taylor-Upshur-Barbour-Northwest Raleigh-Southeast Raleigh- Northwest Fayette-Southeast Fayette-Northwest Nicholas- Southeast Nicholas-Northwest Webster-Southeast Webster- Northwest Pocahontas-Southeast Pocahontas-Northwest Randolph- Southeast Randolph- 932 AM EST Sun Jan 14 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast Kentucky, southeast Ohio, and portions of central West Virginia, northeast West Virginia, northern West Virginia, southeast West Virginia and western West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. Light snow is likely Monday night and Tuesday. Only an inch or two snow accumulation is expected, but if confidence increases in higher amounts or slick driving conditions, then winter weather advisories may be needed. Wind chill advisories may be needed may be needed Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, and again Wednesday night into Thursday morning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. KYZ105-VAZ003-004-WVZ005-006-013>015-024>026-033-034-151445- Lawrence KY-Dickenson-Buchanan-Wayne-Cabell-Lincoln-Putnam-Kanawha- Mingo-Logan-Boone-McDowell-Wyoming- 932 AM EST Sun Jan 14 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, and portions of southern West Virginia and western West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. Light snow is likely Monday night and Tuesday. Only an inch or two snow accumulation is expected, but if confidence increases in higher amounts or slick driving conditions, then winter weather advisories may be needed. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
County Road 2 had high water in spots. Water also backed up into the Hanwood and Cottonwood Drive areas, where several homes were impacted.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, January 2018
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: 727279.