An upper level disturbance and a surface frontal boundary entering the region generated showers and storms over Central Appalachia with a prolonged period of heavy rain.
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The episode as NWS RLX wrote it up.
An upper level disturbance and a surface frontal boundary entering the region generated showers and storms over Central Appalachia with a prolonged period of heavy rain.
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 Aug 17, 7:09 PM EST, 11 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Charleston WV 809 PM EDT Fri Aug 17 2018 .SYNOPSIS... An upper level trough/frontal system keeps the area unsettled through Saturday night. Another strong trough arrives Tuesday with showers and storms...followed by drier and cooler weather. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/... As of 659 PM Friday... Lowered PoPs and coverage of thunder per latest sfc obs, radar images and lightning data. Let PoPs to increase overnight per model consensus. Rest of forecast remains on track. As of 215 PM Friday... As stated earlier, in the midst of a chaotic atmosphere with upper trough tracking across the southern Great Lakes. The southwest flow aloft will steer multiple impulses into the CWA, so all counties can expect some activity at some point through the entire near term period. The cloud cover has kept a lot, but not all, of the thunder potential at bay today, but there are some small pockets of clearing which could change this trend heading into the later afternoon and evening hours. The lack of overall coverage has been a positive thing in terms of water issues, but the Tri State area got a couple of heavier bursts earlier this morning, as did portions of the Tug Fork Valley. Otherwise, in decent shape for now from a hydro aspect. The upper trough axis and associated frontal system drops southward Saturday. This will be a slow endeavor, and it will lead to a prolonged period of higher POPs. As the front pushes through, this will not be much of an airmass changer overall, with only the Ohio counties in far eastern Ohio seeing any sensible dewpoint drops. Clouds keep temperatures in check Saturday. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... As of 310 PM Friday... Upper level trough axis will be crossing the forecast area Saturday night with POPs gradually tapering off from west to east as drier air moves in. The associated surface front looks to get hung up somewhere just to our south, so we never fully scour out the low level moisture. With this in mind, have some POPs lingering Sunday, mainly across the mountains and southern coal fields. Any of these should fade out Sunday evening, with surface high pressure and rising 500mb heights. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... As of 310 PM Friday... A surface low pressure system will move out of the Plains and into the Great Lakes Monday into Tuesday. This should drive a warm front through Monday with a cold front Tuesday into Tuesday night. Each of these features will bring potential for showers and storms...with the highest POPs Tuesday/Tuesday night near the cold front. An upper level trough follows on the heals of the cold front, and should provide enough energy to keep at least slight chance to chance showers and storms Wednesday. Noticeably drier and cooler air is expected to move in Thursday into Friday. && .AVIATION /00Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... As of 755 PM Friday... Models suggest periods of showers and storms through the period. Suspect that lightning will diminish in density this evening, leaving occasional showers through 12Z Saturday. Radar imagery shows isolated showers and thunderstorms across our CWA. Expect some of these showers/storms to affect CRW with brief periods of IFR conditions through at least 03Z. A tricky forecast for the rest of terminal, so went with VCTS at most sites overnight. Abundant cloudiness could prevent radiational cooling and associated dense fog formation. However, models suggest MVFR/IFR ceilings are possible over most sites. Some periods of post rainfall fog will affect those areas that clear. Abundant moisture, as seen in PWATs around 2 inches and dewpoints around 70 degrees, suggest additional convection is possible overnight. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Low. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Stratus/fog tonight could vary from forecast. Timing of convection may need AMD/TEMPO. 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 SAT 08/18/18 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 H H H H H M M M H H L L HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H M M M BKW CONSISTENCY H H H M H H H H H L H H EKN CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H M M H H H PKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H L M M M L CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H M H H H AFTER 00Z SUNDAY... IFR possible in showers and thunderstorms at times Saturday, along with nocturnal and early morning post rain fog Sunday morning. IFR in fog possible again overnight Sunday night into Monday morning. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...None. OH...None. KY...None. VA...None. && SYNOPSIS...26/MZ NEAR TERM...26/ARJ SHORT TERM...MZ LONG TERM...MZ AVIATION...ARJ
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Charleston WV 257 AM EDT Fri Aug 17 2018 KYZ101>103-105-OHZ066-067-075-076-083>087-VAZ003-004-WVZ005>011- 013>020-024>034-039-040-515>526-180700- 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-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- 257 AM EDT Fri Aug 17 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Kentucky, southeast Ohio, southwest Virginia and much of West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Localized heavy rainfall from repeated showers and thunderstorms over the same location could lead to flash flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. Localized heavy rainfall from repeated showers and thunderstorms over the same location could lead to flash flooding Saturday into Saturday evening. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions by calling the toll-free spotter hotline, or by other methods detailed at www.weather.gov/rlx/reports.
The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 16 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:21 UTC.
5 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Afternoon showers created issues near the entrance to Coonskin Park with high water at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Ruth Street.
Open Fork flooded, causing high water on Route 16 between Dixie and Bentree.
Laurel Creek flooded, with water surrounding some homes in the Lucas area.
High water caused the intersection of Cabin Creek Road and Toms Fork Road to be closed.
Paint Creek rose out of its banks resulting in high water along Paint Creek Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in West Virginia in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, August 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: 774687, 776168, 776169, 774696, 774700.