West Virginia, 2018

Strong Wind in West Virginia, November 6, 2018

November 6, 2018 · NWS RLX · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

A cold front crossed the middle Ohio River Valley and central Appalachians early on the the 6th. There was little to no lightning, but a line of showers just ahead of the front contained some strong wind gusts.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$50,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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 cold front crossed the middle Ohio River Valley and central Appalachians early on the the 6th. There was little to no lightning, but a line of showers just ahead of the front contained some strong wind gusts. The strongest winds occurred in a bowing shower segment that crossed from Wayne and Cabell Counties into Lincoln, Putnam and Kanawha Counties before fading out. This blew down trees and caused nearly 10,000 power outages across the southwestern part of the state. The 6th was Election Day, and generators had to be placed at some polling stations to run the voting equipment before power was restored. Yeager Airport measured the highest wind gust, 48 mph, with many other measurements topping out in the 35-45 mph range.

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 Nov 6, 1:30 AM EST, 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 6, 1:30 AM EST, 30 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 5, 4:06 AM EST, 21 hours 54 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Nov 6, 1:14 AM EST, 46 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Nov 6, 1:41 AM EST, 19 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Nov 6, 1:50 AM EST, 10 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Cabell

When
November 6, 2:00 AM EST to 4:00 AM EST
Where
Cabell forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
38.420, -82.242 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Wayne

When
November 6, 2:00 AM EST to 4:00 AM EST
Where
Wayne forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
38.146, -82.427 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Lincoln

When
November 6, 2:00 AM EST to 4:00 AM EST
Where
Lincoln forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
38.175, -82.070 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Putnam

When
November 6, 2:00 AM EST to 4:00 AM EST
Where
Putnam forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
38.509, -81.909 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Kanawha

When
November 6, 2:00 AM EST to 4:00 AM EST
Where
Kanawha forecast zone
Measured
42 kt (48 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
38.337, -81.528 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Strong Wind
Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in West Virginia in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, November 2018

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 783903, 783905, 783906, 783907, 783908.