A mid level disturbance crossed on the evening of the 26th, driving an area of showers and thunderstorms that produced strong wind gusts.
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.
A mid level disturbance crossed on the evening of the 26th, driving an area of showers and thunderstorms that produced strong wind gusts.
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 26, 6:33 PM EST, 40 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Charleston WV 733 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019 .SYNOPSIS... Severe weather ahead of a cold front this evening. Cold front crosses overnight, for a drier Monday. Front returns north as a warm front Monday night. Hot midweek. Cold front late week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 630 PM Sunday... No significant changes necessary, other than to increase pops across the south per recent radar trends. Frontal boundary just entering northern/southeastern Ohio zones at this time, and will sag south across the area overnight. Several severe reports out of storms this afternoon/evening, mostly hail although reports of downed trees are coming out of SE Ohio from earlier cells. Overall, still expecting bulk of storms to die down later this evening. As of 255 PM Sunday... Severe thunderstorm watch issued for all but for all but far southern portions of the warning area through this evening. Convection was forming early this afternoon in a band along the lower and middle Ohio valleys. Increasing CAPE and DCAPE on ongoing diurnal heating, and increasing bulk shear on the approach of an upper level short wave trough and surface boundary, with mid to upper 60s dew points in place, spell damaging wind and large hail potential right across the county warning area right during the peak heating hours and until sunset this evening. SPC analysis already shows 2500 J/kg CAPE and 0-6 km bulk shear to 40 kts over northern and central portions of the area. 0-6 km bulk shear may be enough for upscale growth for a more widespread severe threat. The shear is progged to move east- southeast through the evening, in an axis parallel to and southeast of the cold front and upper level trough axis. It is progged around 40 kts, lowering a bit as it tracks east- southeast this evening. The storms will die down overnight tonight on loss of heating, along with loss of shear as the system moves through. It now appears enough drier and more stable air will arrive behind the front for a mainly dry day, with areas of morning low cloud and stratus giving way to sunshine. Adjusted temperatures up early on and then back down a bit early as the convection gets going, and then a bit lower overall on temperatures and dew points overnight tonight and Monday. && .SHORT TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... As of 315 PM Sunday... Weak high pressure over Appalachia and the southern Great Lakes slides to the east Monday night with a strong warming trend to follow. Further west, a trough ejects from the Rockies spurring cyclogenesis in the upper Plains. Forcing focuses along a warm front extending from the low pressure system eastward to the Upper Ohio Valley, beneath nearly zonal flow aloft, and with plenty of elevated instability to work with. A chance of showers and storms exists over our area with this feature as a result, but we'd be relying on jet dynamics from a 130+ kt 300mb jet stream over New England to provide additional forcing this far removed from the parent low. Alternatively, some models suggest a tight shortwave trough advecting through otherwise zonal to WNW flow overnight into early Tuesday, which would likely develop an MCS, which could impact our area come Tuesday morning. Being a mesoscale feature on day 2, low confidence exists in this feature occurring, and have stuck with general chance risk across the northern half of the area, slightly higher in the mountains to coincide with the front and upslope enhancement. Tuesday, the region sits squarely in the warm sector of the developing Plains pressure system. The result is continued warm, moist advection into the area leading to 850mb temps near 20C which translates to surface high temperatures near 90 in the lowlands and well into the 80's elsewhere (mid-70's for highest peaks). Wednesday is a near repeat. Well mixed boundary layers during both days will lead to breezy conditions with gusts in the teens to near 20 kts. The warm, moist, unstable airmass suggests plenty of convective potential. However mesoscale forcing will likely drive isolated to scattered convection both Tuesday and Wednesday, and cannot be predicted with skill at this juncture. Elevated heating/Appalachian spine convergence is expected to generate scattered showers and storms across the north/central WV mountains, drifting ENEward as they grow upward. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... As of 330 PM Sunday... Long-range models suggest a gradual shift in the synoptic pattern late this week, hopefully offering a reprieve from recent heat and humidity. Heights begin to lower as broad central CONUS troughing impinges on a weakening Gulf of Mexico, which brings the surface boundary back south into the area introducing widespread precipitation chances once more. The first of a series of short wave troughs brings rain and storms in from the West during Thursday, then another sends a cold front through sometime late Thursday into early Friday. There are considerable differences between major long range models regarding the character of the trough, and where/when waves of energy will move through the broad trough. So, a low-confidence forecast exists for the second half of the work week - though do expect periods of showers and storms amid the energetic atmosphere. The base of the mean trough crosses by the end of Friday, ushering in at least a modest airmass change for the end of the week into the weekend. Afterward, flow tends to go zonal, which is typically a weakly-forced and low-skill forecast scenario, which is reflected in poor agreement in surface conditions across the models. So, have stuck with a general blend of models plus climatology for the weekend forecast. Periods of showers and storms continue but with temperatures closer to normal. && .AVIATION /00Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... As of 730 PM Sunday... Scattered showers and thunderstorms, some strong to severe along with heavy downpours will continue through at least 03-04Z, when storms will gradually taper off. Expect brief IFR conditions in vicinity of storms. After 04Z, expect widespread MVFR conditions in low cigs and fog, along with isold to local IFR and LIFR. Gradual return to VFR after 13Z. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Low to medium. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Thunderstorm timing may vary, and may need AMDs and TEMPOs. Development of low cloud and fog overnight tonight, and then its dissipation Monday morning, may 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. UTC 1HRLY 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 EDT 1HRLY 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 CRW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H M M H H HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H M M M M BKW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H M M M H EKN CONSISTENCY H H H H M M H H L M H H PKB CONSISTENCY H M M M H M L H H H H M CKB CONSISTENCY H H H M M M M M M M M M AFTER 00Z TUESDAY... Brief IFR possible in storms Monday night, and overnight valley fog into early Tuesday morning. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...None. OH...None. KY...None. VA...None. && SYNOPSIS...TRM/MC NEAR TERM...TRM/SL SHORT TERM...MC LONG TERM...MC AVIATION...SL
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Charleston WV 148 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019 OHZ076-WVZ010-011-019-020-031-032-040-271800- Washington-Pleasants-Tyler-Ritchie-Doddridge-Harrison-Taylor-Barbour- 148 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 252 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast Ohio, and portions of central West Virginia and northern 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. There is also a slight risk of excessive rainfall from rounds of thunderstorms today. Flooding may become an issue. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .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. OHZ066-067-075-084>086-WVZ007>009-013>018-024>030-034-039-515>526- 271800- Perry-Morgan-Athens-Vinton-Meigs-Gallia-Mason-Jackson WV-Wood- Lincoln-Putnam-Kanawha-Roane-Wirt-Calhoun-Mingo-Logan-Boone-Clay- Braxton-Gilmer-Lewis-Wyoming-Upshur-Northwest Raleigh- Southeast Raleigh-Northwest Fayette-Southeast Fayette- Northwest Nicholas-Southeast Nicholas-Northwest Webster- Southeast Webster-Northwest Pocahontas-Southeast Pocahontas- Northwest Randolph-Southeast Randolph- 148 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 252 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of 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. There is also a marginal risk of excessive rainfall from rounds of thunderstorms today. Flooding may become an issue. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .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. KYZ101>103-105-OHZ083-087-WVZ005-006-271800- Greenup-Carter-Boyd-Lawrence KY-Jackson OH-Lawrence OH-Wayne-Cabell- 148 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 252 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Kentucky, portions of southeast Ohio and western 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. There is also a marginal risk of excessive rainfall from rounds of thunderstorms today. Flooding may become an issue. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. There is a marginal risk for severe thunderstorms Monday night. The primary threat is damaging winds. .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. VAZ003-004-WVZ033-271800- Dickenson-Buchanan-McDowell- 148 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southwest Virginia and southern West Virginia. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. There is a marginal risk for severe thunderstorms today and early tonight. The primary threats are damaging winds and large hail. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .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.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
648 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019
OHZ066-067-262315-
Morgan-Perry-
648 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHEASTERN PERRY AND MORGAN
COUNTIES...
At 648 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located 9 miles east of New
Lexington, moving east at 25 mph.
Wind gusts up to 50 mph and nickel size hail are possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
McConnelsville, Crooksville, Malta, Corning, Bristol, Rendville,
Eagleport and Hackney.
LAT...LON 3976 8196 3976 8165 3975 8164 3967 8164
3966 8159 3960 8159 3958 8210 3975 8215
3977 8207
TIME...MOT...LOC 2248Z 257DEG 21KT 3969 8203
JZSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
715 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019
OHZ067-262345-
Morgan-
715 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN MORGAN COUNTY...
At 713 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located 7 miles northeast of
McConnelsville, moving east at 35 mph.
Wind gusts up to 50 mph and nickel size hail are possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Bristol.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are
potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to travel across
flooded roads. Find alternate routes. It takes only a few inches of
swiftly flowing water to carry vehicles away.
LAT...LON 3976 8183 3975 8164 3967 8164 3966 8159
3965 8159 3964 8177 3976 8185
TIME...MOT...LOC 2313Z 256DEG 30KT 3972 8174
JZSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
728 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019
WVZ005-024-025-270000-
Logan-Wayne-Mingo-
728 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN MINGO...WESTERN
LOGAN AND SOUTH CENTRAL WAYNE COUNTIES...
At 728 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over Lovely, or near
Inez, moving east at 40 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph and pea size hail are possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Logan, Delbarton, Chief Logan State, Holden, Mount Gay-Shamrock,
Chattaroy, Hode, West Logan, Mitchell Heights, Mount Gay,
Verdunville, Chauncey, Myrtle, Crum, Switzer, Naugatuck, Dingess,
Sarah Ann, Lenore and Breeden.
This includes Route 119 between mile markers 1 and 34.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are
potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to travel across
flooded roads. Find alternate routes. It takes only a few inches of
swiftly flowing water to carry vehicles away.
LAT...LON 3794 8249 3795 8193 3766 8196 3768 8230
3770 8230 3774 8233 3776 8231 3776 8233
3778 8232 3777 8233 3782 8238 3781 8240
3783 8240 3786 8242 3787 8241 3788 8242
3791 8247 3790 8247 3792 8248 3793 8250
TIME...MOT...LOC 2328Z 272DEG 35KT 3782 8243
JZSpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Charleston WV 734 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019 WVZ016-018-028-029-270000- Calhoun-Roane-Gilmer-Braxton- 734 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL CALHOUN...SOUTHERN GILMER...NORTHWESTERN BRAXTON AND NORTHEASTERN ROANE COUNTIES... At 733 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over Arnoldsburg, or 8 miles south of Grantsville, moving east at 35 mph. Nickel size hail is possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Gassaway, Arnoldsburg, Cedar Creek State Park, Shock, Millstone, Wilsie, Rosedale, Mount Zion, Exchange, Orma, Nicut, Stumptown, Cedarville and Normantown. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to travel across flooded roads. Find alternate routes. It takes only a few inches of swiftly flowing water to carry vehicles away. LAT...LON 3872 8126 3891 8123 3889 8069 3862 8075 TIME...MOT...LOC 2333Z 278DEG 29KT 3881 8115 12
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
749 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019
WVZ016-018-027-028-519-270015-
Calhoun-Clay-Roane-Northwest Nicholas-Braxton-
749 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019
...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTHEASTERN
CALHOUN...NORTH CENTRAL NICHOLAS...SOUTHWESTERN BRAXTON...SOUTHERN
ROANE AND NORTHERN CLAY COUNTIES...
At 749 PM EDT, strong thunderstorms were clustered near Amma, or 13
miles southeast of Spencer, moving east at 40 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph and penny size hail are possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Big Otter, Wallback, Amma, Harrison, Widen, Nebo, Frametown, Strange
Creek, Tariff, Servia, Walton, Left Hand, Looneyville, Ivydale, Chloe
and Gandeeville.
This includes the following highways...
Interstate 79 between mile markers 22 and 58.
Route 19 between mile markers 53 and 57.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are
potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to travel across
flooded roads. Find alternate routes. It takes only a few inches of
swiftly flowing water to carry vehicles away.
LAT...LON 3842 8077 3851 8123 3853 8120 3853 8123
3852 8127 3854 8131 3855 8148 3858 8150
3874 8138 3862 8074
TIME...MOT...LOC 2349Z 277DEG 33KT 3862 8126
12Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Charleston WV 759 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019 WVZ028-030-039-521-522-525-526-270030- Southeast Webster-Northwest Randolph-Northwest Webster-Upshur-Lewis-Braxton-Southeast Randolph- 759 PM EDT Sun May 26 2019 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN RANDOLPH...SOUTH CENTRAL LEWIS...EAST CENTRAL BRAXTON...SOUTHERN UPSHUR AND NORTHEASTERN WEBSTER COUNTIES... At 759 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located 9 miles west of Holly River State, or 11 miles east of Sutton, moving east at 30 mph. Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail are possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Holly River State, Monterville, Hacker Valley, Kanawha Head, Eden, Helvetia, Pickens, Cleveland, Waneta, Centralia and Falls Mills. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to travel across flooded roads. Find alternate routes. It takes only a few inches of swiftly flowing water to carry vehicles away. LAT...LON 3861 8063 3879 8060 3877 8003 3851 8007 TIME...MOT...LOC 2359Z 282DEG 24KT 3869 8050 12
The Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 95 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:12 UTC.
5 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was blown down and fell onto a power line.
A power line was downed by a falling tree.
Numerous small trees and limbs were blown down between Grundy and the KY/VA border.
A tree was blown down, also taking down a power line.
A power line was knocked down by a falling tree.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, May 2019
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: 817859, 817861, 817862, 817863, 817864.