West Virginia, 2019

Flooding in West Virginia, April 20, 2019

April 20, 2019 · NWS LWX · 2 events in 1 county or zone

Multiple rounds of heavy rainfall occurred within a warm advection regime in advance of an approaching, highly amplified, mid-upper level trough. Rainfall totals of 1-2 inches were observed, leading to instances of flooding across the area.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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 LWX wrote it up.

Multiple rounds of heavy rainfall occurred within a warm advection regime in advance of an approaching, highly amplified, mid-upper level trough. Rainfall totals of 1-2 inches were observed, leading to instances of flooding across the area.

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 Baltimore/Washington wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 19, 8:57 PM EST, 3 hours 44 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 19, 8:57 PM EST, 3 hours 44 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 19, 8:53 PM EST, 3 hours 48 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 19, 11:29 PM EST, 1 hour 12 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 19, 11:31 PM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 19, 11:36 PM EST, 1 hour 5 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 19, 11:48 PM EST, 53 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 19, 11:55 PM EST, 46 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 20, 12:07 AM EST, 34 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

2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Berkeley

When
April 20, 12:41 AM EST to 1:00 AM EST
Where
Berkeley County, 0.92 mi SW of Inwood to 0.98 mi SW of Inwood
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
River/Stream Gage
Coordinates
39.341, -78.063

The stream gage on Mill Creek at Bunker Hill exceeded the 4.25 foot flood stage during the indicated period. Henshaw Road was flooded under Interstate 81. The peak level of 4.26 feet occurred at 12:45 AM.

Flood, Berkeley

When
April 20, 5:34 AM EST to 9:23 PM EST
Where
Berkeley County, 2.35 mi SSE of (Mrb)shepherd Fld Mr to 2.84 mi WSW of Blairton
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
River/Stream Gage
Coordinates
39.367, -77.968

The river gage on the Opequon Creek at Martinsburg exceeded the 10 foot flood stage during the indicated period, leading to flooding along portions of Douglas Grove Road (County Road 9/16) and Bowers Road. Additionally, water covered the stream access point at the Van Metre Ford Pedestrian Bridge. The peak level of 11.73 feet occurred at 5:00 PM.

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in West Virginia in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, April 2019

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: 822785, 822790.