A broad upper level trough was over the middle Ohio River Valley on the 12th. As a shortwave trough moved through the larger synoptic feature, showers and thunderstorms developed.
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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 broad upper level trough was over the middle Ohio River Valley on the 12th. As a shortwave trough moved through the larger synoptic feature, showers and thunderstorms developed. Isolated tree damage resulted from the stronger storms.
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 Jul 12, 3:17 PM EST, 1 hour 55 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Charleston WV 417 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2020 .SYNOPSIS... Shortwave brings showers and storms this afternoon and evening. High pressure in control through Wednesday. Another heat wave expected by the middle of the week. Cold front by the end of week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 415 PM Sunday... Paired back PoP coverage to isold/low end sct across much of this area this afternoon with more robust activity mainly focused along a psuedo warm front across southeast Ohio, northern West Virginia and southwest Pennsylvania. Further south, the cumulus field does show some agitation with a few diurnally driven showers/thunderstorms popping up over the next couple hours, but would expect more significant coverage to hold off until arrival of better mid-level forcing with approach the upper trough currently across the lower Ohio Valley late this afternoon/early evening. Given the presence of 30-35KT deep layer shear at least some updraft organization will be possible with these storms, in addition to any bonus near surface baroclinic vorticity generation near the aforementioned boundary. As of 220 PM Sunday... Scattered showers continue to move across the northern half of the CWA this afternoon and more widespread convection is expected later in the day as a shortwave trough and cold front approach from the west. While showers currently continue to be of a scattered nature, increased instability with this incoming system may allow for more organized convection later today. Persistent cloud cover along the northern portion of the CWA has helped to keep temperatures somewhat cooler this afternoon which may help limit stronger storm formation in that area. That being said, the entire CWA is still within a marginal risk of both severe storms and excessive rainfall. With PW values in the 1-2" range and CAPE around 1000-2000 J/kg, could have some heavy downpours within some of the stronger storms. Should any storms become severe, wind is the primary threat expected. The trough axis and cold front are expected to push through the area overnight with high pressure gradually building in behind. During the day Monday, high pressure strengthens as upper level ridging moves into the area. Should be a fairly dry day, though and afternoon shower or storm may develop. Temperatures are expected to be in the low to mid 80s in the lowlands and upper 60s to upper 70s in the higher elevations. && .SHORT TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... As of 240 PM Sunday... Quiet weather conditions will continue as a sfc high pressure builds from the north Tuesday. Models show H500 ridge gradually building over the OH Valley by Wednesday. Soundings show very dry column aloft through this period. Therefore, negated chances for precipitation resulting in a very dry period. Temperatures return to above normal, reaching the mid 90s by Wednesday afternoon. Another heat wave is progged by Wednesday, with heat index reaching the mid 90s Wednesday afternoon and even the upper 90s by Thursday. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... As of 240 PM Sunday... Models show H500 ridging moving east of the area early Thursday. However, a broader H500 high pressure system is expected to develop over the central plains, perhaps leaving a corridor in the northern stream for embedded shortwaves to ride along into our area. Showers or storms can be expected with each shortwave by the end of the week. && .AVIATION /20Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... As of 230 AM Sunday... Scattered showers have developed in the northern portion of the area and are expected to continue through the evening. As a shortwave and cold front approach, showers and storms may become more widespread and may cause a decrease in flight conditions. Have reflected this possibility in the TAFs. Fog may develop overnight possibly causing flight conditions to drop into IFR for a few hours. If this does occur, conditions should improve back to VFR shortly after sunrise. Winds start out with a westerly direction, then eventually become northerly after the front passes through. Sustained winds should remain light to moderate, though may become gusty within any thunderstorms. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Moderate. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Timing and duration of convection may differ. Extent of fog overnight 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 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 EDT 1HRLY 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 CRW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H BKW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H EKN CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H M PKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H M L AFTER 18Z MONDAY... No widespread IFR conditions are currently expected at this time. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...None. OH...None. KY...None. VA...None. && SYNOPSIS...ARJ/JLB NEAR TERM...JP/JLB SHORT TERM...ARJ LONG TERM...ARJ AVIATION...JLB
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Charleston WV 243 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2020 KYZ101>103-105-OHZ066-067-075-076-083>087-VAZ003-004-WVZ005>011- 013>020-024>034-039-040-515>526-131845- 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- 243 PM EDT Sun Jul 12 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Kentucky, southeast Ohio, southwest Virginia and much of West Virginia. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. A few thunderstorms this afternoon and evening may become strong to perhaps severe with strong gusty winds as the primary threat. The Storm Prediction Center indicates there is a Marginal Risk of severe weather for the entire region through this evening. Isolated high water impacts may also occur with some of the slower moving thunderstorms. .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.
The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 86 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:13 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A small outbuilding collapsed and several trees were downed along County Road 4.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, July 2020
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: 895679, 895677.