An upper level disturbance crossed through West Virginia from the west on August 19th, leading to showers with moderate to heavy rainfall expanding in coverage across the area throughout the day. Due to the rainfall received with the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred the previous day, soil across the area was already saturated in many locations.
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.
An upper level disturbance crossed through West Virginia from the west on August 19th, leading to showers with moderate to heavy rainfall expanding in coverage across the area throughout the day. Due to the rainfall received with the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred the previous day, soil across the area was already saturated in many locations. This caused several locations to be more susceptible to flooding issues. High water was observed over roads in multiple locations throughout West Virginia, with some of these roads becoming impassable for a time.
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 19, 5:20 AM EST, 2 hours 55 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Charleston WV 620 AM EDT Thu Aug 19 2021 .SYNOPSIS... Upper level disturbance provides shower or storm activity today. Daily afternoon/evening shower and storm chances then continue into the weekend ahead of a weakening cold front. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 340 AM Thursday... Chances for showers and thunderstorms will increase again this morning as a shortwave trough arrives from the west. Soils across the area remains nearly saturated from the previous rains. These areas remains sensitive to flash flooding. It will take less rainfall to produce water issues over mostly saturated terrain. Models show the potential for organized convection as the shortwave passes through. WPC has a Slight Risk for excessive rainfall for portions of southern WV, northeast KY and southwest VA due to low Flash Flood Guidance cause by resent rainfall and expected convection. Will have to monitor rainfall rates once showers and storms move over the area today. Tonight remains unsettled with showers and storms possible. Dense patchy fog can be expected to develop overnight tonight. Plenty of clouds will reduce the afternoon heating today. High temperatures this afternoon will be in the upper 70s to mid 80s in the lowlands and upper 60s in the mountains. Lows tonight will be dew degrees above normal, generally in the mid to upper 60s. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... As of 438 AM Thursday... The short term period will continue to feature mainly afternoon/evening shower and storm chances as an upper trough and associated energy gradually shift eastward throughout Friday and Saturday. Friday will feature a higher chance for rainfall compared to Saturday, with drier air advecting into the mid to upper levels late Friday and Saturday. Thus, sensible weather for Friday will feature isolated to scattered showers/storms, with Saturday being more of the isolated nature, with activity both days being mainly diurnal in nature. PoP grids were tweaked down from the NBM to better reflect this. Any severe threat continues to remain low. Isolated water issues will continue to be possible with any slow moving or repetitive showers/storms given the recent wet weather. High temperatures look seasonable for Friday, and slightly above normal on Saturday. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... As of 438 AM Thursday... A weakening cold front will attempt to push through the area late Sunday, possibly washing out across the area. This could lead to isolated/scattered showers and storms late Sunday into Monday. In general, guidance has weakened the front with progressive runs, thus, PoPs have been adjusted slightly downward for this time period from the NBM. Upper level ridging then works in to start the new work week, resulting in a much needed drier period. Upper energy rounding the ridge, along with diurnal heating, could result in slight chances or low end chances of afternoon/evening showers and storms at times, but in general, the Monday-Wednesday timeframe looks fairly dry. Temperatures will warm, with high temperatures generally 5 or so degrees above normal. && .AVIATION /10Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 620 AM Thursday... A weak but deepening upper level trough in conjunction a band of boundary layer convergence will cross the area to bring showers and storms today. IFR/MVFR conditions due to dense fog or low stratus will lift quickly by 12-13Z. Showers or storms associated with the upper level disturbance will spread east over our area this morning, exiting the eastern mountains around 18Z. Mostly MVFR conditions are expected with this shower activity. Lingering light showers may still around through 00Z Friday over the eastern mountains. Areas of IFR/LIFR dense fog will be possible overnight tonight under mostly clear skies, near calm winds and abundant low level moisture. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Medium. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Extent and density of fog overnight tonight will be driven mainly by upper level cloud cover. 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 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 EDT 1HRLY 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 CRW CONSISTENCY M M M L M H M M M M M H HTS CONSISTENCY H M M L H H M M M M M L BKW CONSISTENCY M M H M H H M H H H H H EKN CONSISTENCY L L L M M H M M M H H H PKB CONSISTENCY M M M M M M M H H H H H CKB CONSISTENCY M M M H H M H H H H H H AFTER 12Z FRIDAY... IFR valley fog possible each morning through Sunday. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...None. OH...None. KY...None. VA...None. && SYNOPSIS...ARJ/04 NEAR TERM...ARJ SHORT TERM...04 LONG TERM...04 AVIATION...ARJ
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Charleston WV 524 AM EDT Thu Aug 19 2021 KYZ101>103-105-VAZ003-004-WVZ005-006-013>016-024>028-033-034-515- 200930- Greenup-Carter-Boyd-Lawrence KY-Dickenson-Buchanan-Wayne-Cabell- Lincoln-Putnam-Kanawha-Roane-Mingo-Logan-Boone-Clay-Braxton-McDowell- Wyoming-Northwest Raleigh- 524 AM EDT Thu Aug 19 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, and portions of central West Virginia, southeast West Virginia, southern West Virginia and western West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. The area is under a slight risk for excessive rainfall today. Isolated water issues will be possible with any slow moving or repetitive showers and storms due to sensitive soil conditions from recent rainfall. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. 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. OHZ066-067-075-076-083>087-WVZ007>011-017>020-029>032-039-040-200930- Perry-Morgan-Athens-Washington-Jackson OH-Vinton-Meigs-Gallia- Lawrence OH-Mason-Jackson WV-Wood-Pleasants-Tyler-Wirt-Calhoun- Ritchie-Doddridge-Gilmer-Lewis-Harrison-Taylor-Upshur-Barbour- 524 AM EDT Thu Aug 19 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southeast Ohio, and portions of central West Virginia, northern West Virginia and western West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. The area is under a marginal risk for excessive rainfall today. Isolated water issues will be possible with any slow moving or repetitive showers and storms due to sensitive soil conditions from recent rainfall. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. 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. WVZ516>526-200930- Southeast Raleigh-Northwest Fayette-Southeast Fayette- Northwest Nicholas-Southeast Nicholas-Northwest Webster- Southeast Webster-Northwest Pocahontas-Southeast Pocahontas- Northwest Randolph-Southeast Randolph- 524 AM EDT Thu Aug 19 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast West Virginia and southeast West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. The area is under a slight risk for excessive rainfall today. Isolated water issues will be possible with any slow moving or repetitive showers and storms due to sensitive soil conditions from recent rainfall. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. The area is under a marginal risk for excessive rainfall Friday. Isolated water issues will be possible with any slow moving or repetitive showers and storms due to sensitive soil conditions from recent rainfall. .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), 27 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:14 UTC.
13 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
High water flowed over both lanes of Lick Creek Road in the town of Danville.
High water flowed over Frontage Road near the Danville Animal Clinic.
Flooding was observed near the community of East Lynn.
Flooding was observed along Mill Creek northwest of the community of Radnor.
County Route 16 near the intersection with Jericho Road and County Route 16 near the town of Gallipolis Ferry were both closed due to high water over the roads. One lane of WV Route 2 was also blocked by high water near Gallipolis Ferry.
Flatwoods Road was impassable due to flash flooding north of the town of Flatwoods.
High water flowed across Route 21 to the north of the city of Ripley.
Flatwoods Road was under water in the town of Flatwoods.
Panther Lane was under water southwest of the town of Sandyville.
High water was observed over Sand Fork Road near the town of Gallipolis Ferry.
High water flowed over Jericho Road near the city of Point Pleasant.
Route 4 and Cutlip Fork Road in the town of Gassaway were both impassable due to high water.
Multiple locations along Exchange Road near the town of Exchange had high water over the road. A few of these locations were impassable for a brief time.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in West Virginia in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, August 2021
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: 968924, 968945, 968955, 968981, 968992, 968994, 969003, 969004, 969009, 969013, 969015, 969017, 969021.