Showers and thunderstorms developed along a frontal boundary stalled near southwest Virginia during the afternoon and evening of May 19th. Several storms became severe, which produced up to ping pong ball sized hail and damaging winds.
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.
Showers and thunderstorms developed along a frontal boundary stalled near southwest Virginia during the afternoon and evening of May 19th. Several storms became severe, which produced up to ping pong ball sized hail and damaging winds. Multiple trees were blown down around southwest Virginia as well as utility poles, which led to numerous power outages.
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 19, 2:26 PM EST, 2 hours 19 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Charleston WV 326 PM EDT Thu May 19 2022 .SYNOPSIS... A boundary lifts northward across the region tonight with shower/storm chances. Hot weather Friday/Saturday. A cold front crosses late Sunday, with a cooler start to the new work week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/... As of 300 PM Thursday... Lingering stratus deck across portions of the region has broken into stratocumulus, providing for a warm, pleasant afternoon across the region with high temperatures topping out in the upper 70s to low 80s for the lowlands. Shower and thunderstorm activity is beginning to develop just to the south of the region along a lingering frontal boundary. This boundary will gradually lift northwards across the area late this evening through the overnight period, serving as a focusing mechanism for shower and thunderstorm development. Portions of the southern/western CWA have been upgraded into a slight risk for severe weather as a result, with the main threats being damaging wind gusts, large hail, and heavy downpours. A few water issues and an isolated tornado are also possible. Greatest threat for severe weather will be confined to southern WV, southwest VA, and the Mid-Ohio Valley. Overnight low temperatures will generally be in the low to mid 60s for much of the CWA, with 50s across the eastern mountains. The aforementioned surface boundary is progged to lift north of the area by mid morning on Friday. This provides the area with a hot and dry Friday. High temperatures are progged to reach the low to mid 90s across the lowlands, translating into the warmest day of the year thus far. Dew points in the low to mid 60s help to keep heat indices below that of heat advisory criteria. Sensitive groups should however limit time outside tomorrow and take precautions if outdoors, given that it will be the warmest day of the year thus far. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... As of 140 PM Thursday... Continued hot and humid across the forecast area on Saturday, with strengthening ridge along eastern U.S. A disturbance moving through the area on Saturday afternoon/evening will help to kick off showers and storms across the area, particularly across the far eastern zones. Overnight low temperatures Saturday night will be quite muggy, with lows most areas expected to remain in the 60s. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 1230 PM Thursday... Cold front will move into the area late Sunday afternoon/evening, with showers and thunderstorms increasing across the area as it does so. Still some uncertainty in terms of any severe, but overall threat is looking to be rather low owing to lack of significant shear or upper dynamics. Period still bears watching however. In addition, brief heavy downpours can be expected from any convection that develops with anomalously high PW air taking hold across the region. Frontal boundary will clear the area late Sunday night into Monday, with additional showers lingering across the region. Weather pattern becomes more uncertain from Tuesday onward, but general consensus is for an active pattern to continue, along with a gradual warming trend. && .AVIATION /19Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... As of 215 PM Thursday... Mainly VFR conditions persist this afternoon across the area with brief MVFR CIG restrictions at times courtesy of stratocumulus. Brief MVFR CIG restrictions will continue to be possible through early this evening. VFR conditions will then continue through much of the overnight across the region as a frontal boundary lifts northwards across the area. Some showers and isolated thunderstorms will be possible, but given low confidence in location of activity, kept mention of showers and thunderstorms out of most of the TAFs for now. Precipitation chances should generally end across the region by dawn tomorrow morning as the front exits north, with VFR conditions continuing through the end of the TAF period. A general S/SW flow will continue through much of the TAF period. Gusty winds at times this afternoon become lighter tonight. Winds become gusty again near dawn tomorrow morning and remain as such through the end of the TAF period. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Medium to high. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Very brief MVFR CIG restrictions possible through mid evening. Coverage and timing of shower/storms tonight could vary from what is progged in the TAFs. 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 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 EDT 1HRLY 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 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 M M M H H H H H H H H H 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 H H AFTER 18Z FRIDAY... IFR possible in showers and thunderstorms on Sunday. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...None. OH...None. KY...None. VA...None. && SYNOPSIS...SL/GW NEAR TERM...GW SHORT TERM...SL LONG TERM...SL AVIATION...GW
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Charleston WV 253 PM EDT Thu May 19 2022 KYZ101>103-105-OHZ083-086-087-VAZ003-004-WVZ005-006-013-024>026-033- 034-201900- Greenup-Carter-Boyd-Lawrence KY-Jackson OH-Gallia-Lawrence OH- Dickenson-Buchanan-Wayne-Cabell-Lincoln-Mingo-Logan-Boone-McDowell- Wyoming- 253 PM EDT Thu May 19 2022 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Kentucky, portions of southeast Ohio, southwest Virginia, and portions of southern West Virginia and western West Virginia. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. The region is under a slight risk of severe weather through early Friday morning. The main threats are damaging wind gusts, large hail, and heavy downpours with a few localized water issues possible. An isolated tornado cannot be ruled out. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Strong, heavy thunderstorms are also possible Sunday. .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. OHZ066-067-075-076-084-085-WVZ007>010-014>019-027>029-515>522-201900- Perry-Morgan-Athens-Washington-Vinton-Meigs-Mason-Jackson WV-Wood- Pleasants-Putnam-Kanawha-Roane-Wirt-Calhoun-Ritchie-Clay-Braxton- Gilmer-Northwest Raleigh-Southeast Raleigh-Northwest Fayette- Southeast Fayette-Northwest Nicholas-Southeast Nicholas- Northwest Webster-Southeast Webster- 253 PM EDT Thu May 19 2022 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast Ohio and much of West Virginia. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. The region is under a marginal risk of severe weather through early Friday morning. The main threats are damaging wind gusts, large hail, and heavy downpours with a few localized water issues possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Strong, heavy thunderstorms are also possible Sunday. .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. WVZ011-020-030>032-039-040-523>526-201900- Tyler-Doddridge-Lewis-Harrison-Taylor-Upshur-Barbour- Northwest Pocahontas-Southeast Pocahontas-Northwest Randolph- Southeast Randolph- 253 PM EDT Thu May 19 2022 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central West Virginia, northeast West Virginia and northern West Virginia. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Strong, heavy thunderstorms are also possible Sunday. .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
525 PM EDT Thu May 19 2022
VAZ003-192200-
Dickenson VA-
525 PM EDT Thu May 19 2022
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southern Dickenson
County through 600 PM EDT...
At 525 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Clintwood, moving east at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Clintwood, Trammel, McClure and Nora.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
&&
LAT...LON 3702 8248 3703 8248 3704 8249 3706 8249
3711 8254 3715 8254 3712 8217 3705 8214
3704 8215 3704 8217 3703 8219 3703 8220
3699 8226 3700 8228 3698 8232
TIME...MOT...LOC 2125Z 281DEG 17KT 3709 8250
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH
11The Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 93 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:45 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple trees were blown down near the community of Fremont.
Several trees were blown down in the town of Clincho.
In the town of Haysi, several trees were blown down.
Trees blew down in the Oakwood area near the town of Grundy.
Utility lines were blown down which led to numerous power outages.
Multiple utility lines were blown down which led to numerous power outages.
A large tree was blown down near the community of Patterson.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, May 2022
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: 1016336, 1016340, 1016341, 1016321, 1016345, 1016322, 1016347, 1016349, 1016351.