Deep mixing between a departing cold front and a secondary frontal passage supported gusty to strong winds across West Virginia to open up the month of April. Winds picked up in intensity during the late morning hours and peaked in the afternoon/early evening.
Every event with a place to put it; 40 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Deep mixing between a departing cold front and a secondary frontal passage supported gusty to strong winds across West Virginia to open up the month of April. Winds picked up in intensity during the late morning hours and peaked in the afternoon/early evening. 40-50 miles per hour gusts were common throughout the afternoon across West Virginia, with the strongest gust recorded occurring at a mesonet station in Snowshoe of 65 mph. All major airports in the region observed a peak wind gust above 50 miles per hour that day.
Hundreds of thousands of households in the state lost power by the afternoon time frame as a result of trees blowing down onto power lines. Around the same time the Charleston Yeager airport measured a peak wind gust of 59 miles per hour, the South Charleston City Hall suffered considerable structural damage as the roof was blown off a portion of the building. In Barbour County, parts of roofs were also blown off of homes.
Winds finally began to subside after dark on the 1st as the disturbance departed into New England and high pressure built in from the west. However, the power restoration process extended into the next several days as utility companies began work on installing new power poles and lines.
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 Apr 1, 9:50 AM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Charleston WV
1050 AM EDT Sat Apr 1 2023
.SYNOPSIS...
A cold front exits east of the mountains this morning, followed
by a secondary cold front, to provide very windy conditions
today into tonight. Light mountain snow Saturday night.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
As of 1045 AM Saturday...
Temperatures have been a bit slow to rise this morning in
between this morning's cold frontal passage and the reinforcing
front anticipated for later on today. Adjusted temperatures
accordingly.
With skies now clearing in the wake of the frontal passage,
wind gust will be on the verge of increasing. Winds on the
upwards of 30-40 kts remain parked above the surface according
to the VAD wind profile, currently protected by a low level
inversion. As daytime mixing ensues for the day, these winds
will be capable of reaching the surface. Anticipated winds from
now into this evening remain on track so opted to maintain the
inherited forecast. High Wind Warning is now in effect for the
entire forecast area into tonight.
As of 239 AM Saturday...
Key Points:
* High Wind Warnings in effect
* Deep mixing between a departing cold front and secondary cold
push will support damaging wind gusts today
* At least scattered tree damaging and power outages are likely
as a result of damaging winds
A cold front exits east of the eastern mountains early this morning,
taking most of the precipitation with it. Model consensus suggest a
dry slot lifting across the region ahead of the secondary cold front
later this morning into this afternoon. This second front will push
this afternoon, reinforcing strong gusty winds under CAA.
Therefore, expect deep mixing between the departing front and
the secondary cold front, to support damaging winds gusts today.
Wind gusts 25 to 30 knots will increase 40 to 55 knots by this
afternoon with locally higher gusts possible mainly nearby
storms or along the higher elevations.
The dry slot brings clearing this afternoon, but it will be brief,
as low stratocu will likely develop behind the second front along
with few light showers into this evening continuing windy across the
northeast mountains tonight. Windy conditions will gradually subside
once the clouds arrive and vertical mixing becomes weaker this
evening across the lowlands and tonight across the northeast
mountains.
High temperatures will be reached during the early afternoon hours,
perhaps into the upper 60s lowlands, ranging into the mid 50s
highest elevations. CAA will make a descending trend in temperatures
during the afternoon through tonight. Low's tonight will lower down
into the 30s lowlands, and into the lower 20s highest peaks of
our northeast mountains.
&&
.SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
As of 310 AM Saturday...
Key Points:
* Dry Sunday
* Precipitation returns for the work week as a front stalls near
the area
Any upslope snow showers lingering along the mountains are
expected to taper off early Sunday morning as high pressure
builds into the area beneath zonal upper flow. Dry weather and
clearing skies are then expected during the day. Dry weather
continues through Sunday night as high pressure drifts east
towards the Atlantic. On Monday, a shortwave crosses to the
south and a low skating through southern Canada pushes a front
down towards the CWA. The front is then expected to stall over
central Ohio and northern West Virginia Monday night.
Precipitation chances gradually increase into Monday night as
moisture feeds into the area ahead of the approaching system.
Temperatures on Sunday will be in the 50s for the majority of the
CWA and 40s in the high elevations of the northeast mountains. A
warming trend begins for the work week, with highs on Monday ranging
from upper 50s in the highest elevations to 70s in the lowlands.
&&
.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
As of 310 AM Saturday...
Key Points:
* Approaching system brings rain and storm chances into mid week
* Cold front crosses Wednesday night into Thursday
* Brief dry spell, then more rain arrives Friday
A low pressure system moving into the central Plains states is
expected to lift a stalled front north as a warm front on Tuesday,
then the low continues to track into Minnesota/Wisconsin on
Wednesday. Chances of showers and thunderstorms persist through
mid week as the area remains entrenched in the warm, moist
environment south of the warm front and east of an approaching
cold front. Precipitation then continues ahead of and along the
front as it crosses Wednesday night into Thursday. High
pressure returns behind the front, resulting in a brief period
of dry weather before a wave spreads rain chances north into the
area on Friday.
Warm air advection will allow a warming trend to continue, with
highs forecast to break into the 80s across the majority of the
lowlands by mid week. Temperatures cool in the wake of the cold
front, with highs lowering near, to slightly below, normal for
the end of the work week.
&&
.AVIATION /15Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
As of 650 AM Saturday...
In the wake of a cold front, lingering light rain showers will be
possible early this morning before dissipating along the
eastern mountains by mid morning.
Once convection associated with a passing cold front exits east of
the mountains, a dry slot will provide mostly sunny skies during few
hours this morning into the early afternoon. This sunshine will
provide for deep mixing, allowing for strong winds aloft to mix down
to surface. Expect southwest winds gusting 30 to 55 knots under
clearing, lasting into the late afternoon across the lowlands, and a
great part of tonight along the northeast mountains.
A second cold front passes through in the late afternoon, bringing
MVFR clouds along with showers, mainly across the northern half of
the CWA through tonight, while the southern terminal will enjoy VFR
conditions. High pressure takes control on Sunday.
Boundary layer partially decoupled during the predawn hours,
and winds aloft are struggling to mix down. Kept LLWS at most
terminals through 15Z, while surface winds remains under 10
knots.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 12Z SUNDAY...
FORECAST CONFIDENCE: High.
ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: None.
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 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02
EDT 1HRLY 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
CRW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H M M M
HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H M M L
BKW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H M H H H
EKN CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H L H H H M
PKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H M M H H M M
CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H M M H H
AFTER 12Z SUNDAY...
IFR conditions are possible Saturday night in snow showers
across the northeast mountains.
&&
.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...High Wind Warning until 6 PM EDT this evening for WVZ005>007.
High Wind Warning until 8 PM EDT this evening for WVZ008>011-
013>020-024>034-039-040-515-517-519-521.
High Wind Warning until 3 AM EDT Sunday for WVZ516-518-520-
522>526.
OH...High Wind Warning until 6 PM EDT this evening for OHZ066-067-
075-076-083>087.
KY...High Wind Warning until 6 PM EDT this evening for KYZ101>103-
105.
VA...High Wind Warning until 8 PM EDT this evening for VAZ003-004.
&&
SYNOPSIS...ARJ/JLB
NEAR TERM...ARJ/MEK
SHORT TERM...JLB
LONG TERM...JLB
AVIATION...ARJHazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Charleston WV 338 AM EDT Sat Apr 1 2023 KYZ101>103-105-OHZ066-067-075-076-083>087-WVZ005>007-020745- Greenup-Carter-Boyd-Lawrence KY-Perry-Morgan-Athens-Washington- Jackson OH-Vinton-Meigs-Gallia-Lawrence OH-Wayne-Cabell-Mason- 338 AM EDT Sat Apr 1 2023 ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Kentucky, southeast Ohio and western West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. High Wind Warning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. 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. VAZ003-004-WVZ008>011-013>019-024>026-033-034-020745- Dickenson-Buchanan-Jackson WV-Wood-Pleasants-Tyler-Lincoln-Putnam- Kanawha-Roane-Wirt-Calhoun-Ritchie-Mingo-Logan-Boone-McDowell- Wyoming- 338 AM EDT Sat Apr 1 2023 ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southwest Virginia, and portions of central West Virginia, northern West Virginia and southern West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. High Wind Warning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. 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. WVZ020-027>032-039-040-515-517-519-521-020745- Doddridge-Clay-Braxton-Gilmer-Lewis-Harrison-Taylor-Upshur-Barbour- Northwest Raleigh-Northwest Fayette-Northwest Nicholas- Northwest Webster- 338 AM EDT Sat Apr 1 2023 ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central West Virginia, northeast West Virginia, northern West Virginia and southeast West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. High Wind Warning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. 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. WVZ516-518-520-522>526-020745- Southeast Raleigh-Southeast Fayette-Southeast Nicholas- Southeast Webster-Northwest Pocahontas-Southeast Pocahontas- Northwest Randolph-Southeast Randolph- 338 AM EDT Sat Apr 1 2023 ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO 3 AM EDT SUNDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast West Virginia and southeast West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. High Wind Warning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. 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.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
654 AM EDT SAT APR 1 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0652 AM FLOOD 1 WNW HAMLIN 38.28N 82.13W
04/01/2023 LINCOLN WV PUBLIC
DITCHES ALONG STRAIGHT FORK RD ARE FULL OF
WATER, RUNNING INTO THE ROADWAY IN SPOTS.
&&
JPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
723 AM EDT SAT APR 1 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0245 AM TSTM WND DMG 5 SSE CROOKSVILLE 39.70N 82.05W
04/01/2023 PERRY OH UTILITY COMPANY
TREE INTO POWER LINES.
&&
JPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
756 AM EDT SAT APR 1 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0755 AM FLOOD 9 WNW DANVILLE 38.15N 81.97W
04/01/2023 LINCOLN WV PUBLIC
WATER OVER THE ROAD AT THE FORK OF LEFT FORK
AND BARK CAMP RD.
&&
JPThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
40 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Over 50,000 homes were without power around the county due to downed power lines.
Downed trees and power lines were observed through the afternoon of April 1st across the county. Over 4,000 households were without power as a result of the downed power lines. Highways were obstructed due to the downed trees.
Over 16,000 households were without power in the county for a time due to downed trees and power lines.
Across the county, downed trees and power lines were observed throughout the afternoon and evening of April 1st while strong winds persisted. The Charleston airport measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph around 1:30 in the afternoon. Also around that time, the South Charleston City Hall suffered considerable structural damage as a rubber membrane on the roof of the building's annex area was caught by the wind. Nearly 100,000 households were without power that night into the next day as a result of the downed trees and power lines.
In West Hamlin, trees and power lines were blown down and resulted in over 11,000 households to be without power.
Over 6,000 residents were without power throughout the county as the result of downed power lines.
Tree contact and resulting downed power lines caused over 8,000 homes within the county to be without power.
Over 22,000 homes in Wayne County were without power for a time due to numerous areas of downed trees and power lines.
Throughout Wood County, over 45,000 homes lost power as the result of downed trees and power lines.
Multiple trees and power lines were blown down in the county. This led to instances of blocked roads and power outages.
Multiple areas of trees falling onto power lines were observed in the Elk River Valley west of Hartland. Nearly 4,000 households were without power as a result.
Several towns in the county, including Clarksburg, Bridgeport, and Shinnston, observed downed trees and power lines beginning in the early afternoon and extending into the evening of April 1st. This resulted in over 32,000 households to be without power that night into the next day.
Trees were blown down onto power lines in the Jane Lew and Rock Cave areas, resulting in nearly 10,000 households to be without power for a time.
Trees were blown onto power lines in the county and resulted in over 14,000 homes to be without power for a time.
Trees and power lines were uprooted and blown down throughout the county. This led to over 13,000 homes to be without power on the evening of April 1st into the 2nd.
Power lines were downed throughout the county, resulting in almost 40,000 homes to be without power for a time. Downed trees also led to obstructed roadways.
Trees and power lines were blown down all across southeast Raleigh County. One tree fell onto an occupied home near the town of Ghent, but no injuries were observed. Tens of thousands of homes were without power as a result of the downed power lines.
Over 15,000 homes in the county were without power due to downed trees and power lines within the communities.
Downed trees were observed in the community of Webster Springs. Throughout the county, over 14,000 homes were without power for a time due to downed power lines.
Over 4,000 homes in the county were without power due to downed trees onto power lines.
Multiple trees were downed in the Teays Valley area. Within Putnam County, over 28,000 homes were without power due to downed power lines.
Numerous areas around the county observed trees and power line damage. Nearly 13,000 residents were without power for a time as a result.
Nearly 4,000 households in the county lost power for a time due to downed trees and power lines.
Ten thousand households in the county were without power for a time due to power lines being downed, especially in the areas of Oceana and Mullens.
Power lines fell down onto a residence in King Avenue. The occupant in the house was asked to shelter in place until the utility company could safely remove the power lines. Other areas of the county also observed trees and power line damage, resulting in over 11,000 homes to be without power.
The Grantsville area observed multiple instances of downed trees and power lines. Over 4,000 households were without power for an extended period of time.
Numerous trees were downed in the West Union area with over 3,500 households without power for a brief time.
Over 17,000 households in the county were without power for a time as a result of downed trees and power lines.
Over 10,000 homes in the county were without power as a result of blown down trees and power lines throughout Welch, Iaeger, and other townships.
Over 22,000 homes were without power due to downed trees and power lines in the Fayetteville and Oak Hill areas.
Over 14,000 homes in the county were without power due to downed trees and power lines.
A 65 mile per hour gust was measured at Snowshoe during the early afternoon. Almost 10,000 homes in Pocahontas County were without power due to downed trees and power lines.
Trees and wires were downed through several communities in the county. This led to over 8,000 homes to be without power for a time.
Over 5,000 homes in the county were without power due to downed trees and power lines.
Part of a roof was blown off a home along Railroad Street in Philippi, impacting some power lines and damaging cars.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in West Virginia in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, April 2023
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: 1081137, 1090708, 1090710, 1090713, 1090716, 1090993, 1090994, 1091160, 1091163, 1090676, 1090703, 1090709, 1090714, 1090718, 1090720, 1090727, 1090728, 1090730, 1090731, 1090733, 1090734, 1090735, 1090736, 1091156, 1091162, 1091164, 1081135, 1090679, 1090706, 1090717, 1090719, 1090721, 1090722, 1090723, 1090724, 1090725, 1090726, 1090996, 1090998, 1081134.