West Virginia, 2024

Hail and Damaging Winds in West Virginia, April 15 to 17, 2024

April 15 to 17, 2024 · NWS RLX · 12 events in 9 counties and zones

Active weather took place each afternoon in West Virginia from April 15th to the 17th in the midst of a slow moving upper level disturbance. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms resulted in instances of downed trees and power lines from damaging wind gusts and hail stones ranging from nickel size to golf ball size.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$16,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
12

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 RLX wrote it up.

Active weather took place each afternoon in West Virginia from April 15th to the 17th in the midst of a slow moving upper level disturbance. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms resulted in instances of downed trees and power lines from damaging wind gusts and hail stones ranging from nickel size to golf ball size. Storms were primarily driven by daytime heating, weakening in intensity each evening after sunset.

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 Charleston, WV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 15, 1:41 PM EST, 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 15, 1:41 PM EST, 5 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 15, 3:45 AM EST, 10 hours 1 minute before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 15, 11:23 AM EST, 2 hours 23 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Apr 15, 12:54 PM EST, 52 minutes before
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The radar

The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 176 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:47 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Randolph

When
April 15, 1:46 PM EST
Where
Randolph County, 3.77 mi E of Beverly
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
38.830, -79.810

Thunderstorm Wind, Upshur

When
April 15, 2:12 PM EST
Where
Upshur County, 0.88 mi NW of Tallmansville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$3,000
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
38.910, -80.190

A big and healthy tree fell down and blocked all lanes of Grassy Run Road and also taking down a telephone line. A few other trees were blown down nearby.

Hail, Braxton

When
April 15, 4:00 PM EST
Where
Braxton County, 0.69 mi N of Flatwoods
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
38.730, -80.650

Hail, Wyoming

When
April 15, 7:36 PM EST
Where
Wyoming County, 0.55 mi E of Rockview
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
37.620, -81.540

Hail, Wyoming

When
April 15, 7:36 PM EST
Where
Wyoming County, 0.88 mi SE of Rockview
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
37.610, -81.540

Hail, Fayette

When
April 16, 1:48 PM EST
Where
Fayette County, 1.63 mi E of Hopewell
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
38.120, -81.050

Thunderstorm Wind, Kanawha

When
April 16, 2:27 PM EST to 2:30 PM EST
Where
Kanawha County, 0.54 mi E of Spring Hill to 1.29 mi ESE of Bunker Hill
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$8,000
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
38.350, -81.720

Numerous areas of downed trees were observed in South Charleston, including at Ridge Drive, Kirby Street, and Richmond Road. The roof of a deck also collapsed at a home in South Charleston.

Hail, Kanawha

When
April 16, 2:46 PM EST
Where
Kanawha County, 2.14 mi NNW of Sissonville
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
38.560, -81.640

Hail, Fayette

When
April 16, 3:10 PM EST
Where
Fayette County, 0.54 mi W of Hilltop
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
NWS Employee
Coordinates
37.930, -81.160

Thunderstorm Wind, Harrison

When
April 17, 8:45 PM EST
Where
Harrison County, 0.69 mi N of East Salem
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
39.290, -80.530

Several power poles with lines were blown down along US-50 outside the town of Salem.

Hail, Mason

When
April 17, 9:18 PM EST
Where
Mason County, 1.07 mi E of Mason
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Amateur Radio
Coordinates
39.020, -82.010

Thunderstorm Wind, Wirt

When
April 17, 9:20 PM EST
Where
Wirt County, 0.88 mi NE of Burning Spgs
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
38.990, -81.310

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in West Virginia in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, April 2024

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: 1168864, 1168872, 1168865, 1168866, 1168867, 1168870, 1168857, 1168868, 1168869, 1168862, 1168871, 1168873.