Tornado and Flash Flooding in West Virginia, May 26, 2024

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Charleston WV
1021 PM EDT Sat May 25 2024

.SYNOPSIS...
Showers and storms through Memorial Day weekend in response to a
cold front. Damaging wind gusts, hail, and locally heavy
downpours will be possible.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/...
As of 1020 PM Saturday...

The forecast remains on track. All the convection is staying up
north along the CWA border. As the front makes it way through
the activity should wane by early to mid morning.

As of 710 PM Saturday...

Adjusted POPs to better represent the current situation and
trends by adding in the latest guidance and a blend with Hi-
res guidance as well. Winds were also tweaked slightly which
didn't change the forecast much at all. POPs were trimmed down
a bit due to the lack of activity, but kept in thunderstorm
probability into the overnight as the front crosses through,
therefore we cannot rule them out at this time. Outside that,
the forecast remains in tact and no other changes were made at
this time.

As of 210 PM Saturday...

Key Points:

 * Isolated showers and thunderstorms developing this afternoon
   and progged to continue until this evening.

 * Areas of locally dense fog possible for Sunday morning in
   response to excess moisture and a nearby stalled front.

 * Better potential for strong to severe thunderstorms arrives
   Sunday afternoon ahead of a cold front.

Afternoon cumulus field is beginning to bubble at the time of
writing, as local inhibition is overpowered by daytime heating
and increasing moisture. Satellite trends depict main focus for
activity in our forecast area runs from southeast Ohio and down
into the West Virginia mountains. Forecast soundings depict
southwesterly mid-level steering flow, so anything that forms
across the area this afternoon will follow a northeasterly path
up into the northern and eastern WV panhandles. In the case of
better organization within our convective field today, isolated
instances of damaging wind gusts and hail will be possible.
Mesoanalysis shows lackluster shear values over the Central
Appalachians this afternoon, but just enough CAPE of around 1500
J/kg to conspire with breaching convective temperatures to
produce create quick pulsating storms.

Will continue to also monitor for localized flash flooding that
could sprout in convection due to its slow moving nature
anticipated today. Also starting to see hints of backbuilding
along the spine of the Appalachian mountains, which could yield
localized flooding concerns as well.

Activity tapers down tremendously this evening with the loss of
daytime heating. With a plethora of moisture festering overhead
due to strengthening onshore flow set in place by an approaching
disturbance, a strong signal for fog was noted on forecast
soundings for Sunday morning. This will also be aided by an
approaching cold front that is progged to stall along the
Middle Ohio Valley overnight. Some spots could observe locally
dense fog before finally eroding after daybreak.

Aforementioned cold front encroaches on the region for the end
of the weekend and provokes another round of afternoon and
evening convection for Sunday. This may yield scattered to
possibly numerous severe storms around the Tri-State area, and
lessening in coverage as activity tracks into the central
lowlands and eventually the mountains near the break point of
the near and short term forecast periods. Some uncertainty still
exists for longevity and intensity of storms as they reach the
Ohio River Valley late Sunday afternoon/evening as the front
drifts southeastward. Some of these storms could outrun the
boundary and weaken as a result, but hi-res CAMs strongly
suggest a line of convection swinging into Ohio and Kentucky and
encroaching on our forecast area near the evening. Loss of
daytime heating as these storms arrive may also hinder the
severity coverage to more isolated instances.

&&

.SHORT TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/...
As of 1150 AM Saturday...

Showers and thunderstorms remain likely Sunday night and into Monday
morning with waves of shortwave energy approaching from the west.
The strength and timing of any thunderstorms overnight still remains
questionable. Most models show storms weakening as they approach
West Virginia from the west, likely due to a lack of instability.
Some thunderstorms may be capable of bringing damaging winds and
hail, particularly across northeast Kentucky and far southern Ohio,
where instability will be a little more favorable. Severe potential
is more questionable across West Virgina. Nonetheless, the
atmosphere will still have plenty of moisture with PWAT values
likely to be anywhere from 1.25-1.75 inches late Sunday night and
into Monday morning. Therefore, we are concerned about the threat of
flooding, especially in training showers/thunderstorms and locations
where the ground has been saturated from previous activity. The
Weather Prediction Center places much of the region in a slight risk
of excessive rainfall through 12Z Monday morning, which increases
our concern for potential high water issues.

A cold front will sweep through from the west Monday afternoon.
Ahead of the front will be scattered showers and thunderstorms.
Therefore, the potential for flooding will continue into Monday. The
Memorial Day holiday shouldn't be a complete washout, but it will be
a good idea to keep an eye to the sky and stay up to date with the
latest forecast. Mid-level drier air will funnel in from the west
behind the cold front Monday evening, which should help curb the
flooding threat.

Isolated showers and thunderstorms will remain possible Tuesday as
an upper-level low spins over the Northeast. The flooding threat for
Tuesday and Wednesday looks low at this time.

&&

.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
As of 1150 AM Saturday...

Showers will remain in the forecast Wednesday, but drier weather
should build into the area from Thursday onward as high pressure
expands into the middle Ohio Valley. Temperatures Wednesday and
Thursday will be much cooler than what we have seen recently. Highs
will only be in the upper 60s in the mountains to the 70s in the
lowlands. Temperatures should gradually warm back into the 80s again
by next weekend as high pressure slides to the east and a southerly
flow returns.

&&

.AVIATION /02Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
As of 730 PM Saturday...

For tonight, we cannot rule out thunderstorm or shower activity
as a cold front moves on through. However, by early morning
surface flow will go calm and the clouds will mostly clear
behind the front setting up the area for a good foggy night and
nothing else. Have coded up IFR or worse under foggy conditions
at all sites. VIS will likely jump around all morning until
lifting out by around 13Z. Thereafter, VFR with partly cloudy
skies becoming active by the afternoon with thunderstorm/shower
probability increasing through the afternoon.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY...

FORECAST CONFIDENCE: High.

ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Onset timing of fog and its intensity may
vary for late tonight into Sunday morning.

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.

DATE                                                            SUN 05/26/24
UTC 1HRLY       00   01   02   03   04   05   06   07   08   09   10   11
EDT 1HRLY       20   21   22   23   00   01   02   03   04   05   06   07
CRW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    L    L    M    M    M    L    L
HTS CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    L    M    L    L    M    L    L
BKW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    M    L    M    L    M    L    L
EKN CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    M    M    M    M    M    M
PKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    L    M    L    M    L    L
CKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    M    L    M    M    L    L

AFTER 00Z MONDAY...
IFR possible at times in showers and storms through early next
week.

&&

.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...None.
OH...None.
KY...None.
VA...None.

&&

SYNOPSIS...MEK/JMC
NEAR TERM...JZ/MEK
SHORT TERM...JMC
LONG TERM...JMC
AVIATION...JZ

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Charleston WV
352 AM EDT Sat May 25 2024

OHZ066-067-075-076-084-085-VAZ004-WVZ007>011-014>020-025>034-039-040-
515>526-260800-
Perry-Morgan-Athens-Washington-Vinton-Meigs-Buchanan-Mason-
Jackson WV-Wood-Pleasants-Tyler-Putnam-Kanawha-Roane-Wirt-Calhoun-
Ritchie-Doddridge-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-
352 AM EDT Sat May 25 2024

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast Ohio,
portions of southwest Virginia and much of West Virginia.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight.

Isolated severe storms could produce strong gusty winds or hail this
afternoon and evening. Localized flash flooding is also possible.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

Isolated severe thunderstorms are possible Sunday and Monday.
Localized flash flooding remains a concern as rounds of rain
continue to impact the area early next week.

.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.

KYZ101>103-105-OHZ083-086-087-VAZ003-WVZ005-006-013-024-260800-
Greenup-Carter-Boyd-Lawrence KY-Jackson OH-Gallia-Lawrence OH-
Dickenson-Wayne-Cabell-Lincoln-Mingo-
352 AM EDT Sat May 25 2024

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Kentucky, portions
of southeast Ohio, portions of southwest Virginia, and portions of
southern and western West Virginia.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight.

Isolated severe storms could produce strong gusty winds or hail this
afternoon and evening. Localized flash flooding is also possible.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

Scattered to possibly numerous severe thunderstorms are possible on
Sunday. Isolated severe storms may again develop on Monday. Localized
flash flooding remains a concern as rounds of rain continue to
impact the area early next week.

.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.

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Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
1259 AM EDT Sun May 26 2024

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1125 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Grafton                 39.34N 80.03W
05/25/2024                   Taylor             WV   911 Call Center

            Tree down on Webster Pike. Time Estimated
            from radar.

&&

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
102 AM EDT Sun May 26 2024

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1130 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Flemington              39.27N 80.13W
05/25/2024                   Taylor             WV   911 Call Center

            Tree down reported on Simpson Road near
            Flemington.

&&

JLB

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
103 AM EDT Sun May 26 2024

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1120 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Bridgeport              39.29N 80.25W
05/25/2024                   Harrison           WV   911 Call Center

            Tree down on West Olive St. Time estimated
            from radar.

&&