Drought in West Virginia, September 1 to 30, 2025

Name: Drought in West Virginia, September 1 to 30, 2025
Start: 2025-09-01T00:00
End: 2025-09-30T23:59
Location: West Virginia

September 1 to 30, 2025 · NWS RLX · 40 events in 40 counties and zones

Where it happened

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.

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Fire, smoke and dust
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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 40

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.

Fairly dry conditions were observed from late August into September, which resulted in at least abnormally dry conditions (D0) across the majority of the area. By the beginning of September, a stripe of moderate drought (D1) had developed across the middle of the state from the northeast mountains down across the central part of the state and over to the southwestern counties along the Ohio, Big Sandy, and Tug Fork Rivers. While most of the area remained in D0 or D1, portions of Barbour, Pocahontas, Randolph, Upshur, and Webster Counties experienced a further degradation to severe drought (D2) in the first week of the month.

A prolonged period of dry weather continued into the second week of the month, prompting at least D1 conditions for all except far southwestern West Virginia. Meanwhile, D2 spread across central, northeast and northwest West Virginia to include parts of Barbour, Braxton, Clay, Doddridge, Jackson, Kanawha, Lewis, Nicholas, Pleasants, Pocahontas, Putnam, Randolph, Roane, Tyler, and Upshur Counties. A pocket of extreme drought (D3) also formed in portions of Barbour, Braxton, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Randolph, Upshur, and Webster counties.

During the third week of the month, over 100 reports of mainly agricultural impacts prompted slight expansions of both D2 and D3 conditions, while D1 and D0 remained unchanged.

Rounds of rain and thunderstorms finally began to bring more substantial precipitation to the area late in the month, which resulted in one to two category improvements across parts of western and southern West Virginia. Improvement to D0 or better occurred in Cabell, northern Calhoun, southern Doddridge, northwest Gilmer, Harrison, northern Jackson, southern Lincoln, western Logan, Mason, western Mingo, southern Pleasants, Ritchie, northern Roane, Wayne, Wirt, and Wood. Improvement to D1 occurred in Putnam and southern Jackson. Meanwhile, lesser rain amounts to the north and east perpetuated D1 to D3 conditions across parts of central and eastern West Virginia, with small southward expansions of D1 and D2 even occurring along the mountains. A pocket of D1 to D2 also persisted in northern Doddridge, northern Pleasants, and Tyler. The worst of the drought (D3) continued to span parts of Braxton, Clay, Lewis, Nicholas, Randolph, Pocahontas, Upshur, and Webster Counties through the end of the month.

Drought-related impacts included stressed orchards, dry grasses, reduced crop yield, the necessity of supplemental feed, and very low water levels in creeks, streams, and small rivers. A midge-transmitted disease called Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) also significantly impacted deer populations across western West Virginia. Although EHD does occur annually, drought conditions can trigger outbreaks that do not typically subside until after the first frost. By the end of September, at least 1,700 deer fatalities in West Virginia were attributed to EHD.

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 Aug 31, 6:30 PM EST, 5 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 31, 6:30 PM EST, 5 hours 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Charleston WV
730 PM EDT Sun Aug 31 2025

.SYNOPSIS...
Dry weather opens up the month of September amid high
pressure. Better rain chances arrive around mid-week ahead of a
cold front.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH MONDAY/...
As of 445 PM Sunday...

Main change this period was to bump up POPs for the mountains
between now and 00z to show a bit broader area of scattered
showers and storms along and near the mountains, given current
conditions and latest hi-res guidance. Still expect things to be
mostly wrapped up by 00z/8pm this evening. Otherwise, did tweak
forecast lows down a bit by blending in the NBM 10th
percentile, given how observed lows have been undercutting the
deterministic NBM on these recent clear and calm nights.

As of 130 PM Sunday...

A pleasant afternoon is underway for most of the forecast area
today under the guise of nearby high pressure. The afternoon
cumulus field that has stretched up the Appalachian mountains
has sprouted a few showers and storms down in the southern
coalfields. This area of activity should trail off quickly this
evening with the loss of diurnal heating, setting up for another
quiet night across the area outside of river valley fog
formation.

The month of September opens up with the continuation of mostly
quiet weather with the support of high pressure parked over the
Great Lakes region. A lack of shortwave energy will yield little
to no chances for precipitation Monday afternoon. Temperatures
will adjust up a degree or two between this afternoon and
Monday, with a few spots in the Tri-State area settling into the
low 80s.

&&

.SHORT TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
As of 130 PM Sunday...

After a stretch of dry weather, potential for showers and
storms make their return to the forecast area by the latter half
of the day Tuesday. This will be in response to surface high
pressure becoming nudged eastward ahead of a disturbance
arriving closer to midweek. Low level winds veering out of an
onshore flow position will encourage increased moisture to set
up a warmer, and slightly unstable atmosphere to support a few
afternoon showers and embedded thunderstorms to drift into
eastern Kentucky and southwestern West Virginia before sunset.
This potential grows in earnest on Wednesday as additional
moisture streams into the region amid an encroaching cold front.

&&

.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/...
As of 130 PM Sunday...

Pre-frontal southerly flow will continue to usher in moisture
for the start of the forecast period that will aid in showers
and storms first noted during the day on Wednesday. While
coverage will diminish with the loss of daytime heating
Wednesday night, central guidance still holds onto precipitation
chances of around 30 percent during the overnight period. This
potential rises steadily throughout the day Thursday as the cold
front swings through the Ohio Valley. Frontal passage is slated
to take place sometime between Thursday night and Friday
morning, and should be quickly followed by a secondary frontal
boundary for the end of the work week. After the parade of
frontal boundaries, rain chances will clear out for the start of
the weekend.

&&

.AVIATION /23Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
As of 730 PM Sunday...

We continue our game of "Where and when will it fog tonight?",
and given similar conditions to last night, we held with the 18z
forecast thinking of a repeat of last night. Several hours of
dense fog before and just after dawn are expected at EKN, with
a shorter period at CRW, possibly just briefly around dawn as
the fog lifts out of the Elk River valley and affects the
airfield. For now, we are not forecasting fog to impact any
other TAF sites, as gradient winds may keep things mixed just
enough, but will need to watch if the others besides BKW can
fully decouple. Otherwise, should be VFR conditions through the
period with calm or light winds.

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

FORECAST CONFIDENCE: High.

ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Timing or extent of valley fog later
tonight may vary from the forecast.

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                                                                 MON
UTC 1HRLY       23   00   01   02   03   04   05   06   07   08   09   10
EDT 1HRLY       19   20   21   22   23   00   01   02   03   04   05   06
CRW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    L    L
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  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M    L    M    M
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 00Z TUESDAY...
IFR conditions possible in heavier showers and storms within an
encroaching cold front starting midweek.

&&

.CLIMATE...
A record low temperature of 46 degrees was set at Parkersburg,
WV today. This breaks the old record of 49 degrees set in 1929
and also tied in 1935 and 1976.

Over the last five days, Parkersburg has set or tied a record
on four of the five days (set two and tied two).

&&

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

&&

SYNOPSIS...MEK/FK
NEAR TERM...MEK/FK
SHORT TERM...MEK
LONG TERM...MEK
AVIATION...FK

CLIMATE...MEK/GW

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

40 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Barbour

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Barbour forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 39.133, -80.003 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Boone

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Boone forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.023, -81.711 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Braxton

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Braxton forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.700, -80.719 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cabell

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Cabell forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.420, -82.242 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Calhoun

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Calhoun forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.845, -81.118 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Clay

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Clay forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.463, -81.075 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Doddridge

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Doddridge forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 39.269, -80.707 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Gilmer

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Gilmer forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.924, -80.857 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Harrison

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Harrison forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 39.284, -80.380 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Jackson

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Jackson forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.835, -81.675 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Kanawha

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Kanawha forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.337, -81.528 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lewis

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Lewis forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.996, -80.502 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lincoln

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.175, -82.070 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Logan

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Logan forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 37.832, -81.935 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Mason

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Mason forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.770, -82.026 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, McDowell

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: McDowell forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 37.379, -81.654 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Mingo

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Mingo forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 37.726, -82.135 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Northwest Fayette

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Northwest Fayette forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.029, -81.081 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Northwest Nicholas

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Northwest Nicholas forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.292, -80.799 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Northwest Pocahontas

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Northwest Pocahontas forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.332, -80.008 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Northwest Raleigh

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Northwest Raleigh forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 37.771, -81.249 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Northwest Randolph

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Northwest Randolph forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.775, -79.876 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Northwest Webster

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Northwest Webster forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.495, -80.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Pleasants

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Pleasants forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 39.371, -81.161 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Putnam

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Putnam forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.509, -81.909 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Ritchie

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Ritchie forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 39.178, -81.063 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Roane

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Roane forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.714, -81.348 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Southeast Fayette

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Southeast Fayette forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.029, -81.081 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Southeast Nicholas

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Southeast Nicholas forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.292, -80.799 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Southeast Pocahontas

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Southeast Pocahontas forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.332, -80.008 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Southeast Raleigh

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Southeast Raleigh forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 37.771, -81.249 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Southeast Randolph

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Southeast Randolph forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.775, -79.876 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Southeast Webster

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Southeast Webster forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.495, -80.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Taylor

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Taylor forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 39.336, -80.046 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Tyler

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Tyler forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 39.465, -80.885 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Upshur

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Upshur forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.898, -80.233 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Wayne

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.146, -82.427 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Wirt

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Wirt forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 39.022, -81.379 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Wood

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Wood forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 39.211, -81.515 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Wyoming

When: September 1, 12:00 AM EST to September 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Wyoming forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 37.610, -81.549 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Drought: A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in West Virginia in 2025 Every state in 2025 This day in weather history Warnings in West Virginia, September 2025

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1289876, 1289877, 1289878, 1289879, 1289880, 1289881, 1289882, 1289883, 1289884, 1289885, 1289886, 1289887, 1289888, 1289889, 1289890, 1289891, 1289892, 1289906, 1289907, 1289908, 1289909, 1289910, 1289911, 1289912, 1289913, 1289914, 1289915, 1289916, 1289917, 1289918, 1289919, 1289920, 1289921, 1289922, 1289923, 1289924, 1289925, 1289926, 1289927, 1289928.