In the wake of a cold front on the morning of February 20th, gusty to strong post-frontal wind gusts took hold across West Virginia. This was due to a tightened pressure gradient that formed overhead, creating strong winds aloft that were capable of mixing down to the surface.
Every event with a place to put it; 20 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.
In the wake of a cold front on the morning of February 20th, gusty to strong post-frontal wind gusts took hold across West Virginia. This was due to a tightened pressure gradient that formed overhead, creating strong winds aloft that were capable of mixing down to the surface. This resulted in observed wind gusts on the order of 45 to 57 miles per hour across the state, which caused downed trees and power lines in many West Virginia counties. Impacts from the strong winds waned by the late evening hours on the 20th as high pressure encroached from the west.
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 Feb 20, 6:31 AM EST, 4 hours 29 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Charleston WV
631 AM EST Fri Feb 20 2026
.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Increasing potential of accumulating snow with a system late
this weekend into early next week.
&&
.KEY MESSAGES...
- 1) Strong thunderstorms remain possible through the early
morning hours, with locally heavy rainfall also leading to
flood concerns across portions of northeast Kentucky,
southeast Ohio, and West Virginia.
- 2) Gusty winds develop across the area today.
- 3) A system brings colder weather and an opportunity for
accumulating snow late Saturday night into Monday.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...
Rain showers and thunderstorms are currently progressing through the
area, with additional activity approaching from the south and west
in advance of a cold front. In addition to the ongoing potential for
scattered strong to severe storms, locally heavy rainfall raises
concerns over flooding. Areas at greatest risk of flooding are those
that already received heavy rain yesterday, and portions of the
northeast mountains where additional moisture may be contributed by
snow melt. Therefore, a Flood Watch remains in effect for portions
of northeast Kentucky, southeast Ohio, and West Virginia this
morning.
Showers and thunderstorms are expected to taper off from west to
east as a cold front sweeps through the area later this morning,
bringing an end to both the severe and flood threats.
KEY MESSAGE 2...
Gusty winds are expected to accompany a cold front across the area
this morning, with breezy conditions then anticipated to continue as
stronger winds aloft mix down to the surface during the day. The
majority of the area is projected to see gusts of 25 to 40 mph,
though locally stronger gusts may be possible along the higher
ridges of the northeast mountains. Confidence in reaching Wind
Advisory criteria is low enough to forego issuance, though an SPS
may be needed later this morning.
KEY MESSAGE 3...
This weekend, one area of low pressure will be present over the
Great Lakes while another low tracks across the southeast US towards
the Atlantic. This second system is then projected to intensify as
it rides north along the Mid-Atlantic Coast early next week.
Moisture is projected to increase late Saturday night into Sunday,
with an initial mix of rain and snow expected to turn to all snow as
an upper trough ushers colder air into the area Sunday morning.
Although the system begins to pull away from the area late Sunday
night, a feed of moisture from the Great Lakes sustains potential
for light snow showers through Monday.
Highest confidence in receiving four or more inches of snow exists
in and near the WV mountains, with lesser amounts expected to the
south and west. Confidence is also increasing in the need for a
Winter Storm Watch for the northeast mountains and adjacent
foothills.
&&
.AVIATION /12Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
MVFR to IFR restrictions will improve as precipitation exits to
the east, and skies clear behind a cold front this morning. Area
wide VFR is then expected for the rest of the day.
West to southwest winds should strengthen during the day, with
25 to 35 kt gusts possible across the area this afternoon.
Winds will ease overnight, becoming light early Saturday
morning.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY...
ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Timing of improvement to VFR may vary from
the forecast. Gusty winds may fluctuate.
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 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
EST 1HRLY 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
CRW CONSISTENCY M 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 M H H H H H H H H
EKN CONSISTENCY M H H H H H H H H H H H
PKB CONSISTENCY M H H H H H H H H H H H
CKB CONSISTENCY H L H H H H H H H H H H
AFTER 12Z SATURDAY...
IFR conditions possible in snow and low ceilings, particularly
across the mountains from Saturday night through Sunday, possibly
Monday too.
&&
.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...Flood Watch until 7 AM EST this morning for WVZ005>008-013>020-
026>032-039-040-517>526.
OH...Flood Watch until 7 AM EST this morning for OHZ086-087.
KY...Flood Watch until 7 AM EST this morning for KYZ101>103-105.
VA...None.
&&
DISCUSSION...20
AVIATION...20<!doctype html>
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</html>Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
853 AM EST Fri Feb 20 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0623 PM Hail 5 S Kenna 38.60N 81.64W
02/19/2026 E1.25 Inch Jackson WV Broadcast Media
&&
ABEPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
910 AM EST Fri Feb 20 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0655 PM Hail 3 ESE Spencer 38.79N 81.29W
02/19/2026 E1.75 Inch Roane WV Dept of Highways
&&
ABE<!doctype html>
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
20 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in West Virginia in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, February 2026
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1318323, 1318324, 1318326, 1318327, 1318328, 1318329, 1318518, 1318522, 1318527, 1318528, 1318529, 1318530, 1318532, 1318533, 1318534, 1318325, 1318330, 1318519, 1318521, 1318531.