Flash Flood — Cabell, West Virginia

2022-05-06 · near West Huntington, Cabell, West Virginia

Event narrative

Significant flash flooding occurred in Cabell County. The hardest hit area was the Enslow Park area where over 100 homes and many vehicles were inundated as Fourpole Creek flooded. Some vehicles were swept away. Route 10 was closed due to flash flooding near Huntinton High School, Route 60 was impassable at the East Mall Road intersection in Barboursville, and flood waters entered Davis Creek Elementary School. A 63 year old man drowned in flood waters along Kilgore Creek Road in Milton. The man was working on a farm tractor and high water swept him away.

Wider weather episode

A slow moving low pressure system, along with plenty of moisture, allowed for showers and thunderstorms to gradually move through the Ohio Valley during the day on May 6th. Heavy rainfall occurred with these storms and additional storm and shower activity developed over the same areas. A swath of 3 to 4 inches of rain fell in a narrow corridor from Huntington northeastward to Elkins, with a few isolated pockets of 4 to 5 reported. This led to considerable flash flooding. A few stronger storms also developed, one of which led to an area of tree damage in Randolph County.

Multiple water rescues took place throughout the Metro Valley, including a man who was swept away while working on his tractor in Cabell County. Additionally, several vehicles were submerged in flood waters and over one hundred homes were impacted by high water with the hardest hit area being the Enslow Park community of Huntington. Flooding occurred across many roadways throughout West Virginia, leaving multiple roads impassable for a time until the water receded.

Even after the rain had concluded, several rivers in the state rose out of their banks for the next several days. This resulted in flooding along areas adjacent to the rivers.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (38.3943, -82.4840)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1029928. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.