Flood — Pocahontas, West Virginia

2024-01-28 · near Thorny Creek, Pocahontas, West Virginia

Event narrative

In Huntersville, the gage on Knapp Creek exceeded its bankfull level of 9 feet on the morning of January 28th. The creek crested at 9.2 feet and then returned to its banks by late morning. Farmland, fields, and out buildings flooded along Knapp Creek and Browns Creek. Water came right up to but not over Route 39 near Huntersville.

Wider weather episode

Rain entered into West Virginia on January 27th ahead of a low pressure system and continued into the following day as the low progressed overhead. Around 0.5 to 1.5 inches of rain fell across portions of the state which had already been impacted by another system just days before. In Pocahontas County, this new batch of rain initiated flooding along Knapp Creek on the morning of the 28th. The creek crested and then lowered back into its banks later that day.

Both coverage and intensity of precipitation diminished during the afternoon and evening hours of the 28th, but moisture wrapping in behind the low continued to support light showers and an eventual transition to snow later that night.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (38.2191, -80.0402)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1152979. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.