Winter Weather — Southeast Webster, West Virginia

2024-02-13 · Southeast Webster, West Virginia

Wider weather episode

Precipitation spread northwest into the area on the afternoon and evening of February 12th due to an approaching low-pressure system. The bulk of precipitation fell across western and central West Virginia as the system moved overhead, with most locations receiving between one and two inches of rain during the night.

Flooding developed around midnight, with multiple reports of high water spanning Cabell, Kanawha, Lincoln, Putnam, and Clay Counties. In Lincoln County, the Hamlin and Griffithsville river gauges exceeded bankfull levels and caused flooding in nearby fields and roadways. One fatality occurred in Roane County when a creek in Spencer exceeded its banks and flooded a nearby baseball field. Three to four feet of water filled the dugout and claimed the life of a man who had fallen asleep inside.

Lowering temperatures accompanied the departure of the system early on the 13th, allowing rain to transition to snow before precipitation exited to the east later that morning. One to three inches of snow accumulated within the higher terrain of Nicholas and Webster Counties, while a four inch observation was reported near Snowshoe in Pocahontas County. Amounts diminished to less than an inch outside of the northeast mountains. Strong bursts of wind were also observed during this time. There was one instance of a downed tree near the town of Anstead in Fayette County.

After precipitation ceased on the 13th, high waters slowly receded over the course of the day, though a few pockets of flooding persisted in Cabell County until early on the 14th.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1164861. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.