Flood in Mercer County, West Virginia

The Bluestone River near Spanishburg, WV (SPNW2), crested at 15.10 feet above the Moderate Flood Stage of 15 feet at 5:40 am EST on the 1st. This is the 6th-highest documented crest dating back to 2010. Flooding from the river was observed approaching Highway 19/Beckley Road across the parking lot of the Rich Creek Baptist Church. Other portions of Highway 19 were flooded, including near the intersection with Old Spanishburg Road upstream from the gage.

A deep low pressure system moved from the Four-Corners region east across the states bordering the Gulf of America. This resulted in deep moisture flow riding a southwesterly 50-knot low level jet from the Gulf through the central Appalachians and the upper Ohio River Valley beginning on January 31st, with precipitable water values rapidly increasing into the 1.1 to 1.2 inch range by sunrise across most of the lower Mid-Atlantic. These values were roughly 2 standard deviations above normal for early February. Snow cover prior to the event was confined to the higher terrain of western Greenbrier County into Pocahontas County, with snow-water equivalent totals ranging from 1.1 to 1.8 inches. Melt water from these locations flowed either into the Greenbrier River or the Meadow River. Steady rainfall entered southeast West Virginia early on the 31st and persisted through around 7 pm before exiting to the east. Storm total rainfall amounts with this event ranged mainly from 1.75 to 2.50, though with locally higher and lower amounts. Prior to the event, multiple stream gages across southeast West Virginia were reporting flows that were below normal, ranging between the 10th to 24th percentile of 28-day average streamflows, though soil moisture was in the normal range. D0: Abnormally Dry conditions were in place per the US Drought Monitor.