Flood in Wyoming County, West Virginia

The gage along Clear Fork River at Clear Fork exceeded a bankfull level of 11 feet on the evening of January 31st. The river crested around 11.1 feet and then receded below bankfull again that night. Portions of Charlie Hatfield Road observed high water issues while the river spilled out of its banks.

An advancing low pressure system set forth ample amounts of lift and moisture to round out the month of January. Widespread rainfall first entered into the southwestern coalfields of West Virginia on the morning of January 31st, and continued to invade northeastward and up into the higher terrain of the state. Local creeks and streams quickly spilled out of their banks on that day in conjunction with high water issues sprouting within low lying spots as culverts backed up. The southern half of the state encountered the bulk of the flooding impacts from this system, where over an inch and a half of rain fell. Several mainstem rivers also saw a response to the inundation of water, including the Mud River, the Clear Fork River, and the Tygart Valley River. Despite the rain coming to an end on the evening of January 31st, these rivers remained out of their banks into the start of February.