Flash Flood — Jackson, West Virginia

2025-05-13 · near Belgrove, Jackson, West Virginia

Event narrative

Grasslick Creek and Grasslick Run exceeded their banks, causing flooding along Homer Smith Road and other streets in the area. Some homes also flooded. 2.63 inches of rain fell between 515 and 615 PM.

Wider weather episode

A frontal boundary stalled over the state of West Virginia beginning on May 11th, then dissolved over the area while a disturbance approached from the southwest on the 12th. Widespread precipitation progressed northward across the area on the 12th, followed by rounds of scattered showers and thunderstorms continuing to impact the area over the next couple of days as an upper level trough and surface low pressure system traversed the Ohio Valley.

During the afternoon and evening of May 13th, strong thunderstorms downed trees and power lines across portions of the area. Heavy rainfall within storms also led to widespread half to one and a half in rainfall amounts, with pockets of 2 to 4 inch rainfall amounts across portions of West Virginia. Heavy rain over previously saturated ground prompted flash flooding in Braxton, Clay, Harrison, Jackson, and Lewis Counties. Mudslides also occurred in Boone and Lewis Counties, with one instance of a mobile home being evacuated due to water reaching chest level.

The risk for severe weather concluded by May 14th once the surface low sprinted off the eastern seaboard. Floodwaters also receded in the wake of showers and storms.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (38.7147, -81.5994)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1252058. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.