Thunderstorm Wind in Cabell County, West Virginia

Tree damage along Grant Gardens Road resulted in local power outages in the Ona area.

Several days of active weather took place across West Virginia from July 14th to the 17th in response to a cold front festering over the area. A warm, moist, and unstable environment in the midst of the front's residency conjured up daily chances for afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. While one instance of flooding took place on the front end of this active period, the predominant impacts observed during this stretch occurred within bursts of damaging wind gusts from strong thunderstorms. During peak heating hours, strong thunderstorms would fire up around the Ohio River Valley and progress eastward through West Virginia until weakening and moving out of the area. Downed trees and power lines occurred in the midst of these storms each afternoon on the 16th and 17th before the cold front finally pressed through and brought severe weather concerns to an end.

Storms on the 14th were very efficient rainfall producers, easily depositing one to two inches of precipitation in a short period of time. The highest rain amounts, around two to three inches, fell across portions of southeast Ohio and northwest West Virginia. One community in Roane County experienced flash flooding on local roadways after three inches of rain fell.