Heavy Rain — Mason, West Virginia

2013-01-30 · near Elmwood, Mason, West Virginia

Event narrative

A 50 year old woman drowned, while attempting to walk across a swollen small stream, called Beech Fork. It was dark, around 2100E. She was going to work at a juvenile center. She had to cross the stream to get to her vehicle. She had left her vehicle on higher ground, knowing the stream would be flowing above normal levels. Apparently, the force of the water was too much and carried her away. Her body was found 6 hours later about 100 yards from her home.

Wider weather episode

Just ahead of a squall line, temperatures were in the upper 60s to lower 70s. Dew points were in the low and mid 50s. The convective squall line moved east at about 35 to 40 mph, causing widespread wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph. A few enhanced areas received severe convective wind gusts.

With strong dynamics aloft, widespread rain fell behind the squall line until the cold front passed on either side of 0000E on the 31st. Rain amounts of 1 to 2 inches were common, with 2.5 inches in the Greenbrier Valley. For example, Marlinton had 2.6 inches of rain.

As the prolonged rain was coming to an end, many small streams and creeks ran around bankfull late on the 30th. This caused some minor water problems. A woman drowned in Mason County, when she tried to crossed a swollen small stream.

Strong rises also occurred on the headwater rivers. Some minor river flooding occurred. The Greenbrier River crested just over 11 feet in Marlinton near dawn on the 31st. Bankfull at Marlinton is 10 feet. This caused some minor flooding around houses near the mouth of Knapp Creek. The Tug Fork River crested slightly above its 27 foot flood stage on the 31st during the early afternoon. The crest was around 28.3 feet. The Tygart Valley River overflowed around Mill Creek and Belington. The last effects of this heavy rain event was high water along the Ohio River that spilled over into early February.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (38.6742, -81.8405)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 426639. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.