Flash Flood — Roane, West Virginia

2013-06-13 · near Peniel, Roane, West Virginia

Event narrative

A downpour occurred between 0500 and 0700E, followed by a lull, with a final downpour around 1045E to 1115E.

The heaviest band was oriented west to east along the Route 33 corridor on south to the headwaters of the Pocatalico River. The heaviest rain was on the order of 1.5 to near 2 inches in an hour shortly after dawn. Near Looneyville, the heaviest measured rate was 1.8 inches between 0545 and 0645E. Spencer had 1.4 inches between 0500 and 0600E with near 2 inches by 0700E. All total, the measured amounts including the final midday downpour was 2.8 inches at the National Weather Service cooperative observer in Spencer and the automatic gauge near Spencer. The gauge at Looneyville had 2.5 inches. However, total storm amounts over 3 inches were possible between Spencer and Looneyville.

The Spring Creek basin, including Tanner Fork, flooded the county seat of Spencer. The usual low spots like along Front Street and Church Street were flooded. The low income apartment complex for senior citizens flooded. Water was over 1 foot deep on the first floor of several of those apartments. The Route 119 corridor near Walmart flooded. The creek did not cross over the top of Route 119, but backwater from feeder runs and urban drainage collected in the residential area on the west side. This included the Reynolds and Bell Streets vicinity. Homes in the Alvord section of town, that usually do not see water, had water. Blocked culverts in front of the 911 Center contributed to the evacuation of the 911 Center including the office of emergency services. Water also flooded the ambulance authority building. The local feed and garden store was flooded. Water surrounded a pharmacy store. Several water rescues were performed.

Further south, the lowlands around Walton were flooded by the Pocatalico River, including along River Road. Water got into the Walton Post Office. The local middle school had runoff enter the building from the adjacent hillsides.

About 40 people were displaced by the flooding. A Red Cross shelter was set up in the local armory. Around 7 people stayed there overnight.

Governor Tomblin declared a state of emergency for Roane County. National Guard troops were placed on active duty to help do wellness checks and ship supplies.

State individual damage assessment counted 1 manufactured home destroyed. In terms of single family homes, none were destroyed, 47 had major damage, with another 41 with minor damage. One multifamily dwelling had major damage, with 14 others sustaining minor damage.

Wider weather episode

A warm front lifted north, through West Virginia, during the day on Wednesday. Heating and instability increased greatly during the afternoon of the 12th. Dew points reached into the lower 70s across the lowlands. Disturbances in the mid and upper levels rippled southeast from the lower Great Lakes initially. Additional disturbances then moved east overnight into Thursday the 13th.

The first round of showers and thunderstorms formed across in northern Ohio during the early evening of the 12th, then raced southeast into northern West Virginia as the new calendar day began.

Those initial cells did become repetitive in a few spots, such as northern Taylor County north of Grafton. This did not cause any serious flooding, but helped saturate the ground.

Meanwhile, another larger cluster of showers and thunderstorms moved out of northern Indiana, through Ohio, reaching into West Virginia during the predawn hours. The southern edge of this complex became oriented west to east, along the fast flow aloft. As a result, repetitive cells did dump heavy rain from Jackson County through southern Roane, southern Calhoun, southern Gilmer, Braxton, and Webster Counties. Rain amounts over 2 inches were common in that west to east band. The most serious of the flooding occurred in Roane County. By late July, this led to a Presidential disaster declaration. See FEMA DR-4132 for more details.

A break in the rain occurred during the mid to late morning hours on the 13th. A few smaller showers and thunderstorms did form over north central West Virginia during this time frame. The final round of strong to severe showers and thunderstorms streaked east at 50 mph, out of Ohio, reaching West Virginia after 1000E on the 13th. This final round was also associated with the surface cold front. Wind gusts of 40 to 45 mph were common. Yet, the leading edge did become stronger as it headed into southeastern counties of West Virginia.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (38.8200, -81.4500)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 446091. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.