Flash Flood — Kanawha, West Virginia

2003-06-16 · near Pocatalico, Kanawha, West Virginia

Event narrative

The initial flooding began along Grapevine Creek and Legg Fork in the Sissonville and Pocatalico region, but shifted southeast after dawn. The flooding became more severe after 0730E in the area from Charleston northeast toward Rutledge and Pinch. The axis of the heaviest rain was slightly east of the flash flood on the 11th. However, both flood events hit the Pinch vicinity hard. The airport was on the western edge of the heavy rain this Monday morning, measuring 1.9 inches between 0600-1000E. Amounts of 2.5 to 3.5 inches likely fell just to the east and northeast of the airport, with isolated amounts of 3.5 to 4 inches possible in those 4 hours. A National Weather Service employee measured 3 inches of rain on Valley Grove Branch near Rutledge.Severe flash flooding hit Elk Two Mile, mainly downstream of its junction with Valley Grove Branch at Rutledge. This severe flash flooding also included the Baker Fork tributary. Other hard hit streams included Mill Creek, Indian Creek, Pinch Creek, and Blue Creek. Businesses, plus the Kanawha County Animal Shelter, and a state and federal office building were flooded along Route 114. Some buildings had 4 feet of water inside. Employees of the Federal Express office sought refuge, from the rising water, on their flat rooftop. Passengers arriving at Yeager Airport could not leave the hilltop. Meanwhile, no one could get to the airport to catch departing planes.An American Red Cross survey, including the events on the 11th and 16th, had 46 homes destroyed, over 150 homes with major damage. Around 50 apartment units were also destroyed or heavily damaged. Many vehicles were flooded, some washed into the stream bed. The 2 flash floods on the 11 and 16th, contributed greatly to Charleston's monthly rain amount of 9.9 inches. It was the second wettest June on record at Charleston.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5365182. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.