Heavy Rain — Jackson, West Virginia

2014-12-06 · near Hemlock, Jackson, West Virginia

Direct deaths

Injuries

$30K

Property damage

Event narrative

A SUV traveling northbound on Interstate 77 lost control on wet pavement and veered into the median. This occurred at mile marker 143 between Ripley and Ravenswood. The vehicle crashed through a cable median and into the southbound traffic. A pickup truck traveling south hit the broadside of the SUV causing it to catch fire. Five of the 6 people in the SUV were killed. These are considered indirect weather deaths.

Investigating officers of the WV State Police believed weather played a contributing factor. Areas of moderate rain were in the vicinity.

Wider weather episode

Light to moderate rain fell most of the day. Rain amounts of 1 to 1.5 inches were common.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (38.8805, -81.7406)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 544779. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.