Storm moves through quickly

Josephine E. Moore and Steve Keenan, The Register-Herald, Beckley, W.Va.
·3 min read

Aug. 7—The front edge of a storm front moved through southern West Virginia quickly Monday afternoon, releasing torrential rain and gusts of wind but leaving the worst for parts of the state further north.

The storm hit Raleigh County just as the regular workday was ending.

The area was under a tornado watch for the better part of the day, with the National Weather Service reporting severe thunderstorms Monday afternoon with gusts as high as 28 mph. Forecasts had predicted wind gusts of up to 80 miles per hour and large hail. That did not materialize.

Simone Lewis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Charleston, said the storms were concentrated Monday morning in the north near the Ohio River and east of Kanawha County.

MetroNews reported Preston County had trees toppled by the winds along with downed power lines as the storm rolled through around noon.

There were no reports of any injuries or tornado funnel sightings.

"The severe weather that rolled through has affected about 23,000 customers so far," Mon Power spokesperson Hannah Catlett told MetroNews. "Mon Power quickly restored power to 5,000 of those people, and we're out there working as quickly and safely as possible on those remaining 18,000 people."

Lewis advised that, while the weather is continuing to change, people need to ensure they have a way to receive weather-related alerts through local media, social media or the National Weather Service.

In the event of a severe thunderstorm warning, which Lewis said would include damaging winds greater than 60 mph or large hail, people should seek shelter.

"It is best to seek shelter in a sturdy building. In the lower portions of that building, preferably a basement," she said. "If you don't have access to a basement, it is best to try to go into an interior room of the house such as a bathroom."

Lewis said people who live in flood-prone areas, such as near a creek or stream, should keep an eye out and seek higher ground if necessary.

Following storms Monday, Lewis said Tuesday "should be quiet."

"The Raleigh County area is not even outlooked for thunderstorms (Tuesday)," she said.

As the dinner hour approached in Fayette County on Monday, Office of Emergency Management Director Kevin Walker said things had been pretty quiet.

"As of right now, there's nothing that's been reported," Walker said late Monday afternoon. "We're still under a tornado watch until 6 p.m.

"Right now, we're in a preparedness role (and will respond) in the event something happens. We're functioning under the state of preparedness the governor issued (Monday afternoon)."

Likewise, John McGinnis, the director of emergency management in Nicholas County, said that his area had seen mostly scattered rain as of 5 p.m., but radar was showing a possible arrival of harsher weather closer to 6 p.m.

For more weather-related updates for the southern West Virginia area, go to The Register-Herald online weather page at https://www.register-herald.com/weather/ or check the U.S. National Weather Service for Charleston WV or Blacksburg VA on Facebook.