

000 

WGUS71 KRLX 191327

FFSRLX

KYZ101>103-105-OHZ066-067-075-076-083>087-VAZ003-004-WVZ005>010-

013>019-024>027-033>037-181530-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV

927 AM EDT FRI MAY 18 2001



...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES UNTIL NOON TODAY FOR SOUTHEASTERN 

OHIO...NORTHEASTERN KENTUCKY...BUCHANAN AND DICKENSON COUNTIES IN 

VIRGINIA AND MUCH OF WEST VIRGINIA SOUTH OF AN LINE FROM 

MIDDLEBOURNE TO GLENVILLE TO WEBSTER SPRINGS...



THERE ARE NO FLOOD WARNINGS IN EFFECT AT THIS TIME. 



RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAIN FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT...COMPOUNDED WITH 

RAINFALL EARLIER IN THE WEEK...CONTINUES TO KEEP MANY SMALL STREAMS 

ACROSS THE WATCH AREA WELL ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS.  



A BAND OF SHOWERS ORIENTED FROM WEST TO EAST HAD WEAKENED AND MOVED 

FROM CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA...EASTWARD INTO THE MOUNTAINS.  ANOTHER 

BATCH OF RAIN OVER SOUTHERN OHIO WAS APPROACHING FROM THE WEST.  

THIS RAIN COULD WILL CROSS THROUGH SOUTHEAST OHIO AND NORTHEAST 

KENTUCKY AND WESTERN WEST VIRGINIA THROUGH MIDDAY.  



THE RIVER FLOOD WARNING FOR THE COAL RIVER AT TORNADO HAS BEEN 

CANCELED.  AT 9 AM THE STAGE AT TORNADO WAS 24.2 FEET. FLOOD STAGE 

IS 25 FEET. THE RIVER CRESTED AT 4 AM THIS MORNING AT 25.1 FEET. A 

SLOW FALL IS ANTICIPATED ON THE COAL RIVER THIS MORNING. AT 8 AM 

SOME ROADS IN THE VICINITY OF THE COAL RIVER WERE STILL BLOCKED BY 

HIGH WATER. STAY AWAY FROM THE BANKS OF THE COAL RIVER...WHERE THE 

GROUND MAY BE UNSTABLE DUE TO SATURATION. THE HIGH WATER ON THE COAL 

WILL ALSO BE SWIFTLY FLOWING TODAY.



BACKWATER FLOODING PROBLEMS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE TODAY ALONG THE 

HOCKING RIVER NEAR ATHENS...AS WELL AS THE GUYANDOTTE RIVER NEAR 

BRANCHLAND...AND THE KANAWHA RIVER NEAR CHARLESTON. 



MINOR FLOODING PROBLEMS WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING ALONG PORTIONS OF 

THE MEADOW RIVER IN NICHOLAS COUNTY...AS WELL AS ALONG PORTIONS OF 

THE HEADWATERS OF THE ELK UPSTREAM FROM SUTTON DAM.  THERE MAY BE 

MINOR RESIDUAL FLOODING ALMOST ANYWHERE IN THE WATCH AREA THROUGH 

THE MORNING.  



<<< CALL TO ACTION >>> DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE

WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW

YOUR CAR TO CROSS SAFELY. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE

ABANDONED IMMEDIATELY.



STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER MEDIA FOR FURTHER DETAILS

OR UPDATES.



.END/TRM/NMB

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