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Event Details

Event	Flash Flood
-- Flood Cause	Heavy Rain
State	WEST VIRGINIA
County/Area	DODDRIDGE
WFO	RLX
Begin Date	02/29/2012 15:35:00 EST-5
Begin Range	1
Begin Azimuth	SW
Begin Location	ASHLEY
Begin Lat/Lon	39.39/-80.68
End Date	02/29/2012 19:35:00 EST-5
End Range	2
End Azimuth	E
End Location	DOAK
End Lat/Lon	39.32/-80.59
Deaths Direct/Indirect	0/0 (fatality details below, when available...)
Injuries Direct/Indirect	0/0
Property Damage	200.00K
Crop Damage	0.00K
Episode Narrative	Ahead of a warm front, showers and embedded thunderstorms began before dawn on Wednesday, the 29th. The warm front lifted northeast through West Virginia between dawn and midday. By late afternoon that warm front had lifted into the northern panhandle and southwestern Pennsylvania. In the warm sector, the showers diminished by late morning and midday across the southern half of West Virginia. However, despite being just south of the warm front, showers and thunderstorms continued during the afternoon near the Route 50 corridor across northern West Virginia. The heaviest rain rates fell during the late morning into the early afternoon hours. Around 0.75 inches of rain fell in less than 3 hours. By mid afternoon, 8 to 12 hour rain totals of 1 to 1.5 inches were common from near Wood, Pleasants, and Tyler Counties on east into Harrison, Taylor, Lewis, and Upshur Counties. Rain totals of 1.5 to 2.5 inches were common in 24 hours. A local maximum of 2.6 inches was measured at Kesling Mill in northern Upshur County. A more extensive 24 hour rainfall maximum of 2.5 to 3 inches stretched across northern Harrison into northern Taylor Counties. This was toward the border with Marion and Preston Counties. For example, Valley Falls State Park reported 2.7 inches by 1800E on the 29th. Prior to the rain, the ground was already wetter than normal. The vegetation was still dormant. As a result, small streams flooded quickly. Urban street and poor drainage flooding also occurred. While the flooding was occurring, instability increased during the afternoon over southern West Virginia, ahead of an approaching cold front. These additional showers and thunderstorms did produce some hail and wind damage during the mid and late afternoon. Luckily, the heaviest downpours remained mostly south of the areas hit harder earlier in the day. Governor Earl Ray Tomblin declared a state of emergency due to the flooding. This event would be combined with another severe weather event on March 2nd to be declared a federal disaster by President Barack Obama. See FEMA disaster number 4059 for more details.
Event Narrative	Small streams, such as Broad Run and Franks Run, flooded. Roads, culverts, and 2 private bridges were damaged.

All events for this episode:

Location	County/Zone	St.	Date	Time	T.Z.	Type	Mag	PrD	CrD
Totals:								1.255M	0.00K
ROCK CAVE	UPSHUR CO.	WV	02/29/2012	14:30	EST-5	Flash Flood		20.00K	0.00K
GREENVIEW	BOONE CO.	WV	02/29/2012	15:20	EST-5	Thunderstorm Wind	50 kts. EG	5.00K	0.00K
ASHLEY	DODDRIDGE CO.	WV	02/29/2012	15:35	EST-5	Flash Flood		200.00K	0.00K
ELLENBORO	RITCHIE CO.	WV	02/29/2012	15:35	EST-5	Flash Flood		100.00K	0.00K
WALLACE	HARRISON CO.	WV	02/29/2012	15:45	EST-5	Flash Flood		475.00K	0.00K
VICTOR	FAYETTE CO.	WV	02/29/2012	16:00	EST-5	Thunderstorm Wind	50 kts. EG	5.00K	0.00K
LOBATA	MINGO CO.	WV	02/29/2012	16:00	EST-5	Thunderstorm Wind	50 kts. EG	4.00K	0.00K
FALLS MILLS	TYLER CO.	WV	02/29/2012	16:00	EST-5	Flash Flood		25.00K	0.00K
HEPZIBAH	TAYLOR CO.	WV	02/29/2012	16:10	EST-5	Flash Flood		400.00K	0.00K
HICO	FAYETTE CO.	WV	02/29/2012	16:10	EST-5	Thunderstorm Wind	50 kts. EG	5.00K	0.00K
PROVINCE GROVE	WOOD CO.	WV	02/29/2012	16:30	EST-5	Thunderstorm Wind	74 kts. EG	15.00K	0.00K
MILL CREEK	RANDOLPH CO.	WV	02/29/2012	20:00	EST-5	Flood		1.00K	0.00K
COALTON	RANDOLPH CO.	WV	02/29/2012	23:15	EST-5	Hail	1.00 in.	0.00K	0.00K
Totals:								1.255M	0.00K