A “particularly dangerous situation” Tornado Warning is in effect after a large, confirmed tornado tracked across the Ohio-West Virginia border near Sistersville Tuesday afternoon.
One of two tornado warnings issued within the hour as severe thunderstorms packing 60 mph winds and hail up to golf-ball size raked the Ohio Valley — all while severe thunderstorm watches stretch across seven states from Kentucky to Virginia.
‘Particularly Dangerous Situation’: Large Tornado Confirmed Near Sistersville, West Virginia
The NWS Charleston, WV office declared a particularly dangerous situation at 4:10 PM EDT for eastern Washington County, Ohio and northwestern Tyler County, West Virginia, warning that a large and extremely dangerous tornado was located over Sistersville, moving east at 35 mph. Radar indicated rotation with a considerable damage threat, and the tornado was expected near Middlebourne around 4:15 PM. Matamoras, New Matamoras and Friendly were also in its path.
Forecasters warned this was a life-threatening situation: mobile homes will be destroyed, and complete destruction of homes and businesses is possible. The same storm complex had earlier prompted a separate particularly-dangerous-situation warning for a “significant tornado” near New Martinsville in Monroe County, Ohio, with ping pong ball-size hail, before it crossed into West Virginia. The NWS specifically cautioned that heavy rainfall could hide the tornado from view: “Do not wait to see or hear the tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!”
Second Tornado Warning Hits the Morgantown Area
The NWS Pittsburgh office issued a separate Tornado Warning at 4:06 PM EDT for east central Monongalia County, West Virginia, until 4:30 PM. Radar indicated rotation with a storm located near Cassville, about 5 miles west of Westover, moving east at 35 mph. Morgantown, Brookhaven, Booth, Georgetown and Crown were all in the warned area, with forecasters warning of dangerous flying debris and likely tree damage.
Severe Thunderstorm Watches Blanket Seven States Into Tonight
Beyond the tornado-warned storms, three separate Severe Thunderstorm Watches cover an enormous stretch of the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic. Watch 509, issued by the NWS Blacksburg office and the Storm Prediction Center, runs until 10 PM EDT and covers virtually all of Virginia along with parts of northwest North Carolina, West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle and nearly all of Maryland, including Baltimore.
Watch 506, issued by the NWS Wilmington, Ohio office and extended by the Storm Prediction Center, runs until 8 PM EDT and spans dozens of counties across Ohio, West Virginia, northern Kentucky and six counties in southwestern Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh. Separately, Watch 508 covers nearly the entire state of Kentucky until 9 PM CDT (10 PM EDT).
Numerous Severe Thunderstorm Warnings Bring 60 MPH Winds and Hail Up to Golf Ball Size
A line of severe thunderstorms has triggered a string of warnings across the region through the afternoon. Near Caldwell, Ohio, the NWS Pittsburgh office warned of golf ball-size hail (1.75 inches) and 60 mph gusts with a considerable damage threat. A separate storm moving through Monroe and Noble counties in Ohio and Marshall and Wetzel counties in West Virginia produced hail up to 1.5 inches — ping pong ball size — alongside 60 mph winds, threatening New Martinsville, Sardis and Hannibal.
Along the Ohio River, a warning for Perry, Washington and Morgan counties in Ohio and Pleasants and Tyler counties in West Virginia covered 60 mph gusts and penny-size hail across a line stretching from Marietta to St. Marys, including Interstate 77 between mile markers 4 and 17. Further warnings covered 60 mph gusts in Randolph County, West Virginia near Elkins, and Adams County, Ohio near West Union, with torrential rainfall raising flash flood concerns in multiple warned areas.
What Residents Should Do
Anyone in or near the tornado-warned areas should take cover immediately — move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows. Those outdoors, in a mobile home or in a vehicle should move to the closest substantial shelter.
Because heavy rain can obscure a tornado, do not wait to see or hear it before taking cover. Everyone in the broader watch areas should stay alert for rapidly changing conditions through the evening, avoid driving through flooded roadways, and monitor local alerts at weather.gov/rlx, weather.gov/pbz, weather.gov/rnk and weather.gov/iln.
