CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Portions of West Virginia, already ravaged by record flooding, are on alert for the possibility of more flooding. The National Weather Service in Charleston predicts a new weather system moving into the state Sunday night into Monday will produce heavy downpours creating the possibility of high water.
The weather service has posted a flash flood watch from “the predawn hours of Independence Day through late Monday night” for parts of West Virginia and eastern Ohio. A flash flood watch means “that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding,” but it does not mean that flooding is imminent.
The watch covers the following counties: Barbour, Braxton, Calhoun, Clay, Doddridge, Gilmer, Harrison, Jackson, Lewis, Mason, Nicholas, Pleasants, Randolph, Ritchie, Roane, Taylor, Tyler, Upshur, Webster, Wirt and Wood. Several of those counties are already declared disaster areas because of the record flooding on June 23.
On Sunday afternoon, the watch area expanded into northern West Virginia.
Forecasters say the storm system entering the state includes “the possibility of repetitive showers and thunderstorms” with downfalls of several inches. “If rains of two to two-and-one half inches fall in less than three hours, small streams and creeks could rise quickly,” according to the weather service.
Jimmy Gianato, Director of West Virginia’s Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said first responders are watching the forecast closely and getting ready. “We hope it’s not as bad as the predictions are, but we are prepared to deal with whatever happens,” he said.
The Kanawha County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management said swift water rescue teams throughout the county “are on standby and prepared to assist in any area of the county if additional flooding should occur.”