MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Meteorologists with the National Weather Service are predicting calmer weather Friday and Saturday in the Mountain State following a storm Thursday that created additional flooding in a state battered by high water during the past two weeks.
The area of concern Thursday was an area stretching from Ritchie County through north central counties and into the northern panhandle.
According to the National Weather Service, more than two inches of rain fell in some communities in a short period of time causing some small streams to come out of their banks. Low-lying areas that have had problems in the past with high water saw those problems again.
Communities like Ellenboro and Follansbee reported street flooding. Mon Power was reporting outages impacting a few thousand customers Friday morning. Most of the outages were in Brooke County.
Parts of Monongalia County were under a flash flood warning for about 90 minutes Thursday.
National Weather Service Meteorologist John Darnley told MetroNews affiliate WAJR the Morgantown area recorded two inches of rain between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
“We’ve been in a modified tropical air mass for a good week, if not longer. So, our dew points have been extremely high and that just saturates the atmosphere.” Darnley said. “When you add the afternoon heat you get copious amounts of rainfall.”
The weather service said after more pleasant conditions Friday and Saturday, a cold front will bring in a chance for more showers and thunderstorms early next week. Meteorologists are also keeping an eye on tropical storm Barry.
“Unsettled weather is also possible midweek, depending on the timing and track of the remnants of tropical storm Barry,” a statement from the National Weather Service said.
Rain totals posted by the National Weather Service from Thursday’s storms include:
– 2.04 in. in Selbyville, Upshur County,
– 2.33 in. at Cameron, Marshall County,
– 1.78 in. in Marland Heights, Hancock County,
– 2.38 in. on Monongahela River at Morgantown.