CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The National Weather Service has placed more than half of the state under a flood watch until Saturday morning as a line of storms from the southwest is expected to move across West Virginia into early Saturday morning.
The flood watch covers much of southern West Virginia, the mid-Ohio Valley, West Virginia’s northcentral counties and both panhandles. Meteorologists forecast as much as three inches of rain in some areas.
The National Weather Service issued several flash flood warnings Friday morning within the watch area. There’s been water out its banks in parts of Kanawha, Cabell, Lincoln, Wayne and Putnam counties.
Gov. Jim Justice issued a State of Preparedness for all 55 counties Friday afternoon.
According to the governor’s office, the declaration “directs the State Emergency Operations Center and its partner agencies to prepare to respond ahead of this significant rainfall event, posturing personnel and resources to mobilize a response to any emergency that may develop.”
Nitro Fire Department Chief Casey Mathes and his crews made multiple water rescues in the Poca area.
“‘Turn around, don’t drown’ is the motto,” Mathes said. “Do not attempt it. Just because you’ve lived in an area a long time, you think you can make it. But cars can be swept away.”
Mathes said residents living in flood-prone areas should seek higher ground. He expected the problems in some areas to stretch into Saturday.
“It’s going to continue to rain for some time. We hope there’s no more heavier rain, but it will continue to rain throughout the day,” Mathes said.
Creeks and streams were flooding, but also runoff was causing problems, Mathes said.
“It’s coming off the hillsides and flooding these areas. Everybody needs to be cautious of what’s going on,” Mathes said.
The city of Huntington closed several streets because of the high water. Huntington Fire Chief Greg Fuller said around noon that children who attend the Enslow Park Presbyterian Church daycare program had to be moved by daycare supervisors to the church’s second floor due to flooding.
Huntington Mayor Steve Williams told reporters Friday of multiple flooding problems related to Fourpole Creek. Officials were planning to distribute flood clean-up kits to the areas most impacted by high water.
“We’re being told by the National Weather Service that this is a once-in-a-generational event. A lot of folks out there are saying, ‘Well, wasn’t there a once-in-a-generational event last August when we had five inches of rain?’ Yes, but sadly, these once-in-a-generational events seem to happen more and more,” he said.
“This is becoming our new normal, and I don’t like it more than anybody else does.”
Periods of rain are in the forecast for Friday evening with on-and-off showers expected for the day Saturday.
Meteorologists believe storms will clear out in time for Mother’s Day with a mixture of clouds and sun, as well as temperatures in the 60s.