Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued for Multiple West Virginia Counties

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Charleston, West Virginia, has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for portions of central and southeastern West Virginia. The alert was triggered at 3:14 AM EST after radar indicated a severe thunderstorm near Van, moving east at 50 mph.

Affected Areas

The warning specifically impacts the following regions:

• Southeastern Kanawha County in central West Virginia
• Northwestern Raleigh County in southeastern West Virginia
• Northwestern Fayette County in southeastern West Virginia
• East central Boone County in central West Virginia

Impacted locations include Oak Hill, Montgomery, Smithers, Van, Burnwell, Powellton, Whitesville, Handley, Sylvester, Leewood, Dawes, Prenter, Eskdale, and Dorothy. This warning also covers the West Virginia Turnpike between mile markers 57 and 79, as well as Route 19 near mile marker 10.

What You Should Do

For your protection, move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Residents should remain alert for a possible tornado, as they can develop quickly from severe thunderstorms; if one is spotted, move immediately to a basement or a small central room in a sturdy structure. Additionally, torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

Expected Conditions

• Wind: Gusts up to 60 mph are expected, which may cause damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
• Hail: Nickel-sized hail (0.88 inches) has been indicated by radar.
• Rain: Torrential rainfall is accompanying the storm cell.
• Movement: The storm was last tracked moving east at 50 mph.

Timeline

The Severe Thunderstorm Warning is effective immediately as of 3:14 AM EST and is currently set to expire at 4:00 AM EST on February 20, 2026.