On Monday, the National Weather Service issued severe thunderstorm warnings for western, northern, and parts of central Harrison County. It also released a flood watch that will remain in effect through August 14.
The federal website drought.gov predicts that in the next seven days, starting on the Shinnston News deadline day of Monday, all but the western tier of Harrison County should expect between five and seven inches of rain. Western areas could get between three and four.
The severe thunderstorm warning extended from Parkersburg and surrounding areas almost to Clarksburg. A severe thunderstorm watch region covered all of southern Ohio, southwest Pennsylvania, and most of West Virginia outside of the southern counties and the eastern panhandle.
Even more serious, those storms could saturate the ground with a full week of rainy weather expected, resulting in the issuance of a flood watch. The National Weather Service stated that “a series of systems are expected to traverse the area, each bringing potential for heavy downpours and . . . storms which may cause flooding.” Additionally “excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.”
The NWS encourages residents, particularly in areas known to flood, to watch for the release of flood and flash flood warnings.
An area of concern lies in the West Fork River. According to a stream gauge monitor on the Harrison-Marion line reporting to drought.gov, the streamflow is “much above” normal levels already. On August 6, the gauge sat at two feet, rising to six feet two days later. As of press time on Monday, the gauge has the river at just below four feet.
Though still higher than normal, the flood stage at the Enterprise gauge site starts at 17 feet with the major flood stage at just under 30 feet. Local monitoring increases at the “action stage” of 16 feet.
That said, damage and danger can occur during significantly heavy downpours as water rushes down hillsides and into side streams.
