Charleston, WV – Residents in southwestern West Virginia and Virginia should stay alert this afternoon as strong storms may bring isolated tornadoes before 7 p.m. Thursday.
According to the National Weather Service in Charleston, conditions are favorable for severe storms capable of producing large hail and damaging winds across far southern Ohio, northeastern Kentucky, southern West Virginia, and southwestern Virginia. While the overall tornado threat is low, forecasters say a brief spin-up cannot be ruled out—particularly in extreme southwestern West Virginia and nearby Virginia counties.
Cities including Bluefield, Princeton, and Richlands lie within the slight risk zone. The storm system could lead to scattered power outages, tree damage, and dangerous road conditions during peak evening travel. Lightning and pockets of heavy downpours may also impact parts of U.S. Route 52 and I-77 in the affected corridor.
Emergency managers advise residents to have multiple ways to receive warnings, avoid unnecessary travel, and charge phones in advance. This is the same region hit by hail-producing storms just last week, adding to local concerns about repeated severe weather.
Storms are expected to weaken after 7 p.m., but additional alerts may follow if conditions evolve. Stay tuned to local weather sources and report storm damage at weather.gov/rlx/reports.
