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It is very unusual for a tornado to touch down in Appalachia, but it happened when an EF1 tornado touched down at Cheat Lake near Morgantown yesterday. A restaurant and some boats sustained damage, but the owner of the eatery says they will be back open today.
This is pretty unusual, but I have noticed more frequent tornado warnings in the last few years. One touched down too June of last year in the Westover area. WV MetroNews – Monongalia County tornado 7th one in 6 decades Maybe others can comment but I am hoping it's just from better, more modern equipment and radar to predict storms.
Thought I would bring up the Shinnston Tornado of 1944 as so many people I know are not aware of it. Probably many that post here are as it seems there is an interest in history on this board. Coincidentally the floods last year hit on the anniversary of this storm.
The tornadoes were part of a series of storms that moved from the Midwest to Appalachia and killed over 150 people. 103 in WV and 66 in the Shinnston area alone. Over 800 were injured. Even today it ranks #15 of all time deadliest tornadoes to ever hit the US. What makes this storm amazing is that it lasted almost 2 hours, was an F-4 (over 200 mph winds) and stayed on the ground for 40 miles. Something we hear is unheard of with our mountains.
People act like it can't happen here but it most surely can. Can you imagine the devastation and death toll today with higher population density than in 1944? Also most structures aren't built as sturdy today as back then. Anyone who has been in an old home can tell you about the framing used then that is twice as thick and the old growth timber used.
Considering this was over 70 years ago I hope we are not due for another one.
WV Metro news is saying on the radio today that there was actually a second tornado touchdown in Monongalia County, I didn't catch where though (I want to say they said a Haleck Road maybe).
WV Metro news is saying on the radio today that there was actually a second tornado touchdown in Monongalia County, I didn't catch where though (I want to say they said a Haleck Road maybe).
It was on the east end of Halleck. It was actually a more powerful, though shorter-lived tornado than he one on Cheat Lake. They were the 8th and 9th tornado since 1950. The 3rd and 4th in the past 5 years.
There definitely has been an uptick in tornadic activity in all of Appalachia in the past 5-10 years. Arguable, it's due to climate change. Warmer temperatures leases to more frequent and potent storms. Higher temperatures mean more instability in the atmosphere.
I wonder if and when this area will install Tornado sirens and start educating the public that the sirens are no longer Voluntary FD alarms.....
It isn't anywhere near that here yet. This happens a few times a century in the foothills, and the terrain always disrupts the tornadoes anyway. They seldom gain any steam.
It isn't anywhere near that here yet. This happens a few times a century in the foothills, and the terrain always disrupts the tornadoes anyway. They seldom gain any steam.
Yet is the keyword though...just imagine had either of those two Mon County tornadoes been more substantial and on the ground longer, possibly taking lives........first thing local, state or national media is gonna point out is a lack of proper warning.......
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