Flash Flood Warning issued September 21 at 3:52 PM EDT until September 21 at 6:45 PM EDT by NWS Charleston WV. The National Weather Service in Charleston has issued a Flash Flood Warning covering parts of southwestern Virginia and southern West Virginia: Central Buchanan County and North Central Dickenson County in southwestern Virginia, and Northwestern McDowell County and Southwestern Wyoming County in southern West Virginia.
This is the kind of warning restoration teams know by heart — slow-moving thunderstorms stacking rainfall over small watersheds, with flash flooding of creeks, streets, and low-lying property either ongoing or expected to begin shortly. This is a live snapshot as of 1:05 PM PDT (4:05 PM EDT). Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.
Grundy, VA to Wyoming, WV — Flash Flood Warning
The issuing office is the National Weather Service in Charleston, West Virginia. The warning was issued at 3:52 PM EDT on Sunday, September 21, 2026, and remains in effect until 6:45 PM EDT.
Per the alert, at 3:52 PM EDT Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 2.5 inches of rain have fallen across the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.
HAZARD — Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
SOURCE — Radar indicated.
IMPACT — Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses, as well as other poor-drainage and low-lying areas.
Some locations that will experience flash flooding include: Grundy, Breaks Interstate, John Flannagan Lake, Big Rock, Bradshaw, Iaeger, Stacy, Roseann, Hurley, Panther, Jolo, Vansant, and Avondale.
The alert is designated AWIPS identifier FFWRLX (VTEC /O.NEW.KRLX.FF.W.0238.260921T1952Z-260921T2245Z/). The original alert can be referenced through the NWS alert feed for the Charleston WV office.
Stay safe
Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles — never drive through flooded roadways, no matter how shallow the water looks.
Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. If water enters your home, stay out of standing water where electricity may be present, avoid the basement until the water recedes and the power is confirmed off, and photograph everything before cleanup begins — documentation matters for insurance. Then call a local restoration contractor, because water left sitting starts a second wave of damage within a day.
You can report flooding to the National Weather Service at 800-401-9535, toll free, when you can do so safely.
What this means for restoration teams
This is the signature interior-flooding signature restoration contractors see most: flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets, underpasses, and poor-drainage low-lying areas. Expect the damage mix that follows: interior water intrusion in low-lying structures, saturated drywall and insulation, mold risk beginning within 24–48 hours, and possible sewage backup in the lowest-lying areas where storm systems surcharge.
The play: stage equipment now, pre-position drying assets, and keep an on-call rotation through the evening. Capture address, water source, and affected areas on the first call — flash-flood jobs move fast, and intake discipline on night one is what separates a clean claim from a disputed one.
Field discipline: photo-document everything before mitigation begins, moisture-map every affected room (not just the ones that look wet), and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts. Flood-impacted properties in areas like Grundy, Bradshaw, and Iaeger may involve basements and crawlspaces — verify power is off before anyone enters standing water.
FEMA and federal assistance
If the damage is significant, the FEMA Helpline is 1-800-621-3362, open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, 7 days a week. You can also apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA app, or find a recovery center at fema.gov/drc.
Basic eligibility generally includes citizenship or qualified status, identity verification, proof of occupancy or ownership, and unmet needs not covered by insurance. Apply as soon as it is safe to do so — you do not need to wait for the water to recede to start the paperwork.
Looking ahead
This warning expires at 6:45 PM EDT. When it expires, watch for additional rounds of thunderstorms overnight and for creeks and streams to keep rising after the rain stops — flash flooding can arrive downstream even after the warned area dries out.
The next NWS update will land as conditions warrant through the Charleston WV office. For restoration teams, the demand window on flash-flood events typically opens within hours of water receding and keeps coming for days as property owners discover damage that wasn’t visible in the dark.
Sources and how to verify
- NWS Charleston WV office page: weather.gov/rlx
- Active NWS alerts for the warned counties: alerts.weather.gov
To verify for your own county or ZIP code, check weather.gov or your local NWS office page — warnings can be extended, upgraded, or cancelled as conditions change.
This post is for informational purposes and is not an official weather warning. Always follow instructions from local authorities and the National Weather Service.
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