Active as of 9:05 AM EDT, September 20, 2026. The National Weather Service in Charleston, West Virginia, has issued a Flash Flood Warning for portions of southwestern and west-central West Virginia, including the Charleston and Huntington metro areas, in effect until 10:15 AM EDT.
Between 1.5 and 2.5 inches of rain have already fallen across the warned area, with another 0.5 to 1.5 inches possible as thunderstorms continue. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly — the exact interior flooding jobs that restoration teams across the Kanawha Valley see most after these morning cloudbursts.
This is a live snapshot as of 9:05 AM EDT. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.
Charleston–Huntington Area — Flash Flood Warning
Issued by: NWS Charleston, West Virginia, at 8:51 AM EDT, September 20, 2026.
Expires: 10:15 AM EDT.
Counties: Boone, Cabell, Clay, Kanawha, Lincoln, Putnam, and Wayne, West Virginia.
Hazard, verbatim from the alert: “Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.” Source: “Radar and automated gauges” — Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Impact, verbatim: “Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas.”
Locations that will experience flash flooding include: Charleston, Huntington, Nitro, Wayne, Hamlin, Beech Fork State Park, Jefferson, South Charleston, St. Albans, Dunbar, Barboursville, Chesapeake, Marmet, Ceredo, Belle, Clendenin, Cedar Grove, East Bank, Glasgow, and Alum Creek.
Highway impacts include: Interstate 77 in West Virginia between mile markers 96 and 109; Route 119 between mile markers 58 and 80; Interstate 64 between mile markers 9 and 11 and between mile markers 46 and 57; the West Virginia Turnpike between mile markers 85 and 95; and Interstate 79 between mile markers 1 and 10.
NWS Charleston’s office page is weather.gov/rlx. The alert was issued through the National Weather Service alert system under NWS Charleston WV.
Stay safe this morning
Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads — a roadway covered by water can hide a washed-out surface or a missing bridge deck.
If water enters your home or business: stay out of standing water where electricity may be present, and avoid the basement until water recedes and power is confirmed off. Photograph everything before you start cleanup — documentation matters for insurance. Then call a local restoration contractor. Water left sitting starts a second wave of damage within a day: soaked drywall wicks upward, carpet pad delaminates, and microbial growth follows fast.
Report flooding to the National Weather Service by calling toll free 800-401-9535, when you can do so safely. Your report helps the office verify and extend warnings downstream.
What this means for restoration teams
This is the signature call pattern for the Kanawha Valley: an early-morning flash flood round over the Charleston–Huntington corridor. Teams should expect the damage categories these events always produce: interior water intrusion in finished basements and ground-floor commercial space, saturated drywall and insulation wicking upward from the slab line, sewage backup in low-lying neighborhoods, and moisture trapped in wall cavities along the highways that flooded during the morning commute.
The play this morning: stage extraction equipment and drying assets now, while the warning is still active — water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage. Keep an on-call rotation through the afternoon for the second wave of discovery calls. On the first call, capture the address, the water source (rainfall intrusion vs. storm sewer backup), and every affected area — source classification decides what the job is worth before a truck rolls.
Field discipline: photo-document everything before mitigation starts, moisture-map every affected room (not just the visibly wet ones), and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work begins. Morning flood jobs skew toward panic-approvals that turn into collection headaches — get the paperwork tight while the crew is en route.
FEMA & federal assistance
If you sustain serious damage: the FEMA Helpline is 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m.–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: U.S. 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 — and keep the photo documentation you took before cleanup.
Looking ahead
The warning expires at 10:15 AM EDT. When it lifts, do not read that as all-clear for water problems: small creeks and streams can crest after the rain stops, and low-lying drainage areas stay compromised well into the afternoon. Watch for follow-up statements from NWS Charleston for updated river and stream guidance, and keep an eye on additional thunderstorm rounds through the day.
For restoration demand, this is a day-one event: the first calls start within hours of water receding, and discovery-driven calls keep coming for days as people return home, open basements, and find what the morning’s water did. Teams positioned now work the whole week.
Sources & how to verify
- National Weather Service Flash Flood Warning — issued by NWS Charleston, WV, 8:51 AM EDT September 20, 2026, expires 10:15 AM EDT. (This post, published during the active warning window.)
- NWS Charleston office page: https://www.weather.gov/rlx/ (read September 20, 2026)
- Alert source: National Weather Service alert feed, alerts.weather.gov (read September 20, 2026)
To verify for your own county or ZIP: go to weather.gov, enter your ZIP code, and read the active alerts for your area — or go directly to your local NWS office page.
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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