931
NOUS41 KRLX 290419
PNSRLX
WVZ525-526-291630-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
1219 AM EDT WED JUL 29 2026
...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 07/21/2026 TORNADO EVENT IN RANDOLPH COUNTY...
RANDOLPH COUNTY TORNADO
RATING: EF1
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 95 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 0.88 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/: 250 YARDS
FATALITIES: 0
INJURIES: 0
START DATE: 07/21/2026
START TIME: 06:55 PM EDT
START LOCATION: 6 SSW HARMAN / RANDOLPH COUNTY / WV
START LAT/LON: 38.8337 / -79.583
END DATE: 07/21/2026
END TIME: 06:57 PM EDT
END LOCATION: 7 S HARMAN / RANDOLPH COUNTY / WV
END LAT/LON: 38.8266 / -79.5699
SURVEY SUMMARY:
AN EF1 TORNADO WITH MAXIMUM ESTIMATED WINDS OF UP TO 95 MPH
BEGAN AROUND 6:55 PM JUST WEST OF WHITMER ROAD MIDWAY UP RICH
MOUNTAIN, OR APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE TOWN OF
WHITMER. IT THEN TRAVELED EAST-SOUTHEAST DOWN THE STEEP TERRAIN
OF THE MOUNTAIN, UPROOTING OR SNAPPING NUMEROUS TREES ALONG ITS
PATH, WITH MOST OF THE DAMAGE IN THE HOLLOW DOWN THE SIDE OF THE
MOUNTAIN. SOME OF THE HARDWOOD TREES THAT WERE UPROOTED WERE IN
EXCESS OF 18 TO 24 INCHES IN DIAMETER. THE TORNADO CONTINUED TO
THE VALLEY AT THE BOTTOM OF RICH MOUNTAIN, WITH THE LAST OBSERVED
DAMAGE JUST EAST OF DRY FORK ROAD. THE TORNADO LIFTED AT
APPROXIMATELY 6:57 PM AND WAS ON THE GROUND FOR 0.90 MILES.
RANDOLPH COUNTY NOW HAS 6 DOCUMENTED TORNADOES. THE LAST TIME A
TORNADO OCCURRED IN THE COUNTY WAS 7/9/1980. TWO TORNADOES
OCCURRED THAT DAY, ONE WAS RATED AN F2, WHILE THE OTHER AN F1.
EF SCALE: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO THE
FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
EF0.....65 TO 85 MPH
EF1.....86 TO 110 MPH
EF2.....111 TO 135 MPH
EF3.....136 TO 165 MPH
EF4.....166 TO 200 MPH
EF5.....>200 MPH
NOTE:
THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT AND PUBLICATION IN
NWS STORM DATA.
GW/JC
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