PUBLISHED Sep 5, 2026, 8:04 AM ET
Authored by Levi C. Webb
The National Weather Service issued Saturday morning statements for strong thunderstorms near Charleston and across central West Virginia, citing possible gusts up to 50 mph.
Saturday morning storms put Charleston and central West Virginia communities under weather statements as forecasters tracked gusty winds along heavily traveled interstate corridors across counties.
The National Weather Service office in Charleston issued two special weather statements on September 5 covering separate storm lines in West Virginia. The later statement, sent at 7:58 AM Eastern, covered Putnam and Kanawha counties and was scheduled to expire at 8:45 AM The earlier statement, issued at 7:40 AM, covered parts of central West Virginia and carried an 8:30 AM expiration. Both described radar-indicated storms with possible wind gusts reaching 50 mph, rather than confirmed measurements of damage on the ground.
In the Charleston-area statement, radar at 7:57 AM showed a line stretching from six miles southwest of Kenna to near Eleanor. Forecasters put its movement toward the southeast at 25 mph and identified pea-size hail as another possible hazard. The listed communities included Charleston, South Charleston, Nitro, Winfield, Dunbar, Sissonville, Eleanor, Poca, Cross Lanes, Institute, Teays Valley, Elkview, Pinch and Bancroft. The agency said gusts could bring down tree limbs or move unsecured objects, while hail could cause minor damage to vegetation.
The same statement named specific road segments in the storm area, making the alert relevant to Saturday morning travel through the Kanawha Valley. Those segments were Interstate 79 at mile markers 1 through 8, Interstate 77 at markers 100 through 115, and Interstate 64 at markers 37 through 57. Route 119 between markers 74 and 80 was also included. These were locations identified in the weather statement; the statement did not establish that the roads were closed or that crashes had occurred.
Farther into central West Virginia, the earlier statement tracked a line from nine miles west of Stonewall Jackson through a point six miles northwest of Gassaway to near Wallback. That line was moving east at 40 mph, according to the weather service. Named locations included Sutton, Gassaway, Birch River, Holly River State Park, Big Otter, Burnsville, Flatwoods and Hacker Valley. The affected highway segments included Interstate 79 between mile markers 37 and 94 and Route 19 between markers 53 and 68.
The morning statements arrived within a broader unsettled Saturday forecast for Charleston. WeatherBug's forecast, updated September 5, called for a 70 percent chance of rain during the day, with afternoon showers likely and a chance of thunderstorms. Its Saturday night outlook retained a chance of showers and evening thunderstorms, followed by a lower 20 percent rain chance on Sunday. That broader forecast provides context for the day but does not extend the expiration times of either short-term weather statement.
For people outdoors in the areas covered, the weather service advised considering shelter inside a building. The immediate concern in these statements was localized gusty wind, with small hail additionally identified near Charleston. Readers traveling later in the day should check the latest local weather statements because these morning bulletins describe storms at specific times, not an all-day alert for every named community.
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Reporting and writing by Levi C. Webb. AI tools were used selectively to assist with research and editorial support.
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