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SEVERE WEATHER: Storms Leave 16,000+ Without Power in WV Save Email Print
Posted: 10:10 PM Jul 20, 2008
Last Updated: 2:16 AM Jul 21, 2008
Reporter: Mike Waterhouse
Email Address: mike.waterhouse@wsaz.com

A | A | A

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Appalachian Power is reporting that more than 16,000 customers are without power after a strong line of storms moved through our region.

According to AEP's website just before 10pm Sunday, the outages stand at:
Boone: 212
Cabell: 2,245
Jackson: 519
Kanawha: 306
Lincoln: 1,705
Logan: 2,881
Putnam: 151
Raleigh: 477
Wayne: 7,798

The storms raced through Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia late Sunday evening, knocking down trees and causing property damage.

The National Weather Service issued many severe thunderstorm warnings -- each with the capability of producing winds up to or exceeding 60 mph and penny-size hail.

A WSAZ viewer submitted pictures of what appeared to be a funnel cloud, but Meteorologist Josh Fitzpatrick said it was more than likely what's called a "scud cloud." Fitzpatrick said those can look a lot like funnels.

In Greenup County, dispatchers report that lightning hit near the 911 center at about 7:30pm, causing telephone and radio systems to go down for a short while.

Also, in South Shore, Kentucky, dispatchers tell us a construction trailer was blown into a house. There was minor damage.

Stay with the WSAZ First Warning Weather team for the latest on this severe weather situation.

Tell us about storm damage in your area. Fill out the comment form below.

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Posted by: BobMcGloan on Jul 22, 2008 at 04:48 PM
...At least I told my wife that it was the dog. :)

Posted by: Ann on Jul 22, 2008 at 02:48 PM
Numerous trees down, power poles and lines damaged. Many without power. Branches, large and small and leaves litter streets, yards and fields. Heavy damage to cornfields observed.

Posted by: smokey on Jul 22, 2008 at 02:08 PM
My family and I were without power too when a storm hit with dangerous cloud to ground lightning and 60 mph winds,taking out a transformer and power lines across from the Wayne Cemetary.But even though our power was off for 24 hours I want to thank Asplund Tree and AEP crews for doing their level best to restore power with all this going on in and around Wayne County,God bless you all and thanks for being so fast with the power restoration...Larry Cricks and family

Posted by: stephanie on Jul 22, 2008 at 12:27 PM
We live in Greenup Co. and were outside with our children when the storm hit. It got really dark and very quickly the wind picked up taking anything that wasn't nailed down. We have a 32 foot race car trailer that was lifted up off the blocks and dropped back down about four foot down the road. We took shelter in our basement with our children and waited out the storm. All the while we could hear stuff hitting the house. When it was all over we went out to check the damage. We had a 20 foot tree limb on our roof and three more broken over and ready to fall. Our above ground pool had been partially blown over and was distroyed. Very scary , we didn't see a tornado , but it sure felt like one. What a storm!!

Posted by: Tonya on Jul 22, 2008 at 04:14 AM
I was also sitting on the porch, it was really quiet, I thought "man its too quiet" when the winds started to blow. They blew trees, taking down the power lines. 23 and 1/2 hrs before we got electric back on. talk about sweltering hot heat in my house, 94 isnt fun!! I think there had to be a funnel somewhere becuase the way it touched down in my area was here and there. just enough to pull down 4-5 power poles at Striker Fork (crawley) I guess we're in for some nasty weather for a few more days looks like. :-( Tony, Please send us some good weather lol

Posted by: Elijah on Jul 22, 2008 at 03:52 AM
My Electricity went out around 8 and didnt come back on until around 11. We had strong winds that blew a tree down over the line.

Posted by: jan on Jul 21, 2008 at 08:19 PM
the storm in burlington caused a building a the airport to fall and hurt several people accourding to the scanner, several ambulances and fire departments was their

Posted by: Pam on Jul 21, 2008 at 05:02 PM
I stopped at Speedway beside Big Sandy Superstore on US 52 in Burlington/S. Point, OH. Several other people were there and watched the funnel or cloud swirl down and touch the trees across the river. We then drove across the 17th street bridge and watched as it headed toward the Lavalette area. I have lived in this area my entire life and have never seen a tornado. I believe it was more than a scud cloud.

Posted by: Robin on Jul 21, 2008 at 04:25 PM
My family and I were sitting on our front porch when the storms hit Sunday evening. It became dark and quiet with just a hint of sunlight, then the fun started. The trees on the hill across from us just parted and the winds swirled around like a top, taking trees, boards, anything that wasn't nailed down and some things that were. The transformer across the street blew as two trees fell in our driveway; one on each end. The cable lines, and electric lines are down. This storm was probably as bad if not worse than last year around same time. KY Electric Power says it will be Tuesday between 4pm and MN before we have electric; if we are lucky~~~

Posted by: Blake on Jul 21, 2008 at 08:29 AM
I live in greenup county and was working on my house through the storm and had no clue the storm was so bad!!! I just thought it was a small thunderstorm. My area never lost power.

Posted by: Rachel on Jul 21, 2008 at 07:45 AM
Our electric just came on about 7:30 AM this morning....thank goodness.

Posted by: Laura on Jul 21, 2008 at 01:18 AM
I did find this though as one way to tell the difference in a scud and tornado::: "A way to differentiate scud clouds from wall clouds is to watch their relative position with respect to the rain area: scud clouds move away from the rain area while wall clouds maintain the same relative distance." That's from the noaa's glossary.

Posted by: BobMcGloan on Jul 21, 2008 at 01:17 AM
Our power came back on at around 1AM...our dog was sleeping in bed with me and Susan and all the lights and fans came on! Scared the dog so bad, she wet the bed!!

Posted by: Laura on Jul 21, 2008 at 01:16 AM
I guess you'd really need a closer look at that image. Aren't scud clouds normally detached from the rest of the cloud?

Posted by: Brock on Jul 21, 2008 at 01:15 AM
In Westmoreland, we got our power back at 1:00 AM.

Posted by: Laura on Jul 21, 2008 at 01:01 AM
may not be a mecca for them, but it can happen and has before in nearby areas and I personally have seen some straight line winds that are just as bad as smaller twisters.

Posted by: Tracie on Jul 20, 2008 at 11:45 PM
A big tree was blown down behind our house that knocked out power and phones for about an hour. It blew out 2 transformers.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 20, 2008 at 11:09 PM
I also thought i seen a funnel then i thought there is no way... but im in hintington west virginia so who knows

Posted by: Sue on Jul 20, 2008 at 10:26 PM
Tonight in Southern Ohio, I saw a scud cloud. This isn't exactly a mecca for tornadoes.

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