Special Weather Statement issued September 19 at 11:42PM EDT by NWS Charleston WV

**Special Weather Statement issued September 19 at 11:42PM EDT by NWS Charleston WV**

At 1142 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Hocking Hills State Park, or 7 miles west of Lake Hope State Park, moving southeast at 20 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include... Athens, Lake Hope State Park, Zaleski, and Creola.

**What You Should Do:**

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to travel across flooded roads. Find alternate routes. It takes only a few inches of swiftly flowing water to carry vehicles away.

**Alert Details:**

- **Severity:** Moderate

- **Urgency:** Expected

- **Issued by:** NWS Charleston WV

- **Effective:** Sep 19, 2026 11:42 PM UTC

- **Expires:** Sep 20, 2026 12:30 AM UTC

*This alert was automatically distributed from the National Weather Service via the IPAWS All-Hazards Information Feed.*