Coal River (WV) at Tornado

Last updated: Jun 15, 2025, 11:34 AM UTC

Flood Watch

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US Geological Survey
Observations courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey

Scale to Flood Categories

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Observed (OBS) 06/15/2025 7:15 AM EDT

Official Forecast (FCST) 06/14/2025 9:36 PM EDT

Record: 32 ft

CATEGORY STAGE

Major Flooding 32 ft

Moderate Flooding 27 ft

Minor Flooding 25 ft

Action 20 ft

Reliability of the Forecast:

NOTE: Forecasts are issued routinely year-round.

River Forecasts typically include ONLY 2 days of future rain from forecast issuance time (lower right of graph). Occasionally 3 days of future rain included.
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	CATEGORY	STAGE
	Major Flooding	32 ft
	Moderate Flooding	27 ft
	Minor Flooding	25 ft
	Action	20 ft

Flood Impacts 🅘

32 - Major flooding all along the Coal River. Several homes and buildings are affected. Access to Meadowood Park and the area along the river in the park are flooded.
30 - Water floods golf course and homes along low sections of river. Roads flooded and closed throughout Tornado and surrounding areas.
29 - Bridge over Falls Creek on Coal River Road, located approximately 250 yards north of intersection with Smith Creek Road, floods.
28.7 - Dip on Coal River Road approximately 150 yards north of intersection with Smith Creek Road floods.
27 - Coal River Road is flooded in several places along river. Smith Creek Road and Ferrell Road are impassable.
25 - Smith Creek Road and Ferrell Road become impassable from backwater approximately 1 to 2 miles from the bridge. Sections of Coal River Road upstream from Tornado bridge are flooded. The river banks overflow near the river gauge.
20 - Between 20 to 25 feet, backwater flooding from the Coal River affects Smith Creek. This results in flooding of low spots along the banks of Smith Creek, Ferrell Road, and Coal River Road upstream from gauge.

Gauge Info

Coordinates	38.3390, -81.8415
RFC	OHRFC
State	WV
WFO	RLX
County	Kanawha
Data Provider(s)
US Geological Survey	USGS--Water Resources of the United States
USGS	03200500

Gauge Location

Recent Crests

1.	28.21 ft	on 02-16-2025	(P)
2.	25.31 ft	on 02-18-2023
3.	30.79 ft	on 03-02-2021
4.	21.73 ft	on 02-12-2020
5.	22.38 ft	on 12-22-2018

Historic Crests

1.	31.98 ft	on 03-07-1967
2.	30.89 ft	on 12-31-1969
3.	30.79 ft	on 03-02-2021
4.	30.61 ft	on 04-16-2007
5.	30.14 ft	on 03-13-1963
6.	29.65 ft	on 12-09-1978
7.	29.57 ft	on 01-26-1978
8.	29.00 ft	on 02-28-1962
9.	28.98 ft	on 11-20-2003
10.	28.45 ft	on 03-05-2015

Low Water Records

1.	9.47 ft	on 08-22-2023
2.	9.56 ft	on 10-03-2019
3.	9.80 ft	on 09-05-1999
4.	9.83 ft	on 09-29-1963
5.	9.95 ft	on 10-22-1987

Vertical Datum Table

type	NAVD88
major Flooding	601.77 ft
moderate Flooding	596.77 ft
minor Flooding	594.77 ft
action	589.77 ft
Latest Value	580.07 ft
Gauge Zero	569.77 ft

Gauge Photos

Photo 1 of 4

Smith Creek Road floods at 20-25 feet

Probability Information

Photo 1 of 3

Weekly Chance of Exceeding Levels
- About this graph
Chance of Exceeding Levels During Entire Period
- About this graph
Short Range Forecast Uncertainty
About this graph | Product Description Document

Unique Local Info

Potential River Levels - Used to

Potential River Levels Used to Estimate the Chance of Flooding and the Range of Possible River Levels
10 day (HEFS)	10 Day (NAEFS)	River Forecast vs. River Potential

Note: Use the official hydrograph at the top of this web page for river levels within the next 72 hours.

See the Product Description Document link for more details on the interpretation of the 10 day graphics.

Collaborative Agencies

The National Weather Service prepares its forecasts and other services in collaboration with agencies like the US Geological Survey, US Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Park Service, ALERT Users Group, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and many state and local emergency managers across the country. For details, please click here.

Resources

WFO Information

Weather Forecast Office

Charleston

1754 Hendrickson Drive

South Charleston, WV 25303

(304) 356-5885

Ask Questions/Webmaster

Official Homepage

1.	28.21 ft	on 02-16-2025	(P)
2.	25.31 ft	on 02-18-2023
3.	30.79 ft	on 03-02-2021
4.	21.73 ft	on 02-12-2020
5.	22.38 ft	on 12-22-2018
6.	21.98 ft	on 02-12-2018
7.	20.53 ft	on 05-01-2016
8.	26.37 ft	on 04-04-2015
9.	28.45 ft	on 03-05-2015
10.	23.11 ft	on 12-07-2013
11.	19.83 ft	on 01-31-2013
12.	25.51 ft	on 03-14-2010
13.	30.61 ft	on 04-16-2007
14.	28.98 ft	on 11-20-2003
15.	26.26 ft	on 11-13-2003
16.	25.63 ft	on 02-26-2003
17.	25.35 ft	on 02-17-2003
18.	23.15 ft	on 07-30-2001
19.	24.51 ft	on 03-04-1997
20.	26.07 ft	on 05-17-1996
21.	24.47 ft	on 01-19-1996
22.	24.99 ft	on 03-29-1994
23.	22.73 ft	on 01-07-1994
24.	21.32 ft	on 03-24-1993
25.	21.31 ft	on 03-05-1993
26.	26.32 ft	on 12-03-1991
27.	19.77 ft	on 03-24-1991
28.	18.67 ft	on 10-19-1989
29.	21.56 ft	on 06-16-1989
30.	20.72 ft	on 05-06-1989
31.	14.15 ft	on 12-26-1987
32.	22.09 ft	on 04-09-1987
33.	20.07 ft	on 11-29-1985
34.	18.63 ft	on 05-25-1985
35.	20.02 ft	on 05-08-1984
36.	19.02 ft	on 04-25-1983
37.	20.25 ft	on 05-30-1982
38.	18.58 ft	on 06-05-1981
39.	21.11 ft	on 04-30-1980
40.	21.61 ft	on 01-22-1979
41.	29.65 ft	on 12-09-1978
42.	27.87 ft	on 04-05-1978
43.	29.57 ft	on 01-26-1978
44.	27.85 ft	on 04-05-1977
45.	15.71 ft	on 03-21-1976
46.	19.11 ft	on 03-30-1975
47.	27.03 ft	on 01-12-1974
48.	26.90 ft	on 01-11-1974
49.	21.94 ft	on 04-28-1973
50.	26.00 ft	on 02-28-1973
51.	25.38 ft	on 02-27-1972
52.	18.85 ft	on 02-05-1971
53.	30.89 ft	on 12-31-1969
54.	15.49 ft	on 08-20-1969
55.	21.59 ft	on 03-13-1968
56.	31.98 ft	on 03-07-1967
57.	14.42 ft	on 05-01-1966
58.	21.65 ft	on 03-25-1965
59.	19.33 ft	on 03-09-1964
60.	30.14 ft	on 03-13-1963
61.	29.00 ft	on 02-28-1962
62.	22.32 ft	on 02-24-0019

1.	31.98 ft	on 03-07-1967
2.	30.89 ft	on 12-31-1969
3.	30.79 ft	on 03-02-2021
4.	30.61 ft	on 04-16-2007
5.	30.14 ft	on 03-13-1963
6.	29.65 ft	on 12-09-1978
7.	29.57 ft	on 01-26-1978
8.	29.00 ft	on 02-28-1962
9.	28.98 ft	on 11-20-2003
10.	28.45 ft	on 03-05-2015
11.	28.21 ft	on 02-16-2025	(P)
12.	27.87 ft	on 04-05-1978
13.	27.85 ft	on 04-05-1977
14.	27.03 ft	on 01-12-1974
15.	26.90 ft	on 01-11-1974
16.	26.37 ft	on 04-04-2015
17.	26.32 ft	on 12-03-1991
18.	26.26 ft	on 11-13-2003
19.	26.07 ft	on 05-17-1996
20.	26.00 ft	on 02-28-1973
21.	25.63 ft	on 02-26-2003
22.	25.51 ft	on 03-14-2010
23.	25.38 ft	on 02-27-1972
24.	25.35 ft	on 02-17-2003
25.	25.31 ft	on 02-18-2023
26.	24.99 ft	on 03-29-1994
27.	24.51 ft	on 03-04-1997
28.	24.47 ft	on 01-19-1996
29.	23.15 ft	on 07-30-2001
30.	23.11 ft	on 12-07-2013
31.	22.73 ft	on 01-07-1994
32.	22.38 ft	on 12-22-2018
33.	22.32 ft	on 02-24-0019
34.	22.09 ft	on 04-09-1987
35.	21.98 ft	on 02-12-2018
36.	21.94 ft	on 04-28-1973
37.	21.73 ft	on 02-12-2020
38.	21.65 ft	on 03-25-1965
39.	21.61 ft	on 01-22-1979
40.	21.59 ft	on 03-13-1968
41.	21.56 ft	on 06-16-1989
42.	21.32 ft	on 03-24-1993
43.	21.31 ft	on 03-05-1993
44.	21.11 ft	on 04-30-1980
45.	20.72 ft	on 05-06-1989
46.	20.53 ft	on 05-01-2016
47.	20.25 ft	on 05-30-1982
48.	20.07 ft	on 11-29-1985
49.	20.02 ft	on 05-08-1984
50.	19.83 ft	on 01-31-2013
51.	19.77 ft	on 03-24-1991
52.	19.33 ft	on 03-09-1964
53.	19.11 ft	on 03-30-1975
54.	19.02 ft	on 04-25-1983
55.	18.85 ft	on 02-05-1971
56.	18.67 ft	on 10-19-1989
57.	18.63 ft	on 05-25-1985
58.	18.58 ft	on 06-05-1981
59.	15.71 ft	on 03-21-1976
60.	15.49 ft	on 08-20-1969
61.	14.42 ft	on 05-01-1966
62.	14.15 ft	on 12-26-1987

1.	9.47 ft	on 08-22-2023
2.	9.56 ft	on 10-03-2019
3.	9.80 ft	on 09-05-1999
4.	9.83 ft	on 09-29-1963
5.	9.95 ft	on 10-22-1987
6.	9.95 ft	on 08-19-1988
7.	10.00 ft	on 08-31-1991
8.	10.01 ft	on 09-22-1985
9.	10.01 ft	on 10-14-1989
10.	10.01 ft	on 09-28-1983
11.	10.12 ft	on 09-23-2002
12.	10.13 ft	on 09-30-1981
13.	10.21 ft	on 09-29-1978
14.	10.23 ft	on 07-21-1977
15.	10.25 ft	on 10-22-1982
16.	10.28 ft	on 09-09-1976
17.	-9999.00 ft	on 10-01-1930