Greenbrier Valley officials warn of flash flooding threat this weekend

By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV

Already-saturated ground combined with snow melt and heavy rains are leading Greenbrier County officials to issue a flood warning to citizens. 

Paula Brown of Greenbrier County Homeland Security & Emergency Management says National Weather Service models indicated a 25% chance of an 18-foot crest of the Greenbrier River at Alderson and Ronceverte, which would be historic, earlier in the week.  

“We are still planning for a 17-foot crest,” Brown says, “but the Alderson crest has dropped to 15 due to a decreased rainfall forecast as it pushes further north.” 

“We should have a break from the Saturday rain in the afternoon/evening, but at dawn Sunday see heavy showers followed by snow showers in the afternoon and possible high winds,” she continues.

Flood threat by town

Here’s a summary of flood threat based on data from the US National Weather Service in the Friday afternoon briefing:

Caldwell area expected to crest at 14-15 feet, 

Ronceverte crest to be 17-18 feet (last week was 16 feet), 

Alderson crest 15-17 feet (last week was 15 feet). 

The Meadow River is also expected to reach flood levels similar to last week, with water along Route 60 in Lilly Park in Rainelle. 

Flooding will occur in streams and rivers. Precipitation is expected to begin midday on Saturday and continue through Sunday. Overnight flash flooding concerns officials as folks may not be aware of rapidly-rising waters. Crests should arrive early on the morning on Monday, depending on rainfall over the weekend.

Shelter Information

The State Fair of West Virginia is welcoming any campers who need to move away from the river to higher ground. “It’s free of charge,” says Kelly Collins, CEO of the State Fair. “If you need to come over the weekend, you can park in the handicap lot and call us Monday.” To call the office, dial 304-645-1090.

Rhema Christian Center is on standby as a shelter should one be needed to house residents in the Ronceverte area. For Alderson residents, a Red Cross trailer was delivered by the Appalachian Regional Commission this week at the old elementary school site.  

Ronceverte Report

Mayor Deena Pack shares, “The city is following the recommendations of the Department of Homeland Security and National Weather Service.  At this time, it looks like we will see high water this weekend, as the snow melts and additional rain will fall, although the amount of precipitation has been lowered recently.  We are sharing updates with our residents as they come in via social media, and we have alerted businesses and residents that live near the river to move as much as possible to higher ground.  Our City Administrator is working closely with Emergency Management to stay up to date on forecasts and projections related to flooding.

“Residents can work together to move unsecured property to higher ground.  They can also call City Hall with any questions, and if there are any emergencies, we request that everyone call 911 immediately.  As always, the City advises residents not to drive through any roadways are covered in water.  

“We will be on alert all weekend and employees will be on call and available to assist, as needed.”

Alderson Report

Mayor Travis Copenhaver shares, “We expect to see 15 feet for a crest on Monday. However, we are monitoring the rain over the weekend very closely. 

“Please be vigilant and pay attention to warnings an notices. Updates can be found at www.aldersonwv.org and on the town’s official Facebook page.” 

As additional information is available from county and local officials, RealWV will provide it to the public.