January 19–20, 1996
Snowmelt Flood Strikes the Cheat Valley
Warm air rapidly melted a snowpack as deep as 25 inches before rain accelerated the runoff. The Cheat River crested at 24.2 feet at Rowlesburg—8.2 feet above flood stage. Across Preston and Tucker counties, 85 homes sustained major damage, 127 had minor damage, and 141 were minimally affected; Preston County property damage was estimated at $710,000.
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NOAA/National Weather Service, Storm Data, January 1996, West Virginia, pp. 156–157
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