Wardensville, WV Hail Storm – July 2025

What Happened

A severe hail storm affected Wardensville, WV on July 16, 2025, with a peak confirmed hail size of 1.75 inches and multiple radar- and spotter-verified warning areas through the afternoon and evening. The storm produced repeated 1-inch hail alerts from 3:51 PM EDT through 8:58 PM EDT, then escalated to 1.75 inches at 8:26 PM EDT.

The first warning area came in at 3:51 PM EDT with 1-inch hail confidence. Additional alerts followed at 6:24 PM, 6:57 PM, 7:08 PM, 7:43 PM, 7:47 PM, 8:25 PM, 8:29 PM, and 8:58 PM EDT. The 8:26 PM EDT alert carried the largest hail estimate in the sequence at 1.75 inches. The final alert used dual-polarization radar and NEXRAD hail detection.

Field reports lined up with the storm path across the broader region. Around 4:11 PM EDT, spotters reported two trees down on Carpers Pike near Capon Lake and Yellow Spring. By 6:59 PM EDT, two more trees were reported down on Zachary Taylor Highway near Huntly. At 7:13 PM EDT, a road closure was reported on Zachary Taylor Highway at Mountain View Lane because of high water.

Later reports showed the storm holding together into the evening. At 7:34 PM EDT, a large tree was reported down on Holsinger Road. At 8:02 PM EDT, a tree was reported down between Stanley and Luray. At 8:10 PM EDT, reports came in of a large tree down at 500 Mill Creek Road and multiple trees down in the Forest Hills subdivision. At 8:24 PM EDT, wires were reported down around the 2100 block of Walsh Road.

Damage Assessment

The verified impacts were not limited to hail. The field reports show a mix of tree damage, downed wires, road closures, and flooding tied to the same storm corridor. In one report, three to four inches of water were flowing across the 1900 block of Zachary Taylor Highway at 7:38 PM EDT. Another report at 9:13 PM EDT described Gooney Run out of its banks along Browntown Road, with basement flooding and pets trapped.

The tree damage was spread across multiple roads and neighborhoods. Reports included downed trees near Capon Lake and Yellow Spring, near Huntly, on Holsinger Road, at Mill Creek Road, and in the Forest Hills subdivision. A separate report noted a large tree knocked onto a fence near Luray Avenue and 4th Street. Another call at 9:27 PM EDT placed a tree down on Mt. Carmel Road at Mill Creek Road.

Utilities and structures were also affected. A report from 8:24 PM EDT placed wires down in the 2100 block of Walsh Road. Another report from 8:24 PM EDT said lightning struck a house on the 3400 block of Schaefer Road, with an odor of smoke inside. A later report from 8:53 PM EDT mentioned several calls for downed trees and wires near Manassas.

Water was a recurring issue across the event. The report at Glenkirk Road at 9:13 PM EDT described a swift water rescue, a disabled vehicle, and at least 6 inches of water over the bridge just downstream of Lake Manassas Dam. Earlier in the evening, the high water on Zachary Taylor Highway forced a road closure. These reports show a storm that produced more than hail alone.