16. Tornado confirmed from last week; NWS issues Tornado Watch

CABELL COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – The National Weather Service has confirmed the 16th tornado to hit the Tri-State last week.

The agency said the most recent twister was an EF1 (86-110 mph) that began south of State Route 2 (east of Huntington) and traveled along the Guyandotte River to Merritt Creek Road and between Wildcat Road and Huntington Mall in Cabell County was raised.

According to the NWS, damage occurred from the Huntington Mall south along Interstate 64.

No further details were disclosed.

Our WSAZ meteorologists said the tornado outbreak on Tuesday, April 2, was the largest in recorded weather history in West Virginia as well as in the WSAZ coverage area.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service has just issued a Tornado Warning for the following parts of our region until 9 p.m. Thursday:

7 weather warnings in force

Chief Meteorologist Tony Cavalier provided the following information about the tornado watch:

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for the WSAZ viewing area until 9 p.m. While severe thunderstorms with high winds are likely to result in some power outages/outages, any tornado warning is short-lived and the funnel is enveloped in rain. This makes travel more difficult this evening as the Appalachian hills can hide any short turn if it suddenly appears through the rain.

Based on radar data, trends will favor areas south and east of Huntington, including the Kanawha Valley, for the strongest storms. This zone warmed into the 70s today as the sun shone faintly through extensive cloud cover and shower patterns.

Safety suggestions include canceling outdoor games and practices. When you live in an RV, the dangers of strong storms are never easy to overcome. So if you're uncomfortable waiting for the next few hours, it would be a good idea to go to a friend's house and a more stable structure.

A flood warning is also in effect this evening due to possible flooding of small streams.

Keep checking back on the WSAZ app for the latest information.

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