The force of the wind in Charleston on Monday caught these unsuspecting lunch-goers by surprise when they stepped out of Graziano’s on Capitol Street. Yeager Airport recorded wind gusts of more than 50 mph.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A wind advisory was in effect Monday as high winds blew through the Kanawha Valley with gusts over 50 mph in some areas.
The wind advisory, issued for 34 counties in West Virginia, called for southwest winds between 20 mph and 30 mph but with gusts up to 50 mph, according to the National Weather Service in Charleston. Some of the counties affected were Kanawha, Putnam, Cabell, Wayne, Wood, Mason, Jackson, Roane, Clay, Nicholas, Fayette, Raleigh, Boone and Logan. The advisory was set to expire at 8 p.m. Monday.
The strongest gusts already had come through Monday afternoon before a cold front, said Tom Mazza, a meteorologist with the weather service. He expected the winds to taper off into the evening.
Yeager Airport posted on Twitter that the high winds could cause flight delays Monday. Airport officials recommended that travelers check their flight status online before going to the airport.
The airport recorded a gust of 57 mph…