{Charleston, West Virginia}...High winds, lightning and heavy rains caused more problems for Kanawha Valley residents Thursday. A strong line of thunderstorms moved through part of central West Virginia late Thursday morning before hitting the Charleston area just before noon, knocking out traffic lights on MacCorkle Avenue from Patrick Street to the University of Charleston. AEP officials say, before the storm hit, more than 38,800 people were without power, but the storm left more than 42,000 in Kanawha County without power. Metro 911 in Charleston was struck by lightning around 1:00 P.M., but workers continued to take calls as they moved to an alternate site at the Kanawha County Courthouse
. The National Weather Service measured a 59 mph wind gust at Charleston's Yeager Airport.
