Tag: Winter Storm

Winter Storm Warning Issued In West Virginia

Updated on Jan. 5, 2022 at 2 p.m.

A storm that could dump a significant amount of snow is set to take aim at West Virginia, forecasters said.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for most of the state from midday Thursday through Friday morning.

The weather service said snow accumulations could total 3 to 8 inches, depending on the location. For some areas it would mark the first significant accumulations this winter.

The warning area extended to a few bordering counties in Kentucky and Virginia.

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A winter storm is set to take aim at West Virginia and eastern Kentucky, forecasters said.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch in those states from Thursday through Friday morning.

The weather service said snow accumulations could total 4 to 6 inches with up to 8 inches possible in higher elevations. For some areas it would mark the first significant accumulations this winter.

Tens Of Thousands Without Power After Latest Ice Storm

Gov. Jim Justice declared a state of emergency in four counties Tuesday after an overnight winter storm coated trees with ice and brought down power lines.

Sixty percent of homes in Cabell, Wayne, Putnam and Lincoln counties are without power Tuesday following the latest winter storm to batter the region.

As of midday Tuesday, Appalachian Power reports 91,000 customers without power with a third of them in Cabell County. The company also reported outages in Wayne, Putnam, Lincoln, Jackson, Mason, Kanawha, and Marshall counties.

Some residents are going on a week without power after an initial ice storm last Wednesday and it’s unclear when power will be restored.

“We recognize some customers remain without service from the Feb. 11 ice storm, and are doing our best to prioritize service restoration to those customers,” the company wrote in a statement.

Appalachian Power has nearly 1,500 workers on the ground and has temporarily suspended estimated restoration times due to the large number of outages, according to the statement.

Several emergency warming shelters have been opened in the Cabell county area. Masks and social distancing are required at all.

  • The Salvation Army at 1227 3rd Ave. in Huntington will be open until at least 8 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17. Hot meals will be provided
  • The A.D. Lewis Community Center at 1450 A.D. Lewis Ave. in Huntington is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
  • The Barboursville Community Center at 721 Central Ave. opened at 8 a.m. on Tuesday.

Appalachian Power serves a half-million customers across southern and central West Virginia.

Mon Power provides power to the northern part of the state and reports around 4,000 outages in areas south of Parkersburg as of midday Tuesday.

Motorists are encouraged to stay home if possible as downed power lines and trees have blocked roadways. The Public Works Department of the City of Huntington cleared a couple of dozen roads since Monday night with about a dozen more to go.

Cabell, Putnam, Jackson, Wirt, Roane and Kanawha county schools closed Tuesday as well as Marshall University.

This is the second winter storm in the region over the last week to coat trees with ice and snap power lines.

Another winter storm is predicted later this week and the National Weather Service has placed much of eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, and western Virginia under a Winter Storm Watch from Wednesday evening to Friday morning.

Significant snow and ice accumulations are possible and could lead to more outages, according to the weather service.

Winter Storm Forces Altered Travel Plans for NCAA Tournament

A winter storm expected to hit the Northeast is forcing at least one college basketball team to alter its travel plans for the third round of the NCAA Tournament.

West Virginia’s athletic department announced Monday night the Mountaineers will leave a day early for Boston. WVU says it will depart Morgantown on Tuesday instead of Wednesday.

Fifth-seeded West Virginia meets top-seeded Villanova in the East Region semifinals at TD Garden on Friday night.

The National Weather Service says the bulk of the wind-driven snow and sleet is expected to hit New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and parts of eastern Pennsylvania before heading off to Massachusetts early Thursday.

A winter storm in the East during the 2017 tournament also prompted teams to scramble their travel plans.

State Officials Ready Public For Storm

As a major snowstorm bears down on West Virginia, the governor’s office is preparing the state for the storm. 

Governor Tomblin issued a state of preparedness for the state Wednesday. It allows him to activate the National Guard if necessary and make sure the department of transportation and division of highways have all the support and resources they need. Chris Stadelman is the Communications Director for the Governor’s office and said they want people to be ready for the 36-hour event that is approaching. 

“We’re already encouraging people to pay attention to the conditions, avoid travel if you can and then absolutely be responsible, if we have people that are in accidents they tie up traffic and then our snow plows get stuck in the traffic and it keeps us from getting the state assets out to be able to do what they need to do,” Stadelman said.

Stadelman said that as of Thursday afternoon, the forecast is showing that storms will likely move in from the southern coalfields into the Huntington – Charleston area around 10 to 11 a.m. The Kanawha Valley is predicted to get between 12 and 18 inches of snow. Worst case that could elevate to two feet. He says the Eastern Panhandle could get anywhere from two to three feet. The rest of the state could also see significant snowfall as well. 

W.Va. Governor Prepares for Winter Storm

Governor Tomblin has issued a statewide State of Preparedness, mobilizing state resources to help keep West Virginians safe during the severe winter weather predicted to be part of this storm. 

Many counties across the state are already seeing snowfall, and large amounts of snow are being predicted across the state Friday and Saturday so the governor issued a State of Preparedness to mobilize state resources, including the West Virginia National Guard, to address heavy snowfall, high winds and other winter weather forecasted this week.

Tomblin also noted this storm may leave neighborhoods without power and other utilities, and service providers are ready to address outages and other issues as they arise. He encourages residents to think about the items families may need to stay safe for at least 48 hours, including food, water, medications, flashlights, batteries and fuel for generators.

West Virginians needing assistance should contact their local emergency management office.  It’s a good idea to have that phone number at hand.

Record Low Temperatures Set Across State

Frigid temperatures that followed heavy rains and snow have set several records across West Virginia.

The National Weather Service says the thermometer in Elkins bottomed out at 10 below zero Friday morning, breaking the March 6 record of zero set in 1901.

In Clarksburg, the temperature dipped to 3 below, smashing the mark of 7 above set in 1960.

Huntington’s low of zero broke the record of 5 above set in 1960 and Parkersburg hit 3 above to eclipse a record that stood since 1960.

Charleston’s reading of 5 above broke a 98-year-old record.

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