Winter Storm Warning Issued for Central and Northern West Virginia Through Tuesday Morning

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Charleston, WV, has issued a Winter Storm Warning for multiple regions across West Virginia. This alert signifies that heavy snow and hazardous conditions are likely, creating significant risks for residents and travelers.

Affected Areas

The warning covers portions of central, northeast, northern, and southeast West Virginia, including the following counties and regions:

• Clay, Braxton, Lewis, Taylor, Upshur, and Barbour counties.
• Northwest and Southeast Raleigh.
• Northwest and Southeast Fayette.
• Northwest and Southeast Nicholas.
• Northwest and Southeast Webster.
• Northwest Pocahontas.
• Northwest and Southeast Randolph.

What You Should Do

Residents are strongly advised to consider delaying all travel. If travel is absolutely necessary, drive with extreme caution and carry a winter storm kit in your vehicle. This kit should include tire chains, booster cables, a flashlight, a shovel, blankets, extra clothing, water, and a first aid kit.

For the latest road conditions, residents can call 511 or access their state’s online traffic and roadway portal. If you must travel, ensure you have an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.

Expected Conditions

• Snow Accumulation: Total snow accumulations between 5 and 12 inches are expected.
• Wind: Winds are forecast to gust as high as 45 mph.
• Travel Impacts: Roads, bridges, and overpasses will likely become slick and hazardous. Whiteout conditions are expected, making travel treacherous and potentially life-threatening. Travel could become very difficult to impossible, specifically impacting the Monday morning and evening commutes.
• Infrastructure: Gusty winds may bring down tree branches.

Timeline

The Winter Storm Warning is effective from 1:00 AM EST Sunday, February 22, until 1:00 AM EST Tuesday, February 24. The most significant impacts are expected to persist throughout Monday.