CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin issued a State of Preparedness Wednesday afternoon in connection with Winterstorm Jonas that is expected to hit the state Friday through Sunday leaving behind several inches of snow.
The governor wants residents to be ready in case their normal lives are disrupted, Tomblin administration Communications Director Chris Stadelman said.
“You should have water on hand, you should have canned food on hand,” Stadelman said. “You could be without power for a day, a couple of days.”
With still a few days out from the storm, the National Weather Service was predicting snowfall amounts ranging from six inches to two feet in parts of the Mountain State.
“It certainly looks like not only a significant event with up to a couple feet of snow but also a statewide event. So that makes it even more difficult,” Stadelman said.
The governor at some point may issue a state of emergency, which would free up more state resources, according to Stadelman.
For updates on the state’s response efforts, including lists of warming stations and shelters, power outages, road closures and weather conditions, please visit the state’s official Facebook page for Winter Storm Jonas: www.facebook.com/WVJonas.