CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A quick-moving winter storm could make things difficult for West Virginia motorists Thursday evening into Friday morning.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for most of West Virginia.
NWS Meteorologist Megan Kiebler said the snow is expected to arrive Thursday afternoon. The storm warning is in effect from noon Thursday to 8 a.m. Friday.
“It will be coming in during that evening travel commute and continuing into that Friday commute,” Kiebler said Wednesday on MetroNews “Talkline.” “Even though the snow will be out of the way, with freezing temperatures it will maintain those slick spots.”
The weather service updated its forecast Wednesday afternoon upgrading from a winter storm watch to winter storm warning.
NWS meteorologists are currently forecasting total storm accumulation of 5 to 7 inches for parts of Mercer, Summers, Monroe and Greenbrier counties.
A range of 4 to 8 inches for parts of Wayne, Cabell, Lincoln, Putnam, Kanawha, Roane, Calhoun, Mingo, Logan, Boone, Clay, Braxton, Gilmer, Lewis, Harrison, Taylor, McDowell, Wyoming, Upshur, Barbour, Raleigh, Fayette, Nicholas, Webster, Pocahontas and Randolph counties.
The weather service said higher elevations would likely get higher amounts of snow.
A total storm accumulation of 3 to 6 inches is predicted for Jackson, Wirt, Richie and Doddridge counties.
The Parkersburg area is forecasted to pick up right around an inch snow. There’s a possibility of 2 to 3 inches in Morgantown. The eastern panhandle is in the 2 to 4 inch range.
Deputy State Highway Engineer Joe Pack said Tuesday the state Division of Highways was in full preparation mode. He said crews would be working 24-hour shifts where necessary.
“Our trucks are mounted with snow-fighting equipment and our inventories are full and stockpiled,” Pack said.
Snow removal crews will likely be aided by the quick-moving nature of the storm. Kiebler said it should quit snowing by early Friday morning in most areas.
“At just after 2 a.m. (Friday) we’ll start to see that taper off in the western portions of West Virginia. All of the way into the mountains it will be lingering into Friday morning but probably just after 4 p.m. we would start to see everything taper off,” Kiebler said.
A high pressure system will build in after the snow and leave behind clearing skies and cold temperatures. High temperatures on Friday are expected to struggle to get past the mid-20s.