Road crews in Charleston continuing to clear snow into the weekend

Virginia Street East on Friday morning.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With the amount of snow that was dumped on the Charleston area Thursday into Friday, City Public Works Director Brent Webster admits it’ll be a few days before roads are completely clear.

The National Weather Service in Charleston reported midday Friday that as much as 10.5 inches of snow fell in parts of the Kanawha Valley, as much as two inches per hour on Thursday evening.

“The rates of snow falling out here, it was difficult to keep up. Then we were able to catch up when it stopped. Then this morning (Friday), there was unexpected snow which covered everything back up,” Webster told 580-WCHS.

“We’re doing our best to keep the routes safe and passable as possible. But when you have eight to ten inches of snow out there, it’s going to be a few before it starts to look really good again.”

Webster said his crews are geared towards hills and those roads less traveled on Friday.

Webster also said the goal is to ‘widen the roads’ by clearing a path for vehicles and then going back to clear up the sides.

“I think people have to understand, they get a little inpatient because they see the roads are covered up but they will stay covered up when it’s coming down like that,” he said.

Temperatures are expected to be well below freezing Friday night, making the job that much tougher for crews. The high temperatures forecasted for Saturday and Sunday are mid-40s.