CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia is bracing for a Thanksgiving eve storm that will bring snow from the western lowlands to the eastern mountains.
The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for the entire state beginning Tuesday morning with some storm warnings expected as Tuesday’s rain changes to snow.
The Greenbrier Valley dealt with freezing rain Tuesday morning. It was already snowing in the Morgantown area and parts of the northern panhandle.
Meteorologists said rain during the day Tuesday could produce more than an inch of rain in some areas and up to two inches in the mountains. The National Weather Service is keeping an eye out for possible flooding.
NWS Meteorologist John Victory said colder air from the north will change the rain to snow Tuesday night from west to east. It’s expected to begin snowing in Huntington by late night and in Charleston by early Wednesday morning. The snow will continue through western, central and northern counties through midday Wednesday.
Accumulation totals vary depending on when the change to snow takes place. Victory said generally accumulation totals will be from 2 to 5 inches from Williamson to Clarksburg with higher amounts possible in places of higher elevation.
It appears Hancock and Brooke counties could get up to 9 inches of snow as part of the northern trek of the storm that’s impacting Pittsburgh and central Pennsylvania.
Meteorologists said it will snow the longest in the state’s eastern mountains. Some of the highest elevations could get up to a foot of snow.
Thanksgiving Day is forecasted to be clear with temperatures near the freezing mark.