CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia is about two weeks into a significant dry spell, but a hurricane now in the Gulf of Mexico will change that early next week.
“There’s been little rain across the state over the past two weeks,” said Simone Lewis at the National Weather Service in Charleston. “The most precipitation we have seen has generally been across the northern panhandle.”
A massive high pressure system has been parked over the state for those two weeks and it’s produced not only dry conditions, but above normal temperatures. But Hurricane Nate is expected to hit the Gulf Coast on Saturday as a Category 1 storm. As it moves inland, it will bring West Virginia a much needed soaking.
“Remnants of Nate are going to move onshore into the southern gulf states over the weekend and it will move into West Virginia in the Sunday to Monday time frame,” Lewis explained. “That’s going to bring us finally some moisture. We’re looking at a pretty good soaking rain Sunday night into Monday. We’re looking at a good two to four inches the state could see out of it.”
The rainfall is expected to end on Monday evening and return to dry conditions by Tuesday. Lewis said it’s the kind of rain West Virginia needs without too many concerns.
“For the most part it should just be a slow, soaking rain,” she said. “There may be a few periods of gusty winds at times, but nothing too significant to worry about.”