CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The latest snowstorm moving through West Virginia Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday morning will be characterized by heavier bands of snow, according to National Weather Meteorologist Maura Casey.
“There’s a big moisture plume coming down from Lake Michigan and what that usually amounts to is that you’ll get these corridors that set up and you’ll have locally higher amounts (of snow),” Casey said.
The forecast is calling for a coating to an inch or two in the state’s western lowlands. The least amounts will likely be along the Ohio River. Accumulation amounts are expected to increase to the east, Casey said.
“Once you get up into the mountainous region from Wyoming County up through the Morgantown area you’ll get the 1-3, 2-4 inch variety. Once you get into the mountains you’ll see those higher snowfall amounts,” she said. “In the Randolph, Tucker, Pendleton, Pocahontas county areas we’re looking at 6-7 inches at your highest elevations.”
Casey said even if you’re in an area where the accumulation is light there could be travel problems.
“The accumulations may be on the light side given we have warm ground temperatures but it still creates some hazardous driving conditions,” she said. “You’re going to have reduced visibility with heavier squalls.”
The National Weather Service also has advisories posted in connection with cold temperatures. Most areas will see lows in the middle teens with wind by Wednesday morning.
Greenbrier County closed schools Tuesday while Fayette and Raleigh counties decided to close a few hours early.