CHARLESTON, W.Va. –Traffic was slowed, schools in several counties were closed Monday morning because of high water.
Rain that began Sunday picked up in intensity Sunday night and into early Monday morning before moving off to the east.
The National Weather Service posted flash flood warnings early Monday morning for parts of Pendleton, Grant and Hardy counties. Flood warnings were posted for Randolph, Pocahontas, Doddridge, Nicholas, Taylor, Gilmer, Lewis, Braxton, Upshur, Webster, Barbour and Harrison counties.
Several other counties were under flash flood watches.
High water was reported in many counties. Residents were being evacuated in parts of Marlinton because of high water in Pocahontas County. High water closed parts of Interstate 79 at Jane Lew in Lewis County. Both north and southbound lanes were closed at around 7:30 a.m. U.S. Route 19 was being used as a detour.
Schools were closed in about a dozen counties while other counties closed specific schools because of high water. Power outages were also reported Monday morning.
The National Weather Service said an upper level low pressure system will drive colder air into the state during the day Monday bringing with it a transition of rain to snow.
‘Freezing temperatures with lingering snow showers are expected tonight, with any lingering snow showers tapering off by Tuesday afternoon. Another surface low pressure system crosses late Wednesday into Thursday with mainly rain showers, transitioning into upslope snow across the northeast mountains Friday,” the NWS said.