NWS meterologist says wintry blast temps won’t last into the weekend

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A wintry blast has hit the state overnight Tuesday and into Wednesday, with temperatures falling well below freezing in some parts.

Snow, ice and those temperatures falling caused many schools across the Mountain State to delay classes or even close school.

National Weather Service meteorologist Maura Casey said some temperatures in the highest ridgelines in the state saw single digits on Wednesday morning.

“We have talking at about 4,500 feet in Pocahontas, Randolph and Tucker counties, lows were in the single digits,” Casey said. “Snowshoe got down to seven degrees this morning (Wednesday). Otherwise, down in the lower elevations we were generally in the mid-teens like Barbour and Webster counties, we were in the mid-teens. We were generally right around 20 degrees down through the lowlands and mid-Ohio Valley.”

Temperatures around 20 degrees through the lowlands and the mid-Ohio Valley doesn’t match the staggering single digits seen in the high ridges but they are still temperatures that are below average for this time of year.

“Based on climatology, it is quite a bit below average,” Casey said. “Our average low temp in Charleston is 34 and we didn’t even make it to 34 yesterday (Tuesday). That is a long-standing average and this time of year it is not uncommon to get large swings in the temperature. So while the average low temp is 34 degrees, it is not uncommon to have lows in the 20 or lows in the 50 depending on what side of the weather system we are on.”

According to Casey, one of those swings in temperatures will be seen this upcoming weekend.

“This weekend is looking quite rainy but the good thing is we are going to be on the warm side of this system,” she said. “We have highs in the 40s coming on Thursday, into the 50s on Friday and 60s on Saturday. Even on Sunday, we are going to continue that warm trend with highs that could get up to 70 in the western lowlands.”

For Wednesday, temperatures will continue to be below freezing and roads are expected to be tricky throughout the state. Casey said the swings with rain and then falling below freezing cause problems on the roadways.

“It doesn’t take much in the way of snow accumulation to have an impact on the roads around here,” she said. “If you have any kind of moisture available.” and get freezing temps, that accumulation is going to freeze right onto the roadways.”





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