CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Mountain State could be in for a wet Halloween weekend with off and on showers on the way.
The storm could dump about 1-2 inches of rain in low lying areas beginning Thursday afternoon with the heaviest amount expected Friday night into Saturday.
Ray Young, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Charleston, said an umbrella will be handy for outdoor activities such as trick-or-treating or football games at West Virginia University or Marshall University.
“We’ll have rounds of rain all the way through the beginning of the weekend. It won’t be pulling out until Sunday morning,” Young said. “It won’t be raining the entire time, but it will be off and on during that time period.”
The northeastern mountains could see up to three inches of rainfall. No flood watches, warnings or advisories have been issued as of Thursday afternoon, but forecasters said that could change.
Young said there are concerns for flooding, especially for this time of year as the temperature drops.
“We’re already saturated from previous rains and we’re moving into the the time of year where the sun is not that strong, so it doesn’t evaporate off the ground as much. Most of the rain we get will run off fairly quickly and that’s why some place that can get up to three inches could have some issues with water problems,” he said.
East of Beckley up through Pocahontas County are at risk of getting the most rain.
“That’s mainly because they’ll have wind flow into the mountains which can exaggerate the rainfall,” Young said.
Young encouraged drivers to be careful on the roads.
“Slow down, use extra caution, leave a little extra time to get to your destination as water pouring on the roads can cause some hydroplaning issues,” he said.