CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Folks who overnighted in West Virginia’s highest elevations woke up to a winter wonderland on the second of May. The National Weather Service reported the unusual May winter storm was heaviest at Snowshoe Mountain in Pocahontas County where five inches was recorded.
“That’s the highest single day snowfall record in May for Snowshoe. The previous record was three inches in 2020,” said National Weather Service Meteorologist Jeff Hovis at the Charleston Weather Bureau.
Magical mid-winter scenes this morning in Snowshoe, WV. Big, wet snowfall overnight.
But it’s not mid winter, it’s mid spring! Nearing the biggest May snowfall here in 100 years. #wvwx pic.twitter.com/lrjbPRYBl9
— Peter Forister ⚡️🌪️⚡️ (@forecaster25) May 2, 2023
There were varying amounts of accumulation in other parts of the state like Canaan Valley in Tucker County and on Corridor H near Bismarck in Grant County. However, the snowfall accumulation was very elevation dependent. According to Hovis, for the snow to stick it had to be above 3,000 feet.
“Down at the base of the mountain at Snowshoe there was nothing,” he explained.
While the snowfall pictures were going viral on social media, Hovis said May snow in those higher reaches isn’t all that uncommon.
“We’ve had snow in the past at this time of year, it’s not that rare,” he said.
However, the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh said an observer in Tucker County recorded 5.8 inches which is quite unusual for May.
Our observer in eastern Tucker County got 5.8 inches of snow over the last 24 hours. That is VERY rare for May.
— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) May 2, 2023
But any snow that falls around this time of year generally won’t last. The sun angles during the height of the day are enough to melt the snow fairly quickly, even in the midst of a cold Canadian air mass. Still, it’s likely those higher elevations could see another five inches of snow on Tuesday night before the system moves on.