Winter Weather in Ridges of E Monongalia and Nw Preston, West Virginia

Six to seven inches of snow fell, based on a report near Gum Springs.

A late season winter storm affected the region on March 11th and 12th. A deep upper trough digging across the central CONUS and Gulf low pressure riding up the eastern seaboard contributed to widespread precipitation. Precipitation initially began as rain in some areas, but potent dynamic cooling quickly changed precipitation over to snow. A coupled jet and a frontogenesis axis oriented southwest to northeast across the Upper Ohio Valley contributed to strong vertical motion. The heaviest snow generally fell during the overnight hours on the 11th to the morning hours of the 12th, with more scattered snow showers lingering therafter.

Snowfall was generally maximized along an axis from Zanesville through Wheeling, Pittsburgh, and then Forest County, PA. Totals of 6 to 9 inches were common in this area, with slightly less to the northwest. Terrain influences also aided accumulation in the higher elevations.