Heavy Snow — Raleigh, West Virginia

1998-01-27 to 1998-01-28 · Raleigh, West Virginia

Wider weather episode

A surprise heavy wet snow fell over these mountainous counties. Since the environment was near the freezing mark, through a deep layer, a wide variation in snow depth was observed. The variation was based on elevation. Elevations above 2000 feet were impacted the most. At these elevations of Fayette, Raleigh, Wyoming, McDowell, and southern Nicholas Counties, a snow depth of 20 to 38 inches was left in the storm's wake. Meanwhile, in nearby river valleys and deep hollows, depths of 6 to 12 inches were more common. Further north, amounts of 6 to 12 inches were also more common across Randolph, Webster, Pocahontas, and northern Nicholas Counties. While the storm center was moving north, up the Interstate 95 corridor of North Carolina during Tuesday evening the 27th, the snow flakes and the snow rates increased. Snow flakes the size of flap jacks and frisbees were reported from McDowell County, and as big as your fist in Fayette County. During this same period, Beckley received 10 inches of snow in 3 hours. Lightning and thunder was noted around Beckley and Oak Hill. The maximum snow depth was along Flat Top and Guyandotte Mountains. In this vicinity, snow depths of around 3 feet were seen. For example. the depth reached 38 inches on Flat Top Mountain by midday on the 28th, before settling began. At Beckley, a new 24 hours snowfall record of 31 inches was set. The snow depth of 32 inches at Beckley during the late morning on the 28th was their deepest on record. The emergency officials of Raleigh County were all in agreement. This storm was worst than the blizzard of March, 1993. One Beckley resident said, "Since I can remember, I've never seen it like this". Some of the other snow depths included 32 inches along the Wyoming/Mercer County line at 3000 feet, 25 inches at Paynesville of McDowell County, 18 to 24 inches around Oak Hill, 21 inches at Mt Lookout, 18 inches on higher terrain outside Welch, 16 inches at Mt Nebo, and 12 to 18 inches in Richwood. War, Welch, Mullens, Camden on Gauley, and Summersville all had 10 to 12 inches on the ground. To the west, just rain fell at Charleston, Madison, Logan, and Williamson. However, the extreme eastern portions of Kanawha, Boone, Logan, and Mingo County did receive some wet snow. Meanwhile, not a drop or flake of precipitation fell at Huntington. The main effects of the storm were power outages and transportation stoppages. A state of emergency was declared by Governor Underwood for a total of 12 counties, including these 8. The emergency operation center remained activated until Sunday evening, the 8th of February. A state official summarized it best by saying the suddenness of the storm, as well as the nature of the snow, wet and heavy, were the prime reasons this storm was so devastating. Fayette County emergency dispatch received 20,000 calls on the 28th. A maximum of 415 National Guard troops were used in the relief effort, including 55 from the commonwealth of Kentucky. Two deaths can be directly attributed to the storm. An awning collapsed onto a 72 year old woman as she walked out from her Midway home in Raleigh County. A 42 year old man became lost and disoriented while walking near Coal City of Raleigh County. His body was found on the 4th of February. Seven other people died indirectly from the storm. Two died from shovelling in Raleigh County and one from cutting fallen trees. In Fayette County, 2 elderly Oak Hill citizens died in their cold homes, but other medical reasons may have contributed to their deaths. In McDowell County, a Iaeger man was found dead on this porch. A strong odor of kerosene and smoke was coming from this house. An 82 year old Anawalt woman died from a house fire that was likely started by an alternate heat source. One National Guardsman was injured during the relief efforts. An estimate 85,000 customers were without electricity in West Virginia. It took over a week to bring everyone back on line. The heavy wet snow took down both trees, power lines, and even snapped poles. National Guard troops delivered commercial generators to help run water treatment plants. One home improvement center sold 340 residential generators in just 3 days. One unique problem was the many retired coal miner that use oxygen generators. The extended electrical outage presented health concerns. The Red Cross opened 21 shelters in West Virginia, but not many people utilized the centers. About 300 people used 10 of the centers. Temperatures were not that cold following the storm. Plus, most of these residents had alternate heat sources. The heavy wet snow also caused porches, awnings, and even roofs to collapse. A small church had its roof collapse. This problem actually became worst in early February, after a second storm deposited rain then more snow. Three major routes, Interstates 64, 77, and U.S. Route 19, cross the hard hit region around Beckley. Traffic was snarled from Tuesday night the 27th through Thursday morning the 29th. Several hundred truckers waited out the storm around Charleston. The weight of the snow, plus the stranded vehicles, made it even harder for the snowplow operators to perform their duties. Four CSX trains were stuck in the New River Gorge, not because of the snow, but as a result of fallen trees from the steep mountainsides. Rescue crews removed 150 trees per mile of track to free the stranded trains. Two men from one train were rescued by private helicopter, because one of the men was in need of his daily medication. State forestry officials said large open grown trees were toppled. Meanwhile, poplar and hickory trees received heavy damage in their tops. Parts of Nicholas and Fayette Counties received heavy damage to hemlock and pine stands. Some of the steep hollows looked like a war zone from the fallen trees. Raleigh County schools did not return to their normal schedule until Friday, February 13th. Damage estimates for the second storm are contained in the February report. However, even that damage can be indirectly related back to this heavier storm.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5628134. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.