Winter Storm in Monroe, West Virginia

Skywarn-trained weather spotters and members of the general public observed ice accumulations from freezing rain ranging from 0.13 to 0.4 inches in thickness across portions of Monroe County, including around the communities of Wayside, Bozoo and Gap Mills. Sleet accumulations of 1 to 1.5 inches were observed in these same communities, while snowfall accumulations of 0.5 to 2 inches were also observed. Key impacts: power outages; hazardous travel conditions; tree damage; schools closed.

A complex low pressure system brought deep moisture from the Gulf of Mexico as it moved across the central Appalachians, overriding a shallow layer of sub-freezing temperatures within high pressure established across the mountains of southeast West Virginia. This resulted in a widespread mixture of freezing rain, sleet and snow across the large portions of West Virginia. Freezing rain accumulations were higher more to the south across Mercer County, with a thicker layer of cold air to the north resulting in mixture of sleet and snow. Mainly snow was observed along and north of Interstate 64 in Greenbrier County. The icing from this freezing rain weighed down trees and tree limbs, causing some to snap. Some power outages were reported. The widespread winter storm conditions resulted in numerous travel delays, with schools across the region closed.