WEST VIRGINIA (WOAY) – Follow this page for periodic updates on severe weather throughout the day today.
FINAL UPDATE: We set a temperature drop record for February. Chief Meteorologist Chad Merrill has the details, your latest forecast and a plethora of gorgeous sunset photos from our viewers!
10:45 AM UPDATE: Below are the strongest wind gusts from today’s high wind event. Outages are quickly dropping as crews restore power following the peak of the event.
10:30 PM UPDATE: Pocahontas County Schools are on a 3-Hour Delay. Snow is falling at Snowshoe and the winds in the region are beginning to taper down. No other hazards going forward other than patchy black ice in parking lots, poor drainage spots and sheltered locations after 3 a.m. Thursday.
6:00 PM UPDATE: Footage of the heavy rain and limited damage from the storm plus Chief Meteorologist Chad Merrill’s latest forecast.
5:30 PM UPDATE: The cold front is pushing across the Greenbrier Valley. The peak gust in Lewisburg has reached 40 mph. Clay and Webster counties top the list with the most percentage of power outages of all counties in the state.
5 PM UPDATE: McDowell and Raleigh County top the list of the most number of power outages in our region so far with 900 outages total between those counties.
4:20 AM UPDATE: A peak gust of 43 mph at the Beckley-Raleigh County Airport, which is the peak gust of the day so far. The barometric pressure has risen 0.15″ of mercury in the last hour. Arthritis sufferers are probably feeling severe joint pain due to the pressure rise.
4:15 PM UPDATE:
4:00 PM WEATHER UPDATE: Following the breezy to occasionally gusty winds through this evening, temperatures will drop below freezing by 10 p.m. Icy patches expected after Midnight on sidewalks, alleyways and parking lots. A sunny and pleasant Thursday is expected with middle 40s. A warm front will trigger showers and a few thunderstorms late Friday to early Saturday followed by dense fog around daybreak on Saturday. After clearing out between 3-5 p.m., the remainder of the weekend will be dry and warmer. The mild trend continues next week.
3:00 PM UPDATE: The barometric pressure is starting to rise in our region. Expect a big jump in atmospheric pressure through the evening. Arthritis sufferers will feel the change.
2:30 PM UPDATE: The Wind Advisories continue through the evening in the Greenbrier Valley and western Pocahontas County, but the Flood Watches were dropped. The most recent gust with the frontal passage in Charleston was 40 mph. The front is pushing towards Route 19 at the current time. The rain will be ending from Route 19 to the Virginia line between 3:30-5 p.m. and the winds will be increasing from west (Route 19) to east (White Sulphur Springs) between 3:30-5 p.m. Chief Meteorologist Chad Merrill’s latest update:
Appalachian Power is reporting that 10,134 people are without power.
11 A.M. UPDATE: Chief Meteorologist Chad Merrill’s Live Update on the storm impacts from Facebook:
10:30 A.M. UPDATE: In a Facebook post, Beckley-Raleigh County Emergency Services is warning about live powerlines in the road in the 6000 block of Clear Fork Road. Emergency personnel are on the scene.
Appalachian Power is reporting that 7,388 people are without power. Newswatch is tracking a small outage that impacts roughly 160 people in Artie/Clear Creek. More are expected throughout the day.
A view from a traffic camera at mile marker 148 on I77:
