WOAY-TV (Oak Hill, WV): Sunday storms produced widespread damage and thousands are without power.
Chief Meteorologist Chad Merrill has the latest:
The storms that ripped across the region produce gusts of 44 mph in Beckley to 60 to 61 mph in Bluefield and Lewisburg. At least 90,000 folks are without power across West Virginia. It will take crews probably until the middle of the week to get the
power restored.
Notice from this radar animation, the storm started as a linear feature, moved across the entire state of Kentucky, then through our region late in the afternoon up Interstate 81, all the way into Washington, D.C. This is a prime example of a squall line, held together by by strong upper level winds that help keep the storm going forward. The rain-cooled air from the storm outflow acts as a cold front and keeps that whole complex pushing across the entire Mid-Atlantic. So, this is a large scale event across the Mid-Atlantic.
Keep in mind small branches will cover the road in spots and a few gas stations may not be open on Memorial Day due to loss of power.
