Snow, cold now, but white Christmas not likely

Dec. 18—Cold temperatures, which made conditions ideal for snowfall and slick roadways, will continue in southern West Virginia until Tuesday morning before making way for warmer weather toward the end of the week.

According to the National Weather Service, Raleigh County and much of the surrounding region will remain under a winter weather advisory until 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Joe Curtis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said Monday evening into Tuesday morning will be when conditions are most treacherous, especially for motorists and those venturing outdoors.

"Temperatures are going to dive below freezing overnight, and we could get a light accumulation of snow overnight and into Tuesday morning," Curtis said. "And that could bring a little bit of slick spots on the roadways and on the sidewalks."

After Tuesday morning, Curtis said the weather will clear up and make way for sunshine, but the cold temperatures will remain throughout the day.

"One of the main concerns is, we are going to be very cold for Tuesday so it's important to dress warm and cover all exposed skin," he said. "It's only going to make it to around 28 Tuesday afternoon and the wind chill is going to be even colder than that in the lower 20s. So it's going to be feeling like the middle of winter for Tuesday."

The low for Tuesday night is expected to be around 17.

West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) began treating roads on Monday with salt brine and rock salt, according to a press release, and will continue to do so around the clock until the winter storm passes.

"Trucks and drivers have been on standby ready to address roadway conditions hours before the snow began falling," said Joe Pack, WVDOH Chief Engineer of District Operations, in the release. "Drivers will stay on patrol within their assigned areas, until the storm passes and conditions improve."

WVDOH and Parkways Authority snowplow drivers are available in 12-hour shifts. Statewide, the WVDOH has a stockpile of more than 231,000 tons of salt, and more than 1,000 snowplows to cover all 55 counties. A typical snowplow holds 12 tons of salt, enough to treat about 100 lane miles of road. That's about a 50-mile stretch of two-lane road, or about 25 miles of four-lane.

The Beckley Warming Center at the Fellowship Hall of Beckley Community United Methodist Church, located at 217 S. Heber St., opens when the temperatures stay below the 15-degree mark. The Beckley Warming Center accepts guests from 8 p.m. until 7 a.m. the following day.

In addition to the Beckley Warming Center, the Raleigh County Community Action Emergency Housing Center, located at 103 S. Eisenhower Drive, provides shelter, three hot meals and a snack per day, and emergency case management.

Curtis said the cold front derived from the north and west and has dived south and east.

"It's brought a whole lot of cold air with it, and with the winds moving in the direction they're moving, bringing in a lot of cold air and also bringing in the snow showers that we've been seeing," he said

Going into Wednesday and the rest of the week, Curtis said temperatures will rise, making way for even more sunshine.

"It is looking like a warming trend toward the end of the week," he said. "We'll have temperatures warming up into the upper 40s and lower 50s by this weekend."

With these warmer temperatures expected to continue through Christmas, Curtis said it's unlikely the region will experience a white Christmas.

For the rest of southern West Virginia, Curtis said conditions will mirror Raleigh County with the exception of those living in higher elevations.

"In the higher elevations — farther off to the north and east, they can expect a little bit more snow tonight and into Tuesday morning," he said. "Again, that could cause some slippery roadways, hazardous travel for the Tuesday morning commute. But after that, everything's the same; we should return to sunshine and a gradual warming trend for the rest of the week."

He added that Winterplace Ski Resort could see a few inches of snow Monday night into Tuesday morning.

Given the winter weather advisory in the forecast and snow accumulations expected to cover parts of the region, the Postal Service is asking customers to clear snow and ice from sidewalks, stairs, and mailboxes, to help letter carriers deliver the mail. Hazards such as uneven surfaces, wet pavement, and snow and ice can pose a serious threat to Postal Service employees.

Maintaining a clear path to the mailbox — including steps, porches, walkways, and street approach — will help letter carriers maintain consistent delivery service. Customers receiving door delivery should make sure their sidewalks, steps and porches are clear. Customers receiving curbside delivery should remove snow piles left by snowplows to keep access to their mailboxes clear for letter carriers. Residents and businesses with blue collection boxes near their property are asked to keep them clear of snow and ice.

Postal employees make every reasonable effort to deliver mail in many difficult weather conditions. With the help of postal customers clearing snow, ice and pathways, letter carriers will remain safe to delivery holiday cheer this season.

Email: jmoore@register-herald.com