Winter storm watch issued for parts of the region
Jan. 18—By GREG JORDAN
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
BLUEFIELD — Winter storm watches were issued Wednesday across southern West Virginia as a new weather front carrying 2 to 5 inches of snow along with ice accumulations approached the region
A winter storm watch means that significant accumulations of snow and ice are possible.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch for parts of the region, including Mercer and McDowell counties, starting this evening and continuing through Saturday morning. A light glazing of ice is possible along with 2 to 5 inches of snow and wind gusts as high as 35 mph. These combined conditions could make roadways slippery and impede both the morning and evening commute.
"There's a system that's going to be coming through and it's going to bring a light amount of freezing rain and change over into snow," said meteorologist Anita Silverman with the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Va.
The freezing rain and snow will start arriving Thursday night and keep coming into the weekend in Mercer, Summers and Greenbrier counties on the western side of the Appalachian Mountains, Silverman said.
In Charleston, the National Weather Service station which watches over a region including McDowell and Wyoming counties as well as Raleigh and Fayette counties issued a winter storm watch Wednesday. This watch is effective Thursday evening through late Friday night. Between 4 to 6 inches of snow are possible along with wind gusts up to 35 mph, making travel "very difficult," according to the watch.
Road crews in both West Virginia and Virginia had main roads clear Wednesday, but were still working on clearing secondary roads that were covered during the storm that arrived around Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Ryland Musick, engineer for District 10 of the West Virginia Department of Highways, said crews were still working on back roads while preparing for the new snow that has been forecasted. District 10 includes both Mercer and McDowell counties.
"We are continuing to treat secondary roads from this previous storm," Musick said. "The primary roads are in good shape."
District 10 crews still have a lot to do on their secondary roadways. All snowplow trucks have been out, Musick said.
Starting around October 2023, District 10 snowplow drivers took dry runs on their routes after those routes were established, he added. The trucks themselves and their salt and cinder spreading equipment were checked to make sure they were functioning properly and ready for service.
Across the state line, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) was getting ready for more winter weather.
Michelle Earl, media representative for the Bristol District of VDOT, said that the road crews responded to a "fairly significant" snow for the region this past weekend.
"From what we saw from our facilities out in the field, it was 2 to 8 inches depending on where you were," Earl recalled. "Our primary roadways are in good shape but the secondary roads are still being worked on. Those roads number 600 and above and while that is going on, we've also been working to order supplies so we're ready for a potential storm on Thursday night into Friday."
VDOT did not have any reports of significant crashes or other incidents during last weekend's snow storm, Earl stated.
Law enforcement agencies and 911 centers in Mercer and McDowell counties as well as Tazewell, Va. did not report serious crashes during the previous snowfall. Most motor vehicle accidents could be classified as fender benders as well as vehicles sliding off roads and into ditches.
In Mercer County, Julie Lockhart, training coordinator for Mercer County 911, said that the number of weather-related accidents were reduced because many people heeded the bad weather forecasts and stayed off the roads. There were businesses that closed early or delayed opening their doors so employees had enough time to get to work or get to home safely.
Warming stations have been open to help local people escape the bitter cold. The Bluefield Union Mission has helped people warm up as well as provide fuel and winter clothing to those in need.
The Bluewell United Methodist Church has been ready to provide shelter. Pastor Sheri Kerink said she can be reached at 304-231-4043.
The Salvation Army in Princeton has been using $7,500 provided by the Mercer County Commission to shelter people overnight in a local motel. Work is underway to establish a warming station staffed by volunteers at The Salvation Army facility on 300 Princeton Avenue.
Tazewell County has opened several warming stations. Anyone seeking refuge should contact Tazewell County 911 through the agency's non-urgent phone number at 276- 988-0645. Dispatchers asked that the number 911 be used only for emergencies.
The Tazewell County warming stations opened Tuesday morning and are scheduled to remain open until Sunday, Jan. 21.
These warming stations include:
—Abbs Valley Volunteer Fire Department at Tazewell County EMS Station 2, 1289 Boissevain Road, Bluefield, Va.
—Bishop Volunteer Fire Department at 219 Radio Street, Bishop, Va.
—Burke's Garden Volunteer Fire Department at 6164 Burke's Garden, Tazewell, Va.
—Clearfork Volunteer Fire Department at 7146 Clearfork Rad, Bastian, Va.
—Richlands Police Department at 1851 Cranwell Drive, Richlands, Va.
—Tannersville Volunteer Fire Department, 1138 Freestone Valley, Tannersville, Va.
—Tazewell County Volunteer Fire Department, Fuller Perry Building, Fairgrounds Road, Tazewell, Va.
—Thompson Valley Volunteer Fire Department, 8905 Thompson Valley, Tazewell, Va.
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
