Charleston, West Virginia – A major winter storm is set to bring dangerous ice and heavy snow to much of West Virginia this weekend, prompting Winter Storm Warnings as forecasters warn of treacherous travel conditions and the potential for substantial power outages through Monday.
According to the National Weather Service in Charleston, precipitation will increase Saturday afternoon as snow overspreads the state and quickly mixes with freezing rain and sleet Saturday night. Road conditions are expected to deteriorate rapidly once precipitation begins, especially across central, southern, and northern West Virginia, where temperatures remain cold enough for ice to accumulate on untreated surfaces.
The storm is expected to continue through Sunday, with a prolonged period of mixed precipitation during the morning commute before colder air pushes in. By Sunday afternoon and evening, precipitation is forecast to transition back to all snow, with additional accumulations worsening road conditions and compounding earlier ice impacts. Forecasters say the combination of snow and ice will make travel difficult to impossible in some areas.
Ice accumulation is of greatest concern across the southern coalfields and portions of the western mountains, where freezing rain could lead to downed trees and power lines. Snowfall confidence is highest across southeast and north-central West Virginia, where colder temperatures will allow snow to persist longer.
Impacts are expected to linger into early next week as bitter cold settles in, slowing recovery efforts and prolonging outages where they occur. Residents are urged to avoid non-essential travel, prepare for extended power disruptions, and monitor updates as warnings remain in effect through Monday.
