West Virginia wakes up to a sharp, biting chill as slick pavement glistens under a gray morning sky. Temperatures sit near 24 degrees in Charleston, and wind chills hover in the teens. Light flurries are fading, but untreated roads and elevated bridges remain icy. Drivers could hit patchy black ice with little warning, especially on I-64, I-77, and Route 119. Plan extra time if you’re heading out.
According to the National Weather Service in Charleston, lake-enhanced snow showers will taper through the morning with little new accumulation. However, lows near 21 degrees have allowed moisture to refreeze. That refreeze risk lingers through midday as pavement temperatures slowly recover.
Across Kanawha, Putnam, and Cabell counties, crews continue treating secondary roads. Side streets, overpasses, and parking lots pose the greatest hazard. This is prime flash-freeze season in late February. Melting during the day can turn into slick ice by evening if temperatures dip again.
Conditions improve later today with partial sunshine and highs climbing toward 41 degrees. Clouds increase tonight, and a 20 percent rain chance develops after midnight. By Wednesday, highs rebound to 54 degrees with scattered rain. Rain chances rise to 70 percent Thursday, with up to a half inch possible. Expect wet roads and ponding in poor drainage areas.
Friday turns sunny and calmer near 54 degrees. The weekend trends milder, pushing into the 60s Saturday before slightly cooler air returns Sunday. Early signals show above-normal temperatures building into early March, hinting at early spring warmth.
Five Day Outlook for Charleston, West Virginia:
Today: Partly sunny, high near 41.
Wednesday: Slight chance of rain, high 54.
Thursday: Rain likely, high 48.
Friday: Sunny, high 54.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, high 63.
