Traffic
West Virginia Thanksgiving: 'Micro Blizzards' Near Morgantown, WV?
Morgantown, WV – Imagine traveling east on Interstate 68 toward Maryland for Thanksgiving when…
By Grant Holloway · 2026-11-14T11:03:16.021Z
Morgantown, WV – Imagine traveling east on Interstate 68 toward Maryland for Thanksgiving when the mountain highway ahead suddenly disappears behind a wall of blowing snow. Within moments, trucks become difficult to see, brake lights fade into the whiteout and a routine holiday drive turns dangerous. It's the kind of sudden winter weather West Virginia motorists should recognize as Thanksgiving approaches Thursday, Nov. 26.
According to the National Weather Service NWS , these intense bursts of snowfall, officially called snow squalls and sometimes described as "micro blizzards," can produce gusty winds, near zero visibility and rapidly deteriorating road conditions.
Unlike prolonged winter storms, snow squalls can develop quickly, leaving motorists little time to react.
West Virginia Highways Where Sudden Whiteouts Are a Concern Interstate 68 near Morgantown and Coopers Rock is a major mountain travel corridor where sudden winter weather can create hazardous driving conditions.
Interstate 79 connecting Morgantown, Clarksburg and Charleston, Interstate 77 through Beckley and Princeton, and Interstate 64 near Lewisburg and the Allegheny Mountains also face winter driving risks.
U.S. Route 48, also known as Corridor H, crosses mountainous terrain in eastern West Virginia where snow, gusty winds and rapidly changing visibility can threaten travelers.
Motorists traveling through Monongalia, Preston, Randolph, Tucker, Raleigh and Greenbrier counties should monitor changing forecasts, particularly when snow showers and strong winds are possible.
Higher elevations, including areas near Canaan Valley, Snowshoe Mountain and the Allegheny Front, can experience significantly different winter conditions than nearby valleys.
What Happens When a Snow Squall Warning Is Issued? The NWS issues Snow Squall Warnings when dangerous snow squalls are occurring or imminent.
Warnings typically last 30 to 60 minutes and may activate Wireless Emergency Alerts on compatible mobile phones.
Sudden whiteouts at interstate speeds can increase the risk of multivehicle crashes, particularly when motorists brake abruptly or follow too closely.
What Thanksgiving Travelers Should Do If a Snow Squall Warning is issued, the safest option is to delay travel until conditions improve .
Drivers already traveling should gradually reduce speed, increase following distance, activate low beam headlights and avoid sudden braking.
If visibility deteriorates, safely exit the highway when possible rather than stopping in an active travel lane.
Before departing, motorists should check West Virginia 511 for highway conditions and NWS Charleston , NWS Pittsburgh or NWS Baltimore/Washington for official forecasts and warnings covering different portions of West Virginia.
This is a Thanksgiving travel preparedness reminder, not a prediction that snow squalls will strike West Virginia during the holiday. Recognizing how quickly dangerous winter conditions can develop could help motorists make safer travel decisions as Thanksgiving approaches.