RAINELLE, West Virginia — Heavy snow and powerful winds hammered western Greenbrier County Friday, burying the United States Route 60 corridor along the Midland Trail from Rainelle through Quinwood under 4 to 10 inches of snow from late morning through 10 a.m. Saturday, making travel extremely difficult across the higher terrain.
The National Weather Service in Blacksburg kept a Winter Storm Warning in effect from 10 a.m. Friday through 10 a.m. Saturday for western Greenbrier County, warning that wind gusts reaching 60 miles per hour would combine with heavy snowfall to produce significant blowing and drifting snow and sporadic power outages.
Conditions deteriorated rapidly by midday as snow intensified along windward slopes. United States Route 60 turned snow-covered near Rainelle, Quinwood, and Duo, where open stretches allowed gusts to pile snow into deep drifts. West Virginia Route 20 also became hazardous south of Rainelle, with reduced visibility and slick hills complicating travel through forested mountain terrain.
The strongest impacts targeted exposed ridgelines and higher elevations, where heavy, wet snow weighed down tree limbs while extreme winds increased the risk of downed power lines. Bridges and overpasses iced quickly as temperatures fell, sharply increasing stopping distances during the Friday evening commute.
Emergency officials urged residents to delay travel if possible, warning that conditions could become near impassable Friday night, especially on secondary mountain roads and exposed stretches of the Midland Trail. Drivers who must travel were advised to carry emergency supplies and prepare for sudden whiteout conditions.
The warning remains in effect until 10 a.m. Saturday. Winds gradually ease after daybreak, but deep drifts, downed trees, and slick roadways may linger well into Saturday morning before gradual improvement later in the day.
