Lewisburg, W.Va. — Mountain travel turns dangerous Friday night as violent northwest winds hammer the U.S. 60 corridor across Greenbrier County, from Rainelle through Quinwood and east toward White Sulphur Springs, with the worst conditions lasting through Saturday evening. Gusts spike between 55 and 60 mph after 7 p.m., pushing vehicles across lanes on exposed ridges and snapping trees along high-elevation roads.
The National Weather Service in Blacksburg said a High Wind Warning blankets western Greenbrier County and neighboring Bath County, Virginia, through 7 p.m. Saturday, while an Extreme Cold Warning takes hold at 1 a.m. Saturday and runs through early Sunday. Wind chills plunge as low as 24 below zero in western Greenbrier and near 15 below in eastern Greenbrier and Bath County, creating a serious frostbite and hypothermia threat for anyone stranded.
West Virginia and Virginia transportation officials warned that high-profile vehicles face severe difficulty along U.S. 60, U.S. 219 and Route 39, particularly across ridge gaps and open valleys where crosswinds peak. Blowing debris and falling limbs reduce visibility, while bitter cold hardens road surfaces and increases stopping distances. Power outages are likely as winds topple trees and lines, compounding exposure risk.
The most dangerous impacts focus on Rainelle, Duo and Quinwood along Route 39; White Sulphur Springs, Lewisburg and Alderson in eastern Greenbrier; and Hot Springs in Bath County. Exposed stretches of U.S. 219 south of Lewisburg and ridge-top sections of U.S. 60 remain especially vulnerable overnight.
Officials urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel, secure loose objects and prepare for prolonged outages. Winds slowly ease late Saturday night, but extreme cold lingers through Sunday morning before gradual moderation begins across the Greenbrier corridor.
