Published: December 31, 2008 08:28 pm      

Forecasters predict ‘active’ New Year’s weekend

Meteorologists say the New Year will not exactly roar in like a lion, but a potentially nasty mix of snow, freezing rain and ice may make Beckley area residents feel like they’re wrangling a seriously angry cat.

Wednesday morning, residents woke up to a light snow coating and some emergency responders reported some traffic snags. While they can expect some breaks — and no storms of epic proportions are believed to be in the works — meteorologists say the first weekend of the new year will be “active,” with snow, freezing rain and rain mixtures on tap.

“It’s going to be a roller-coaster ride,” said John Sikora, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Charleston. “It’s going to be off and on, off and on with all of these little systems.

“... We’re in a very active pattern right now.”

Sikora said no official snowfall total was available from Beckley Wednesday afternoon, but he believed it was very light. He noted high winds likely moved snow around, making measurement difficult.

Emergency service personnel in Fayette and Nicholas counties, in particular, had to handle some traffic headaches early Wednesday. About 1 p.m., the Fayette County Emergency Operations Center reported a tractor-trailer stuck on Springdale Hill, on W.Va. 20. Several motorists were stuck behind it. Three minor wrecks were reported elsewhere — in just two hours’ time.

“The fun began at 10:56 a.m.,” a Fayette County dispatcher said.

The Nicholas County EOC reported two tractor-trailers were stuck on a mountain in the Nettie area early Wednesday afternoon. A third rig was disabled on Powell Mountain, located between Summersville and Birch River. Besides a minor vehicle accident on U.S. 19 near Mount Lookout Road, other wrecks were reported on rural, one-lane roads.

“It’s getting slick out there,” a Nicholas County dispatcher said.

Sikora said the snow and high winds should go away overnight Wednesday. But by Friday, another cold front is expected to move in that would bring snow showers. This would change to rain. A second break is expected Saturday. Sunday could bring snow or freezing rain that also changes to rain, Sikora said.

No major accumulations are expected with these systems, Sikora said.

— E-mail: apridemore@register-herald.com