The National Weather Service has been keeping continuous records for more than 60 years. And based on those records, history was made in Beckley on Thursday.

Data recorded at 1 p.m. showed Beckley’s snowfall for the 2009-10 winter season had reached 101.4 inches, breaking the previous mark of 100.1 inches set in the winter of 1995-96.

Meteorologist Ken Batty in Charleston said the average snowfall for Beckley is 55 to 60 inches in a winter season.

While the NWS says it can’t confirm that it’s the greatest snowfall ever to hit the city, Batty says it does break all standing records.

“Our continuous records started around 1944,” Batty said. “Prior to that, there were gaps in the records.

“We’ll have to wait until April to find out the final totals,” he added.

Beckley’s other record-breaking snowfalls were:

1959-60 ..... 94.9 inches;

1976-77 ..... 88.6 inches;

1997-98 ..... 85.2 inches;

1993-94 ........ 82 inches;

1977-78 ..... 80.5 inches;

1981-82 ........ 79 inches;

1963-64 ..... 77.6 inches;

1992-93 ..... 74.5 inches.

The least snowfall was recorded in 1932-33 when the city had only 9.2 inches of snow.



Meanwhile, Greenbrier County officials say they’re ready for spring as road conditions on Interstate 64 were described as dreadful Thursday, thanks to another bad winter night.

“We’re officially tired of winter,” Emergency Services Director Dan Edwards said.

Greenbrier County residents woke up to more than 3 inches of fresh snow on the ground Thursday.

In addition, drifting snow caused major problems along U.S. 219 north of Lewisburg.

Snow drifts were to blame for at least one vehicle accident near Greenbrier Valley Airport, Edwards said.

Edwards had to ask the Division of Highways to plow one street inside Lewisburg city limits so an ambulance could get to a home.

“People need to stay off the interstate so the plows can do their job,” Edwards said.

“It’s just idiocy to get out there if you don’t have to.”

As far as accumulation, Rainelle had about double what the eastern end of the county received, and new snowfall was about triple that in Quinwood, Edwards added.

Edwards says some parts of Greenbrier had snow drifts that were over the tops of vehicles.

The county’s new communications tower, which isn’t yet in service, is totally inaccessible, with both the building and the road leading to it drifted over.

Greenbrier officials say they have one request for the general public — do not abandon your vehicle.

“If you get stuck in a drift, call 911 and we’ll get someone to come out and help you. DOH can’t plow if there are abandoned vehicles sticking out into the road,” Edwards said.



Back in Raleigh County, there were 13 vehicle accidents reported Wednesday and six Thursday, a supervisor at the Emergency Operations Center said.

There were only two abandoned vehicles reported.

“In some areas of the county, there has been drifting snow,” the supervisor said.

“Most of the major roads are passable. Some of the secondary roads ... they’re much better than they were Wednesday night.”

A Fayette County EOC supervisor said secondary roads were still icy Thursday. However, most of the roads in the county were “travelable.”

There were “very few incidents with injury,” the Fayette supervisor said. “Mainly here, it’s classic fender benders.”