The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Today's Front Page

October 29, 2012

Mountainous areas of state also under warning

By John Raby Associated Press

CHARLESTON — West Virginians on Sunday braced for a wintry blow from the coming megastorm, with the unusual mix of weather systems expected to bring a blizzard to mountainous areas and strong winds, heavy snow and possible flooding and outages to other parts.

The storm — a combination of Hurricane Sandy, a cold front from the west and high pressure from the north — presents a variety of concerns to West Virginians, depending on their location.

Late Sunday, the National Weather Service issued blizzard warnings from midday Monday through Wednesday afternoon in 10 counties. They are Fayette, McDowell, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Preston, Raleigh, Randolph, Tucker, Webster and Wyoming counties.

The highest ridge tops, including near ski resorts, could receive up to 2 feet of heavy, wet snow, along with wind gusts of up to 50 mph that reduce visibility to zero and bring down tree limbs

Four other counties were under a winter storm warning: Greenbrier, Mercer, Monroe and Summers. Those could see up to 8 inches of snow.

“This is one of the most interesting storms I’ve ever seen,” said Barb Miller, emergency services director in Jefferson, the state’s easternmost county. “Even this morning (Sunday), they still can’t say exactly where it’s going to hit.”

Snow was forecast to start falling Sunday night and continue through Wednesday morning from McDowell County northeast to Preston County.

Other areas of the state will see a mix of rain and snow, especially Monday night and Tuesday.

Wind gusts up to 60 mph were likely Monday and Tuesday in Berkeley, Hampshire, Grant, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan and Pendleton counties. Combined with heavy rains, that could lead to significant tree damage, the weather service said.

Flooding also was possible in both panhandles and portions of northern West Virginia.

T.D. Lively of the state Division of Homeland Security said the American Red Cross has placed several of its shelters on standby, adding that “typically West Virginia doesn’t have a large need for sheltering because people tend to stay with family.”

Power company crews were being mobilized to deal with potential outages.

Appalachian Power spokesman Phil Moye said Sunday that in addition to putting its own workers on notice, more than 350 crews have been secured from others companies within the system of parent American Electric Power, which serves nearly 440,000 customers in 24 West Virginia counties.

“The weather pattern certainly looks like it could impact our service territory and cause power outages,” Moye said. “If the weather continues to develop in a way that we could have major power outages, then we’ll request more (help).”

West Virginia already has had a busy year dealing with weather-related emergencies. The June 29 windstorms known as a derecho left more than 680,000 state customers without electricity, many for up to two weeks, in the middle of a heat wave.

“With an event this size, the power company is going to be so tied up and they’re not going to be able to get to everybody at the same time,” Miller said. “So they need to be as ready as they can.”

Airlines canceled 19 flights heading in and out of Charleston’s Yeager Airport on Monday due to the pending storm. Most involved United Airlines flights and 11 of the canceled flights involved airports in Washington D.C. The other airports are in New York, Chicago and Houston.

Another United flight scheduled to leave Yeager Airport on Sunday night also was canceled.

Text Only
Today's Front Page
  • 052113 OK tornado 1.jpg MASSIVE DEADLY TORNADO

    A monstrous tornado at least a half-mile wide roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods and destroying an elementary school with a direct blow as children and teachers huddled against winds up to 200 mph. At least 51 people were killed, and officials said the death toll was expected to rise.

     

    May 21, 2013 6 Photos

  • 052113 OK tornado 6.jpg Voices from the scene — ‘Everything came down on top of me’

    These quotes were compiled by Reporter Michael Kinney.

    May 21, 2013 3 Photos

  • Panel ponders tolls to build, maintain roads

    Toll booths might some day mushroom along roads across West Virginia, giving motorists in other regions a taste of what driving has cost southern residents nearly six full decades.

    May 21, 2013

  • RGH cardiac stent program back to normal

    In an e-mailed statement issued early Monday, Raleigh General Hospital Marketing Director Kevin McGraw indicated that the cardiac stent program at the Beckley hospital is back to normal after a four-day hiatus.

    May 21, 2013

  • 1A3 Nicole Sheaves.jpg Meadow Bridge student liked the sound of ‘valedictorian’

    Being valedictorian has been Nicole Sheaves’s goal for a very long time.
    “When I was really little, even in kindergarten, mom would tell me over and over, ‘You need to try your hardest and get a good education,’” she said.

    May 21, 2013 1 Photo

  • Wyoming murder Murder in a rural county: Part 2 of 2

    Every night, before resting her head on a pillow, Billie Stewart calls on the Almighty for strength to endure another day.

    May 20, 2013 1 Photo

  • Scout Reserve 1 Public tours Scout Reserve

    Hundreds of West Virginians got the opportunity Sunday to preview the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve near Mount Hope in Fayette County.

    May 20, 2013 2 Photos

  • Thompson wants veterans nursing home in Beckley

    One day after his appointment to a cabinet-level post, Rick Thompson is striving to do what he can to assist federal officials land a veterans nursing home at the Beckley VA Medical Center.

    May 20, 2013

  • Wyoming student An eye toward the future

    Bobby Chambers has his future planned and he tries to stay one step ahead of the goals he has set for himself.

    May 20, 2013 1 Photo

  • Big decision looms for W.Va. House

    West Virginia’s House of Delegates faces a momentous decision after Speaker Rick Thompson departs for Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s Cabinet:  choosing a new leader will help set the stage for 2014, when Republicans aim to wipe out the Democrats’ ebbing majority.
     

    May 19, 2013