Snow Squall Warning 2, NWS Charleston, WV

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Charleston WV
708 PM EST Wed Dec 31 2025

.SYNOPSIS...
Heavy snow expected with a clipper passing tonight. A quiet
stretch of weather returns for the end of the week.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/...
As of 705 PM Wednesday...

Radar imagery and upstream surface observations show areas of
moderate snowfall approaching from the west into our area this
evening. The onset snow and snow accumulation expected remains
on track.

Expect hazardous driving conditions during and past midnight
into early Thursday morning.

As of 155 PM Wednesday...

Key Points:

 * A winter storm arrives just before the stroke of midnight
   tonight, bringing accumulating snow for the start of the new
   year.

 * Heavy snow may yield accumulations ranging between 5 to 10
   inches across the higher northeast WV mountains, and 1 to 4
   inches for the lower elevations.

 * Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Warnings will go
   into effect later this afternoon into Thursday morning.

A brief reprieve from active weather is underway this afternoon
for most of the area as we await a winter storm that is set to
ring in the new year. This clipper system drops down from the
north later this evening, but can be seen currently on national
mosaic radars churning over Lake Michigan. Before this
disturbance arrives to ring in the new year, ongoing frozen
precipitation from a previous clipper system continues over our
northeastern mountains of West Virginia. After a quick
discussion with our neighboring offices and local partners,
opted to begin the Winter Storm Warning a few hours sooner than
originally planned to capture the light glaze of ice beginning
to lay along the roadways.

Additional headlines in the form of Winter Weather Advisories go
into effect later this afternoon in response to the anticipated
snow tracking in later on this New Years Eve. Heavy snow showers
sail southward shortly after 7 PM this evening and will envelop
the forecast area by the time the ball drops at midnight. While
most areas will remain as all snow tonight, enough daytime
heating from today could yield a rain/snow mix for parts of the
Kanawha Valley into northeast Kentucky before changing back to
all snow with the arrival of the surface arctic front. The best
frontogenetic forcing will steer through the forecast area
during the early morning hours of New Years Day and supply the
best opportunity to pick up snow accumulations.

Overall snowfall totals have been locked down for the past
forecast cycles, with very little changes observed with the
latest package. Snow amounts are projected to range between 5 to
10 inches across the higher mountains where the Winter Storm
Warnings are currently in effect. Locally higher amounts nearing
a foot of snow could be achieved on the ridgetops of our
mountain zones. Amounts ranging between 1 to 4 inches remain on
track for the lowlands and foothills, trending lower the further
west into the forecast area you go. Lesser amounts of an inch or
lower are progged for locations west of the Ohio Valley.

All winter headlines will remain in effect into Thursday
morning. Hi-res model reflectivity depict a sharp boundary,
denoting the arctic front, racing down from dawn into the late
morning hours, and will yield the end of snow showers after its
passage. Much drier air will be ushered in Thursday afternoon,
promoting peeks of sunshine and much colder temperatures to
round out the forecast period.

In addition to winter weather, gusty to strong winds will align
along the spine of the Appalachians, and could cause gusts as
strong as wind advisory levels alongside blowing snow.
Additional wording was included in the Winter Storm Warning to
highlight these stronger winds.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
As of 155 PM Wednesday...

The forecast period opens up with the return of dry weather
under the guise of high pressure driving through the Ohio
Valley. Daytime temperatures rebound closer to their
climatological norm Friday afternoon amid patches of sunshine.
Main conundrum within the short term will be potential for
precipitation encroaching along a southern stream system Friday
evening into Saturday. After previous forecast cycles opted for
a drier solution, the 12Z model suite suggests that the northern
precip shield with this disturbance will skate through the
coalfields and central lowlands. Thermal profiles at the time of
arrival suggests mostly rain, but speckles of wintry
precipitation was noted along the higher mountain ridges on
Saturday. This system sails into the Carolinas by the apex of
the short and long term forecast periods.

&&

.LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
As of 155 PM Wednesday...

The second half of the weekend into the start of next week
appears to return to a drier state as high pressure takes hold
from the north. Low level flow veering out of the southwest will
yield a gradual moderation in temperatures each day, reaching
daytime highs in the 40s and 50s by Monday and Tuesday. Looking
ahead to the middle of next week, a weak southern stream system
will bring the next opportunity for rain to the area.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
As of 700 PM Wednesday...

Conditions improved temporarily as the previous clipper system
exited east this evening. However, a stronger clipper will
affect the area late tonight through Thursday morning
deteriorating conditions once again.

Radar imagery and upstream METARs suggests an area of moderate
to heavy snow approaching SE OH and northern WV at the time of
writing. Have timed snow onset at PKB by 02Z, and CKB by 03Z.
Guidance suggests periods of snow affecting most terminals by
06Z along and nearby the cold front. Therefore, have coded
IFR/LIFR conditions with gusty winds roughly from 04Z through
11Z Thursday morning.

Winds have diminished this evening during the beginning of the
TAF period. However, gusty winds up to 20 knots will be possible
along the lowlands terminals, and up to 25 knots at BKW and EKN
during the overnight hours in the wake of the frontal passage.

Ceilings may gradually improve to MVFR from west to east behind
the front Thursday morning, but lingering snow bands behind the
front may still produce temporarily IFR/LIFR ceilings across
the lowlands terminals. IFR/LIFR conditions may remain possible
along the eastern mountains affecting BKW and EKN through at
least 15Z.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY...

FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Medium.

ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Timing and intensity of snow tonight may
cause flight category changes to vary from the forecast.

EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY
OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION:
H = HIGH:   TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL.
M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS.
L = LOW:    TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL.

UTC 1HRLY       23   00   01   02   03   04   05   06   07   08   09   10
EST 1HRLY       18   19   20   21   22   23   00   01   02   03   04   05
CRW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M    M
HTS CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    M    H    H    H    H    H    H    H
BKW CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M    M    M    M
EKN CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M    M    H
PKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    L    H    H    H    M
CKB CONSISTENCY  H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    H    M    M

AFTER 00Z FRIDAY...
No widespread IFR conditions expected.

&&

.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM EST Thursday for
     WVZ008>011-013>020-025>031-034-515>517-524.
     Winter Storm Warning until 10 AM EST Thursday for WVZ032-039-
     040-518>523-525-526.
OH...Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM EST Thursday for OHZ076.
KY...None.
VA...None.

&&

SYNOPSIS...05
NEAR TERM...05
SHORT TERM...05
LONG TERM...05
AVIATION...ARJ

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
1008 PM EST Wed Dec 31 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0945 PM     Snow             1 SSE Bridgeport        39.28N 80.25W
12/31/2025  M2.5 Inch        Harrison           WV   Amateur Radio

&&

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
1253 AM EST Thu Jan 1 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1203 AM     Snow             Davis Elkins College    38.94N 79.84W
01/01/2026  E2.5 Inch        Randolph           WV   CO-OP Observer

&&

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
1255 AM EST Thu Jan 1 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1234 AM     Snow             Beckley Airport         37.79N 81.11W
01/01/2026  M1.0 Inch        Raleigh            WV   CO-OP Observer

&&

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
1256 AM EST Thu Jan 1 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1203 AM     Snow             Davis Elkins College    38.94N 79.84W
01/01/2026  M2.5 Inch        Randolph           WV   CO-OP Observer

            Corrects previous snow report from Davis
            Elkins College for measured instead of
            estimated.

&&

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Charleston WV
118 AM EST Thu Jan 1 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0113 AM     Snow             Davis Elkins College    38.94N 79.84W
01/01/2026  M2.8 Inch        Randolph           WV   CO-OP Observer

            Update of earlier report of 2.5 inches.

&&

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
148 AM EST Thu Jan 1 2026

OHZ066-067-075-076-083-084-WVZ009>011-010715-
Washington-Jackson-Athens-Morgan-Perry-Vinton-Wood-Pleasants-Tyler-
148 AM EST Thu Jan 1 2026

...AN INTENSE LINE OF SNOW SHOWERS WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN
PERRY...WASHINGTON... NORTHWESTERN
JACKSON...MORGAN...VINTON...ATHENS...CENTRAL PLEASANTS...TYLER AND
NORTH CENTRAL WOOD COUNTIES...

At 141 AM EST, a line of intense snow showers was located along a
line extending from near Greenfield to near Powhatan Point. Movement
was southeast at 20 mph.

This line will bring a quick burst of snow with wind gust to 35 mph
and a quick drop in visibility. Light snow accumulations will cover
roadways. As temperatures drop through 20s, slick conditions are
expected to develop and remain through the overnight.

Locations impacted include...
Athens, Marietta, Belpre, Wellston, Nelsonville, St. Marys, Glouster,
McConnelsville, Mcarthur, Beverly, Albany, Middlebourne, Shawnee,
Chesterhill, Lake Hope State Park, Vienna, Williamstown, Paden City,
Sistersville, and Belmont.

This includes the following highways...
 Interstate 77 in West Virginia between mile markers 180 and 186.
 Interstate 77 in Ohio between mile markers 1 and 17.

Conditions can deteriorate rapidly in winter weather situations. Be
prepared for snow or ice covered roads. Slow down and allow extra
time when traveling.

&&

LAT...LON 3959 8158 3958 8148 3965 8147 3957 8104
      3954 8104 3961 8095 3960 8085 3947 8071
      3945 8062 3910 8279 3937 8275 3939 8229
      3947 8228 3947 8217 3955 8216 3956 8216
      3960 8237 3964 8238 3976 8165
TIME...MOT...LOC 0641Z 326DEG 19KT 3942 8338 3982 8080

12