Heavy Snow in West Virginia, February 14 to 17, 2003

Name: Heavy Snow in West Virginia, February 14 to 17, 2003
Start: 2003-02-14T19:00
End: 2003-02-17T17:00
Location: West Virginia

February 14 to 17, 2003 · NWS RLX · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

A 1 to 2 foot snow fall occurred after several waves or intervals of snow. Even heavier snow fell across portions of the eastern panhandle of the state.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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Fire, smoke and dust
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Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $750,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 11

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS RLX wrote it up.

A 1 to 2 foot snow fall occurred after several waves or intervals of snow. Even heavier snow fell across portions of the eastern panhandle of the state. It was the deepest snow storm since January 1996 for the north central lowlands. The first interval of snow was from Friday night the 14th, into early Saturday, the 15th. A lull took place during the day on the 15th, only to be followed by more snow Saturday night into Sunday. Some freezing rain and sleet mixed with the snow late Sunday and Sunday evening. The last band of significant snow passed late Monday afternoon, the 17th. The snow depth at Clarksburg went from 2 inches prior to the storm, to 21 inches at the end. Middlebourne went from an inch to 18 inches on the ground. Bartow of Pocahontas County saw their snow depth increase from 8 inches to 24 inches. The snow depth at Snowshoe went from 18 inches to 30 inches. Grafton's snow depth went from 3 inches to 18 inches. Elkins measured 16 inches on the ground, after starting with a 5 inch snow cover. The snow depth at Belington of Barbour County went from 4 to 5 inches before the storm, to 16 inches. West Union had no old snow, and ended up with 15 inches on the ground. After starting the storm with bare ground, both Parkersburg and Cairo measured 14 inches of snow on the ground. A spotter from Saint Marys reported their total snow depth as 17 inches. At least 10 porch roofs or awnings collapsed in Harrison County from the weight of the snow. Nutter Fort Fire Department checked out mobile homes that were leaking inside. The volunteers then removed the snow from their roofs. As a result of this storm, plus other lighter events, the preliminary monthly snowfall total at Clarksburg was 37.9 inches. This was their snowiest February on record. It was also their 2nd snowiest month, only exceeded by November of 1950. The monthly snowfall total at Elkins was 29.5 inches, their 2nd snowiest February since 1899. The 19.4 inches of snow at Parkersburg during the month of February was their 3rd snowiest February.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Barbour

When: February 14, 7:00 PM EST to February 17, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Barbour forecast zone
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.133, -80.003 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Doddridge

When: February 14, 7:00 PM EST to February 17, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Doddridge forecast zone
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.269, -80.707 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Harrison

When: February 14, 7:00 PM EST to February 17, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Harrison forecast zone
Property damage: $200,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.284, -80.380 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Lewis

When: February 14, 7:00 PM EST to February 17, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Lewis forecast zone
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.996, -80.502 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Pleasants

When: February 14, 7:00 PM EST to February 17, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Pleasants forecast zone
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.371, -81.161 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Pocahontas

When: February 14, 7:00 PM EST to February 17, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Pocahontas forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Snow, Randolph

When: February 14, 7:00 PM EST to February 17, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Randolph forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Heavy Snow, Ritchie

When: February 14, 7:00 PM EST to February 17, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Ritchie forecast zone
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.178, -81.063 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Taylor

When: February 14, 7:00 PM EST to February 17, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Taylor forecast zone
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.336, -80.046 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Tyler

When: February 14, 7:00 PM EST to February 17, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Tyler forecast zone
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.465, -80.885 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Wood

When: February 14, 7:00 PM EST to February 17, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Wood forecast zone
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.211, -81.515 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in West Virginia in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings in West Virginia, February 2003

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5341360, 5341361, 5341362, 5341363, 5341364, 5341365, 5341556, 5341557, 5341558, 5341559, 5341560.