Heavy Snow in West Virginia, February 22 to 23, 2009

Name: Heavy Snow in West Virginia, February 22 to 23, 2009
Start: 2009-02-22T00:01
End: 2009-02-23T12:00
Location: West Virginia

February 22 to 23, 2009 · NWS RLX · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A strong cold front passed during Saturday evening, the 21st. A brief period of rain occurred with the front.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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 strong cold front passed during Saturday evening, the 21st. A brief period of rain occurred with the front. However, a quick change to snow occurred following the frontal passage as temperatures quickly dropped.

During the late night and early morning, the main precipitation shifted into the baroclinic zone behind the front, resulting in 1 to 4 inches of snow by dawn on Sunday the 22nd. A sharp mid level disturbance crossed during Sunday morning. This enhanced the snow rates for a few hours. Following the passage of that disturbance, the more typical upslope scenario developed. Low level lapse rates were steep, courtesy of the cold pool of air aloft. The snow became more cellular in nature for the afternoon hours. Accumulations during the afternoon were limited to around an inch. This was due to the showery nature of the snow and the increasing sun angle of late February.

The snow showers continued overnight, aided by another mid level disturbance during the predawn hours of Monday the 23rd. The snow showers finally diminished to flurries by Monday afternoon.

Total snow accumulations were mostly 4 to 8 inches. Locally higher amounts occurred in the favored upslope areas at high elevations. For example, the snow depth at Snowshoe went from around 4 inches prior to this event to 14 inches. Pickens snow depth went from a trace to 10 inches. On Point Mountain near Monterville and at Kumbrabow State Forest, the average snow depth reached around 20 inches.

In contrast, some of the protected valleys, such as the Marlinton and Elkins vicinity, received less snow, about 2 to 4 inches in accumulation.

In the wake of this snow event, temperatures dropped below zero in many of the mountain valleys for dawn on the 24th. Glady of Randolph County was 8 below zero for one of the coldest readings.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Charleston, WV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 21, 9:20 PM EST, 2 hours 41 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 21, 9:20 PM EST, 2 hours 41 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 21, 3:55 PM EST, 8 hours 6 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 21, 8:56 PM EST, 3 hours 5 minutes before

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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Raleigh

When: February 22, 12:01 AM EST to February 23, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Raleigh forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Heavy Snow, Fayette

When: February 22, 12:01 AM EST to February 23, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Fayette forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Heavy Snow, Nicholas

When: February 22, 12:01 AM EST to February 23, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Nicholas forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Heavy Snow, Pocahontas

When: February 22, 12:01 AM EST to February 23, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Pocahontas forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow, Webster

When: February 22, 12:01 AM EST to February 23, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Webster forecast zone
Reported by: Post Office

Heavy Snow, Randolph

When: February 22, 12:01 AM EST to February 23, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Randolph forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow, Upshur

When: February 22, 12:01 AM EST to February 23, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Upshur forecast zone
Reported by: Post Office
Coordinates: 38.898, -80.233 (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 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in West Virginia, February 2009

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: 151913, 151914, 151915, 151916, 151917, 151918, 151919.