Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in West Virginia, March 24 to 26, 2013

Name: Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in West Virginia, March 24 to 26, 2013
Start: 2013-03-24T12:00
End: 2013-03-26T13:00
Location: West Virginia

March 24 to 26, 2013 · NWS RLX · 15 events in 15 counties and zones

A storm system moved northeast out of south central Kentucky during the afternoon of the 24th. The low pressure system reached northeast Ohio on the morning of the 25th.

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.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 15

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 storm system moved northeast out of south central Kentucky during the afternoon of the 24th. The low pressure system reached northeast Ohio on the morning of the 25th. Snow began during midday on the 24th in Pocahontas County on a cooling upslope wind from the southeast. The snow spread north into the northern lowlands during the afternoon. A lull occurred during the late afternoon and early evening. An additional shot of snow was mixed with rain during the evening before changing over to frequent snow showers during the morning of the 25th.

Snow accumulations of 2 to 3 inches were common by dawn on the 25th, north of the Route 50 corridor in the northern lowlands, including the Clarksburg vicinity. Despite starting mostly as rain, a 2 to 3 inch accumulation of snow was also observed over the Barbour, Upshur, Nicholas, Fayette, and Raleigh by dawn on the 25th. Five to 8 inches were common by dawn on the 25th in Pocahontas, Webster, and Randolph Counties. Snow showers continued to accumulate in the mountain counties into the afternoon on the 26th with another 3 to 8 inches of accumulation. The snow depth at Snowshoe went from 4 inches prior to this episode to 15 inches on the 26th. By dawn on the 27th, Snowshoe snow depth was 20 inches. In the lower terrain of these mountainous counties, a snow depth of 4 to 8 inches was common at dawn on the 26th.

Meanwhile, after having rain on the 24th, Wyoming and McDowell Counties finally saw 1 to 4 inches of snow accumulation from the 25th into the 26th.

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 Mar 24, 5:39 AM EST, 6 hours 21 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 24, 5:39 AM EST, 6 hours 21 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 24, 8:29 AM EST, 3 hours 31 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
929 AM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013

KYZ101>103-105-OHZ083-085>087-VAZ003-004-WVZ005>009-013>019-024>030-
033-034-251330-
GREENUP-CARTER-BOYD-LAWRENCE KY-JACKSON OH-MEIGS-GALLIA-LAWRENCE OH-
DICKENSON-BUCHANAN-WAYNE-CABELL-MASON-JACKSON WV-WOOD-LINCOLN-PUTNAM-
KANAWHA-ROANE-WIRT-CALHOUN-RITCHIE-MINGO-LOGAN-BOONE-CLAY-BRAXTON-
GILMER-LEWIS-MCDOWELL-WYOMING-
929 AM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST
KENTUCKY...SOUTHEAST OHIO...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND MUCH OF WEST
VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

OHZ066-067-075-076-084-WVZ010-011-020-031-032-039-040-251330-
PERRY-MORGAN-ATHENS-WASHINGTON-VINTON-PLEASANTS-TYLER-DODDRIDGE-
HARRISON-TAYLOR-UPSHUR-BARBOUR-
929 AM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
11 AM EDT MONDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST OHIO AND NORTHERN
WEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

WVZ035>037-251330-
RALEIGH-FAYETTE-NICHOLAS-
929 AM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA AND
SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

ACCUMULATING SNOW COULD BE POSSIBLE OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
MOUNTAINS SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY NIGHT. AS A DEVELOPING WINTER
LOW PRESSURE APPROACHES...ADVISORIES...WATCHES OR WARNING MAY BE
NEEDED FOR THESE AREAS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

ACCUMULATING SNOW COULD BE POSSIBLE OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
MOUNTAINS SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY NIGHT. AS A DEVELOPING WINTER
LOW PRESSURE APPROACHES...ADVISORIES...WATCHES OR WARNING MAY BE
NEEDED FOR THESE AREAS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

WVZ038-046-047-251330-
WEBSTER-POCAHONTAS-RANDOLPH-
929 AM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM EDT TUESDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA AND
NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER STORM WARNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER STORM WARNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 winter weather, 3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Pocahontas

When: March 24, 12:00 PM EST to March 26, 1:00 PM EST
Where: Pocahontas forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow, Randolph

When: March 24, 12:00 PM EST to March 26, 1:00 PM EST
Where: Randolph forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

Heavy Snow, Webster

When: March 24, 12:00 PM EST to March 26, 1:00 PM EST
Where: Webster forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways

Winter Weather, Pleasants

When: March 24, 1:00 PM EST to March 25, 9:00 AM EST
Where: Pleasants forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.371, -81.161 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Tyler

When: March 24, 1:00 PM EST to March 25, 9:00 AM EST
Where: Tyler forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.465, -80.885 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Doddridge

When: March 24, 1:00 PM EST to March 25, 9:00 AM EST
Where: Doddridge forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.269, -80.707 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Harrison

When: March 24, 1:00 PM EST to March 25, 9:00 AM EST
Where: Harrison forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 39.284, -80.380 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Taylor

When: March 24, 1:00 PM EST to March 26, 6:00 AM EST
Where: Taylor forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 39.336, -80.046 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Barbour

When: March 24, 1:00 PM EST to March 26, 6:00 AM EST
Where: Barbour forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.133, -80.003 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Upshur

When: March 24, 1:00 PM EST to March 26, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Upshur forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.898, -80.233 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Nicholas

When: March 24, 8:00 PM EST to March 26, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Nicholas forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

Winter Weather, Fayette

When: March 24, 8:00 PM EST to March 26, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Fayette forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

Winter Weather, Raleigh

When: March 24, 8:00 PM EST to March 26, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Raleigh forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

Winter Weather, McDowell

When: March 25, 7:00 AM EST to March 26, 10:00 AM EST
Where: McDowell forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 37.379, -81.654 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Wyoming

When: March 25, 7:00 AM EST to March 26, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Wyoming forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 37.610, -81.549 (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.
Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in West Virginia in 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in West Virginia, March 2013

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: 430240, 430241, 430242, 430233, 430234, 430235, 430236, 430237, 430238, 430239, 430243, 430244, 430245, 430417, 430418.