Winter Weather in West Virginia, December 29 to 30, 2017

Name: Winter Weather in West Virginia, December 29 to 30, 2017
Start: 2017-12-29T22:00
End: 2017-12-30T22:00
Location: West Virginia

December 29 to 30, 2017 · NWS RLX · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A low pressure system, and trailing cold front lead to a period of snow across the northern mountainous counties of West Virginia on the 29th and 30th. As the snow became more banded and showery due to increasing orographic lift, snowfall amounts varied quite drastically from place to place.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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: 6

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.

Across lower elevations, snowfall amounts generally totaled 3 to 6 inches. For example, the cooperative observer in Rock Cave measured 5 inches, and the observer in Elkins reported 5.6 inches. In Barbour County, a member of the public in Belington measured about 8 inches of snow, while other parts of the county only got 2 to 3 inches.

Some of the ridges of Pocahontas and Randolph Counties got a little more, with 4 to 8 inches on average. The cooperative observer at Snowshoe measured 5 inches. The West Virginia Department of Highways reported 4 to 8 inches along routes 219 and 39 in Pocahontas County. There were several reports of localized higher amounts, such as at Harman in extreme northeastern Randolph County, where a member of the public measured 10 inches.

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 Dec 29, 6:37 PM EST, 3 hours 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 29, 6:37 PM EST, 3 hours 23 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 29, 2:14 PM EST, 7 hours 46 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Charleston WV
214 PM EST Fri Dec 29 2017

OHZ066-067-075-076-083>087-WVZ007>011-016>020-029-301915-
Perry-Morgan-Athens-Washington-Jackson OH-Vinton-Meigs-Gallia-
Lawrence OH-Mason-Jackson WV-Wood-Pleasants-Tyler-Roane-Wirt-Calhoun-
Ritchie-Doddridge-Gilmer-
214 PM EST Fri Dec 29 2017

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM
EST SATURDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southeast Ohio, and portions
of northern and central West Virginia and western West Virginia.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon 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...Saturday through Thursday.

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.

WVZ027-028-030>032-039-040-301915-
Clay-Braxton-Lewis-Harrison-Taylor-Upshur-Barbour-
214 PM EST Fri Dec 29 2017

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 PM
EST SATURDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central West
Virginia and northern West Virginia.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon 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...Saturday through Thursday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Winter Weather Advisory.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather
 conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.

WVZ520-522-523-526-301915-
Southeast Nicholas-Southeast Webster-Northwest Pocahontas-
Southeast Randolph-
214 PM EST Fri Dec 29 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the higher terrain of the northern
West Virginia mountains.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.

Light snow will bring an inch or two accumulation tonight. If
confidence in higher amounts increases, a winter weather advisory for
snow may be needed.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Light snow will bring another inch or two accumulation Saturday. If
confidence in higher amounts increases, a winter weather advisory
for snow may be needed.

Cold wind chills are expected Saturday night through Monday morning.
If confidence increases, a wind chill advisory may be necessary.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather
 conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.

KYZ101-103-WVZ006-014-015-516>518-301915-
Greenup-Boyd-Cabell-Putnam-Kanawha-Southeast Raleigh-
Northwest Fayette-Southeast Fayette-
214 PM EST Fri Dec 29 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast
Kentucky, and central West Virginia.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.

Light snow could bring an inch or so accumulation tonight. If
confidence in higher amounts increases, a winter weather advisory
for snow may be needed.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather
 conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.

WVZ519-521-525-301915-
Northwest Nicholas-Northwest Webster-Northwest Randolph-
214 PM EST Fri Dec 29 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of the northern West
Virginia mountains.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.

Light snow will bring an inch or two accumulation tonight. If
confidence in higher amounts increases, a winter weather advisory for
snow may be needed.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Light snow will bring another inch or two accumulation Saturday. If
confidence in higher amounts increases, a winter weather advisory
for snow may be needed.

Cold wind chills are expected Saturday night through Monday morning.
If confidence increases, a wind chill advisory may be necessary.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather
 conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.

WVZ524-301915-
Southeast Pocahontas-
214 PM EST Fri Dec 29 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southeast Pocahontas County in
northeast West Virginia.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Cold wind chills are expected Saturday night through Monday morning.
If confidence increases, a wind chill advisory may be necessary.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

KYZ102-105-VAZ003-004-WVZ005-013-024>026-033-034-515-301915-
Carter-Lawrence KY-Dickenson-Buchanan-Wayne-Lincoln-Mingo-Logan-
Boone-McDowell-Wyoming-Northwest Raleigh-
214 PM EST Fri Dec 29 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast
Kentucky, southwest Virginia, and southern West Virginia.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

TRM

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Dec 29, 8:46 PM EST, 1 hour 14 minutes before

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Local storm report, Dec 29, 8:55 PM EST, 1 hour 5 minutes before

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Local storm report, Dec 29, 9:44 PM EST, 16 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

6 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Barbour

When: December 29, 10:00 PM EST to December 30, 10:00 PM EST
Where: Barbour forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 39.133, -80.003 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Upshur

When: December 29, 10:00 PM EST to December 30, 10:00 PM EST
Where: Upshur forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 38.898, -80.233 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Northwest Pocahontas

When: December 29, 10:00 PM EST to December 30, 10:00 PM EST
Where: Northwest Pocahontas forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 38.332, -80.008 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Northwest Randolph

When: December 29, 10:00 PM EST to December 30, 10:00 PM EST
Where: Northwest Randolph forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 38.775, -79.876 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Southeast Pocahontas

When: December 29, 10:00 PM EST to December 30, 10:00 PM EST
Where: Southeast Pocahontas forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 38.332, -80.008 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Southeast Randolph

When: December 29, 10:00 PM EST to December 30, 10:00 PM EST
Where: Southeast Randolph forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 38.775, -79.876 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

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 2017 Every state in 2017 This day in weather history Warnings in West Virginia, December 2017

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: 726772, 726774, 726775, 726776, 726777, 726778.