A well-anticipated winter snowstorm arrived in the county late in the night on Saturday, January 24 and delivered a wintry landscape visible as the sun rose on Sunday. Snow accumulations of ranged from five to 10 inches in the region, but changed to sleet for much of Sunday, covering the snowfall with an icy coating. By late Sunday, precipitation tapered off. Sustained low temperatures have made cleanup efforts a mechanical affair, as little melting is expected this week.
West Virginia Division of Highways crews criss-crossed the county, plowing major roads and then circling back to secondary and smaller roads as equipment and staff allowed.
Morgan County Schools readily called off school for Monday and Tuesday, and then added Wednesday to the closure.
The Morgan County Courthouse was closed on Monday and opened an hour later on Tuesday. Many other offices and stores stayed closed on Sunday and Monday, following the advice of state and local officials to shelter in place for the duration of the storm.
A Cold Weather Advisory remains in effect through next Monday, with temperatures expected to stay well below freezing through the weekend.
On Wednesday morning, wind chills were predicted to drive temperatures to as low as 10 below zero as the region remained in an Arctic Airmass.
Public safety officials advise that in those extreme temperatures, frostbite will occur on unprotected skin and hypothermia is a risk if proper precautions aren’t taken. They advise drivers to have appropriate clothing, a hat and gloves with them at all times, and tell homeowners to keep their pets indoors until the temperatures increase.
