CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Winter storms, shrouded in mystery, showed their fierce might as they wreaked havoc across portions of West Virginia and Kentucky. These storms birthed at least one tornado, causing creeks to overflow, leading to flash flooding. Simultaneously, a wintry mix blanketed trees and roads in a layer of ice, and in a bizarre twist, “thunder ice” was reported in multiple states.
Residents and storm spotters in various regions including Indiana, southern Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania witnessed an unexpected spectacle – freezing rain accompanied by flashes of lightning in the tumultuous atmosphere. “You ever seen that?” questioned Brian Heffner of Spencerville, Ohio, capturing the extraordinary event in a video posted on Facebook. “I’ve never seen lightning and heard thunder during an ice storm. It’s cool.”
Throughout the night, a relentless line of thunderstorms kept residents on edge with incessant heavy rains, leading to flooded neighborhoods and accidents on certain interstate highways where water collected. Numerous counties had to delay or cancel classes as a result of the inclement weather. In West Virginia, multiple drivers found themselves stranded in floodwaters, requiring rescue operations. In a heartwarming gesture, the Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association appealed to the community to adopt or foster 15 dogs as flooding threatened a part of its shelter.
In Charleston, several inches of rain prompted county officials to activate an emergency operations center. By midday, a significant portion of West Virginia, along with parts of eastern Kentucky and southeastern Ohio, remained under flood warnings. Meanwhile, in south-central Kentucky, the National Weather Service confirmed the devastating impact of an EF1 tornado, which tore through Hart County, causing damage to roofs and scattering debris, albeit with no immediate reports of injuries.
The storm’s icy touch left its mark on trees and roads in several mid-Atlantic states before warmer temperatures began to thaw the frozen landscape by midday Thursday. Fortunately, most areas managed to evade widespread power outages that often accompany icy conditions, posing a threat to trees and power lines.
Predictions of heavy snowfall led to closures and delays for numerous school systems in New England. In Maine, over 200 schools and businesses made the decision to either close or dismiss early. The Kennebunk area school district, among others, opted for a full closure to ensure the safety of students and staff, considering the potential risks associated with deteriorating road conditions once the snowfall commenced.
District superintendent Terri Cooper emphasized, “Road conditions are expected to rapidly deteriorate once the snow begins, potentially putting students and staff at risk if we were to implement an early release scenario.”
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Associated Press writers Sarah Brumfield in Cockeysville, Maryland, and Patrick Whittle in Scarborough, Maine, contributed to this report.
