Sandy Creates Blizzard Conditions In W. Va.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- While Hurricane Sandy brought flooding to much of the East Coast, the storm brought snow to much of West Virginia.
Blizzard conditions left a wintery blanket over much of the state.
Towns like Elkins were hit with six or more inches of snow.
And crews had a tough time keeping up with the wet, heavy snow that coated the roads. Medical delivery man Gary Adkins was lucky after his pickup flipped over on the ice.
"There was a truck stopped or kind of got sideways in front of me, and when I went to slow down my truck went sideways and there was no stopping," said Adkins.
More than 30 highways and roads around the state were closed by icy conditions. The storm caused at least 236,000 customers around W. Va. to lose their electricity.
High winds took a heavy toll on snow-covered trees and power lines.
"With the heavy snow fall, you can anticipate some downed trees, and when that happens, you just can't go out and effectively remove snow; you have to deal with the downed trees," said one worker
The National Weather Service predicts up to a foot of snow in lower elevations while some higher elevations like the Snowshoe Mountain Resort could get up to two feet.
More than a dozen counties are facing blizzard warnings through Wednesday.
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin is urging residents to be prepared for days without electricity or supplies.
"I've also encouraged people to get what supplies they need – food, water, batteries, candles, and so forth. Enough for a couple of days," said Gov. Tomblin. "Don't want anyone to panic, but at the same time, you should be prepared for the storm as it moves through the state."
RELATED LINKS:
More Superstorm Sandy News
Latest Weather Conditions
