Photo by Madeline Scarborough A red Ford Focus was traveling north on Interstate 77 near Rockport Saturday when it went out of control and went off the right side of the road flipping multiple times.

PARKERSBURG — The Mid-Ohio Valley received its first serious snowfall of the winter season Saturday.

The National Weather Service in Charleston issued a winter weather advisory Saturday afternoon, effective until noon today, calling for snow with total accumulations of 1 to 3 inches. A change to rain was expected across the West Virginia lowlands Saturday evening before changing back to snow today.

A winter weather advisory for snow means periods of snow cause primarily travel difficulties. Motorists should expect snow covered roads and limited visibility, and should use caution while driving.

Saturday’s snow caused difficulties on area roads. In Marietta, Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks issued a level two snow emergency Saturday afternoon.

“Only those who feel it is necessary to drive should be on the roadways,” he said.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol in Washington County said a total of 25 weather-related wrecks had been reported as of 7 p.m. Saturday, but that most of them were just vehicles that had slid off the roadway and only needed assistance being pulled back onto the road.

In Wood County, a total of nine weather-related wrecks were reported as of 7 p.m. Saturday, according to Lt. Jason Allen with the Wood County Sheriff’s Department.

One of those was a single-vehicle wreck on Interstate 77. According to Captain Aaron Smith with the Mineral Wells Volunteer Fire Department, a red Ford Focus had been traveling north on I-77 when the vehicle went out of control and went off the right side of the road, flipping multiple times.

There had been two occupants inside the vehicle and both were transported to Camden Clark Medical Center with minor injuries, Smith said.

There had been no reports of ice to the Wood County Sheriff’s Office or the 911 Center as of 7 p.m. Saturday, only continued snowfall and slush on the roads.

“The roads in town, Route 50 and Interstate 77 are definitely not in the best condition,” Allen said.

The forecast from the weather service said snow is likely today, mainly between 1-5 p.m. with a high near 35 and northeast winds from 3-6 mph. Today’s chance of precipitation is 60 percent with little or no snow accumulation expected, the weather service reported. Tonight, there is a chance of snow showers before 2 a.m. then a chance of snow showers and freezing drizzle. The chance of precipitation is 40 percent with new precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

There will also be a chance of snow showers and freezing drizzle before 9 a.m. Monday before conditions become partly sunny, with a high near 37 and a chance of precipitation at 20 percent. No further snow is expected through Wednesday.