PARKERSBURG -Wood County Emergency Management Director Ed Hupp said it appears Wood County, at least, has weathered the storm.
"The winds weren't as strong as gusts might have been, and the weather service is probably going to drop the winter advisory this afternoon," Hupp said on Tuesday. "We are still getting the rain and snow and we do need to watch for possible flooding later on this week, but we're not going to be hitting flood stage if the predictions hold out," Hupp said.
The EMS director said the area has seen some power outages. As of Tuesday morning, there were about 47 customers without electricity.
"The outages are scattered throughout the county," Hupp said, noting anyone with a power outage needs to contact Monongahela Power directly to report it.
"We continue to check our gas pumps, generators, tanks, to make sure we are prepared just in case," Hupp said. "We have not seen any reports of road flooding yet, but with the snow and rain mixing there are slippery spots on the roads, and the leaves that were on the streets add to it. Temperatures are continuing to drop, so motorists need to proceed with caution."
Hupp said the emergency responders continue to monitor the weather situation.
Fact Box
Preparation Tips
- If you have a water well and pump, keep an emergency supply of bottled water and consider filling your bathtub with fresh water.
- Keep a flashlight and extra batteries handy. Use care when burning candles; open flames are a fire hazard.
- If power goes out, unplug appliances like refrigerators and freezers and sensitive electronic equipment like televisions and computers, so they won't overload when power is restored.
- Gather extra blankets or a sleeping bag for each person. Portable heaters and burning candles that are left unattended, especially around children and pets, can create a fire hazard. In addition, gasoline- or diesel-powered generators and appliances can produce deadly levels of carbon monoxide and should never be operated inside the home or garage.
- Stock an emergency supply of convenience foods that do not require cooking.
- Keep a battery-powered radio with extra batteries on hand.
- Have a hard-wired telephone or a charged cell phone handy if you need to report your electricity out. Mobile phones can be charged in your vehicle using a car charger when power is out. A smart phone can be used to access online information sources.
- Stay out of flooded basements, even if the power is off. Stay away from the breaker box if it's in a flooded basement.
"We receive briefings twice a day, and we are monitoring to see about the possibility of high water later in the week. Anyone who lives near any type of stream, creek, needs to keep any eye on the situation," Hupp said.
All in all Hupp said it appears the Mid-Ohio Valley seems to have avoided the worst of the storm, unlike some residents in other parts of West Virginia and those living on the East Coast.
The National Weather Service said more than a foot of snow was reported in lower elevations of West Virginia, with higher elevations seeing more than two feet and in some places blizzard warnings were in effect until Wednesday afternoon. More than 205,000 customers in West Virginia were without power early Tuesday. Schools were closed in at least 39 counties. On Tuesday the governor asked that only essential state employees report for work.
