CHARLESTON, W.Va. — On Thursday, storms in West Virginia and Kentucky led to the formation of at least one tornado, overflowed local creeks, and caused flash flooding. This extreme weather event was compounded by a wintry mix that coated trees and roadways with ice, with reports of “thunder ice” surfacing in several states.
Residents and weather watchers in Indiana, southern Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania observed this unusual combination of freezing rain and lightning as the unstable air led to unexpected weather conditions. “You ever seen that?” asked Brian Heffner from Spencerville, Ohio, in a Facebook video he shared. “I’ve never seen lightning and heard thunder during an ice storm. It’s cool.”
A persistent line of thunderstorms kept people awake overnight, bringing heavy rain, causing floods in neighborhoods, and triggering mudslides and rockslides. Roads were hazardous, leading to accidents where water collected along interstate highways. Many counties opted to delay or cancel classes on Thursday due to the severe weather.
In West Virginia, several drivers required rescue after becoming trapped in floodwaters. The Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association also made an appeal to the public to adopt or foster 15 dogs following flood risks in their shelter.
Charleston experienced several inches of rain, after which local officials activated an emergency operations center. Residents in Huntington, located along the Ohio River, faced advisories to remain indoors for hours during the flooding, which was lifted in the afternoon. By Thursday evening, flood warnings were still in effect across large areas of West Virginia and sections of eastern Kentucky and southeastern Ohio.
The National Weather Service confirmed an EF1 tornado in south-central Kentucky, with winds reaching 95 mph that damaged numerous roofs and scattered debris in Hart County, roughly an hour south of Louisville. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of injuries.
Later in the day, severe storms, including potential tornadoes, advanced into eastern Tennessee. The Tennessee Highway Patrol proactively communicated via social media, noting that troopers were in Morgan County assisting residents and evaluating structural damage.
The Morgan County School District announced that schools would be closed Friday due to “significant damage from tornadoes in parts of our county.”
Meanwhile, a storm system covered various mid-Atlantic regions with ice before warmer temperatures arrived later on Thursday. Thankfully, most areas avoided the widespread power outages that often accompany ice build-up on trees and power lines.
Meanwhile, in New England, forecasts predicting several inches of snow prompted closures and delays for numerous schools. In Maine, over 200 educational institutions and businesses were either closed or closing early. The Kennebunk area school district decided to fully close for the day to prevent potential hazards for afternoon bus commutes.
“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,” stated district superintendent Terri Cooper.
