I skied a foot of UT powder in WV on Wed. and another foot yesterday. In places in the backcountry it was drifted many times deeper than that. The DC area got less than 1" of freezing rain plus a dusting of snow. As I drove out on Tues. PM there was nothing on the ground and nothing coming out of the sky. Beginning 20 miles away it began to snow, heavier and heavier as altitude was gained. By the time we reached Canaan Valley at 3300 ft. it was a snowing sideways whiteout. It continued all night. Even early on W there were hip deep drifts in many of the wind sheltered areas. It continued at the same intensity all day. A 79 mph gust was measured at the top of the mountain. The day's high temp was 9. It has not stopped snowing yet, although it is now at the point of a couple more " more per day.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php...nit=0&lg=enWe'll take it. The storm was coastal but the backside wrap around + lake effect was immense. This kind of thing happens a lot in the Potomac Highlands.
