Storms sent creeks over their banks and caused flash flooding in portions of West Virginia and Kentucky on Thursday, while a wintry mix coated trees and roads in ice and even dropped “thunder ice” in several states.
Residents and storm spotters in portions of Indiana, southern Michigan, Ohio and and Pennsylvania reported seeing “thunder ice” early Thursday — freezing rain accompanied by flashes of lightning in the unstable air.
In West Virginia, a long line of thunderstorms kept residents awake overnight with hours of thunder and heavy rains, flooding neighborhoods and causing accidents where water ponded on some interstate highways. Schools in numerous counties delayed classes or closed Thursday.
Several inches of rain in Charleston prompted county officials to activate an emergency operations center. Authorities responded to multiple rescue calls before the waters began to recede by late morning, officials said. Most of West Virginia and portions of eastern Kentucky remained under flood warnings by midday Thursday.
Ice storm warnings continued for portions of Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and northern Virginia. The storm left trees and roads coated in ice before warmer temperatures were expected to move in. Most areas avoided significant power outages that can accompany accumulating ice on trees and power lines.
Forecasts for several inches of snow prompted closures and delays for dozens of school systems in New England. In Maine, more than 200 schools and businesses were closed or shutting early. The Kennebunk area school district was one of many that chose to close fully rather than risk a messy commute for afternoon school buses.
“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,” said district superintendent Terri Cooper.
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Associated Press writers Sarah Brumfield Cockeysville, Maryland, and Patrick Whittle in Scarborough, Maine, contributed to this report.
