By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
Following Winter Storm Fern’s arrival the weekend of January 23rd, January has shaped up to be the snowiest for Tucker County so far this season.
Snow Gallery reports show that in January alone, the official reporting station in Canaan Valley reported snowfall totals of 53.9 inches. Totals that far surpass those of previous months, with December recording a total of 30.0 inches and November recording 19.8 inches.
The day with the highest snowfall amount occurred during Winter Storm Fern on January 25th, when 13.8 inches fell at the recording station. Following days saw 4.5, 3.5, 2.3, 2.0 and 1.0 inches accumulate on top of the heavy snowfall.
When compared to previous years, last January saw a heavier snowfall, with January of 2025 recording 73.1 inches. The five year January average snowfall is 45.0 inches. Seasonal snowfall amounts on the five year average are 124.9 inches with the 2024-2025 season seeing a much higher snowfall amount at 161.4 inches.
However, the amounts are far below the averages from 2001-2015 which saw seasonal totals of 175.7 inches.
In total by the end of January, with the extreme cold temperatures holding on due to the arctic blast holding Tucker County in its grasp, the slopes still hold onto a snow depth of 16 inches on the ground at the end of the month, according to Snow Gallery reports.
In total so far this winter, as of January 31st, Tucker County has received a total of 103.7 inches officially.
The Snow Gallery reports are part of the official National Weather Service Cooperative Observer Program (COOP) and have operated a station at Canaan Valley since July 1, 2002. Since August 1, 2023, Canaan Heights resident Bill Peterson has been the official National Weather Service cooperative weather observer for the location Davis 3SE.
