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ELKINS -- Winter Storm Stella set its sites on the area Monday, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a storm warning.
Residents in Elkins could wake up today and see up to 5 inches of snow, with larger amounts possible in higher elevations and even more expected to blanket the area tonight.
National Weather Service meteorologist Tom Mazza said residents should expect heavy snow lasting into the morning hours today, and a second wave could hit tonight.
"It is going to be a heavy and wet snow," Mazza told The Inter-Mountain Monday afternoon. "I would recommend not traveling tonight into the morning. Snowfall during the morning will make traveling difficult. It is definitely not good weather for traveling."
The winter storm warning issued at 3:22 p.m. Monday included Randolph, Pocahontas and Webster counties, extending until 2 a.m. Wednesday.
Mazza said forecasts were projecting 5 inches of snow overnight Monday into this morning for Elkins. He said people in higher elevations could see up to 7 inches this morning. He said an additional 1 to 2 inches are possible in the lower elevations, and 2 to 3 inches in the higher elevations.
The storm will intensify again tonight with a possible additional 5 inches of snow.
He said the storm total between Monday night and Wednesday could be 10 to 12 inches of snow in the Elkins area with 12 to 14 inches in the higher elevations.
Mazza said power outages are possible with the storm. He said the heavy, wet snow and possible wind gusts could bring utility lines down. He also warned of wind chills Wednesday morning. He said wind chills from 0 to -10 degrees are possible in the lower elevations, and it could feel as cold as -20 degrees in the higher locations.
With the winter storm bearing down, the West Virginia Division of Highways began taking actions Monday to combat the storm. Crews around the state began preparing for the storm by ensuring salt was in stock, checking equipment and pretreating some road surfaces with salt brine, according to a news release.
Officials from area schools also were preparing Monday for severe weather, Kevin Chewning, maintenance supervisor for Randolph County Schools, said the school system has five snowplows that can clear parking lots and traffic loops at local schools.
"We'll be ready to roll in the morning," Chewning said Monday afternoon. "We'll start early in the morning and try to get everything opened up. … If it's bad, we'll plow two times in one day."
An official with Armstrong Flooring, Inc. in Beverly said the facility's first and third shifts had been called off Monday because of the impending storm.
The Randolph County Office of Emergency Management posted several advisories Monday about the storm on the office's Nixle site. One post from the OEM advises residents to use extreme caution when outdoors and to make provisions for pets.
To keep up with the latest posts from the OEM, visit local.nixle.com/randolph-county-office-of-emergency-management-and-911. Residents also can sign up for text message alerts on the website.
Since power outages are possible, the Public Service Commission of West Virginia issued a news release with contact information for utility companies throughout the state. For the most up-to-date information on utility outages and restoration efforts, residents are urged to contact their utility company.
Residents with natural gas are reminded that it they smell gas or experience a gas line emergency, they should leave the affected area and call 911 immediately. Then they should contact their local gas utility.
The Canaan Valley Gas Co. can be reached by calling 304-866-4872, 304-637-5872 or visiting www.canaanvalleygas.com.
Monongahela Power Company (Mon Power) can be reached by calling 888-544-4877 or visiting www.firstenergycorp.com.
A complete list of all regulated utility companies operating in West Virginia is available at www.psc.state.wv.us/utilities/default.htm.
-- Region Editor Beth Henry-Vance contributed to this article.