Charleston , Kanawha County , West Virginia

Motorists were being urged to use caution and watch for slick spots on area roads Friday as a winter storm was expected to bring 2 to 4 inches of snow to much of the Eyewitness News viewing area through Saturday.

The National Weather Service issued a statement advising extra caution as snow showers of varying intensity were forecast. As temperatures fall below freezing, slick spots could be created on area roads, and motorists were urged to slow down.

Residents in the Sissonville area were experiencing some headaches. Kanawha Metro 911 reported there were an estimated 2,000 customers without power and service. Appalachian Power spokesman Phil Moye said service had been restored to all but 85 of those customers by 11 a.m., and he estimated their service would be restored by 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. Friday. Moye said the outage occurred when a tree fell on a line on Sissonville Drive.

Eyewitness News Meteorologist Doug Harlow said snow was expected off and on in much of the viewing area through Saturday morning in the valleys. More snow is expected in the mountains. Snow totals along Route 19 could be in the range of 8 to 12 inches, and 12 to 18 inches could fall along the area of Route 20.

The high temperature on Friday was expected to reach 32 degrees with wind chills in the teens. Harlow said the snow should slowly taper off Saturday west to east. Sunday was expected to be clear.

Meanwhile, much of West Virginia was bracing for the first day of winter. According to media reports, some areas could even see blizzard conditions Friday. Nearly three dozen West Virginia counties are under a winter weather advisory.

The National Weather Service says snow could continue through early Saturday in the state's eastern mountains.

Utility and road crews have been preparing for the storm. It was bringing high winds and flurries on Friday morning.

Nearly 6,000 people across the state have lost power so far.

Mon Power reports about 3,700 outages, the bulk of them in Tucker, Upshur, Barbour and Preston counties.

Appalachian Power says 2,600 customers are in the dark. Most of them are in Kanawha, Logan, Lincoln and Mingo counties.

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A white Christmas is looking doubtful, but a white Friday this week is looking much more likely.

Eyewitness News Meteorologist Doug Harlow said Thursday’s forecast calls for highs in the 50s and windy conditions, but things are expected to change dramatically by early Friday. Snow is estimated to begin falling early Friday with 2 to 4 inches expected in most of the viewing area.

Farther east toward Summersville and Fayetteville, snow could total 8 to 12 inches. Those totals could even be higher farther east and near Route 20. Temperatures could dip into the 20s by dawn Friday with the high only reaching 32 in our area.

Meanwhile, folks dreaming of a white Christmas may not get their wish. Harlow said the snow on the ground should be gone by then except for in the mountains. Temperatures are expected to be in the 40s.

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