Governor Morrisey Updates McDowell County on Statewide Storm Response, Outages

State crews, emergency managers, utility workers and volunteers continued recovery work after a weekend winter storm that delivered “a dangerous combination of snow, ice, freezing rain, and heavy rainfall throughout the state,” Governor Patrick Morrisey said in a Jan. 26 update. The State Emergency Operations Center remains fully activated to coordinate response among state agencies, local governments, utilities, nonprofits and volunteer organizations.

Shelters and warming centers are available across West Virginia, and several locations are operating in coordination with the American Red Cross and volunteer partners. “Overall occupancy remains low, but capacity is available should conditions deteriorate,” the governor’s release said. Residents needing shelter information are encouraged to contact West Virginia 211 or their local county non-emergency line.

Power-outage figures in the governor’s briefing and media coverage vary. The Jan. 26 release states “approximately 12,004 customers remained” in the excerpt provided; WVVA reported “about 900 people remain without power as of his latest update.” Appalachian Power, quoted in WVVA, said “as of Wednesday afternoon, less than 300 customers are left without power in the region.” The available material does not supply a single timestamp tying those numbers to the same moment, so county residents should note that different tallies reflect different updates and regions.

Officials emphasized hazardous travel conditions and intensive roadwork. “As the hazardous conditions remain, I am asking all West Virginians to stay off the roads unless travel is absolutely necessary,” Morrisey said. He also praised crews: “Our highway crews, emergency management teams, first responders, and utility workers have been working around the clock in extremely difficult conditions to keep the rest of us safe.” WVVA coverage quoted Morrisey saying the Division of Highways has logged “well north of a half a million miles that they’ve put in clearing the primary, secondary, and tertiary roads,” and reported that crews applied a beet juice and brine mixture for salting.

Public health officials reported hospitals are operating normally while the Department of Health monitors cold-related injuries and carbon monoxide exposure. The governor’s release reiterated standard safety warnings: never use generators or grills indoors and check on elderly neighbors and loved ones during extreme cold.

State readiness measures preceded the storm. The governor declared a State of Preparedness for all 55 counties, allowing the West Virginia Emergency Management Division to prepare staff and resources and placing state agencies on standby to report to the emergency center as needed. The proclamation included a directive that “The Governor has directed state departments to continue enacting their respective inclement weather that allow non-essential employees to work remotely when possible.”

During the update, Morrisey also discussed plans for the Rural Health Transformation program and efforts to boost West Virginia tourism, signaling state attention to longer-term recovery and economic priorities alongside immediate restoration work.

What this means for McDowell County: expect crews to continue clearing roads and restoring service while shelters remain ready if conditions worsen. Monitor local forecasts and emergency management guidance, limit nonessential travel, contact West Virginia 211 or the county non-emergency line for shelter help, and check on older neighbors as crews finish restoration and cleanup.