Canaan weather vs. Elkins weather: differences?
18 posts
8 users
7k+ views
8 users
7k+ views
(Anonymous)
December 29, 1999
Hi. I do both cross-country and downhill skiing in Canaan Valley, West Virginia. It is very accessible, very beautiful, affordable, and blessed with 150 inches of snow each year. Of course, I'm worried about snow this year, because my trek will occur on Jan. 5. There's only a week left for a lot of snow to fall, and if there's no snow I'm not going! :-(
I hope I don't have to worry, because last year around this time they got a couple feet of the white stuff, and they just got 6 or 7 inches the last couple days.
My question is this: What is the real difference between the weather at the resort, and the weather at Elkins. Elkins is 1-2k lower than Canaan, and only gets half the snow. Canaan is positioned so that I belive it gets lake-effect snow. Do storms pop up out of the blue at Canaan; do storms stall over Canaan etc.?
Even if there are no West Virginia meteorologists out there, I do want some online help. I can only get Elkins' forecast, and I'm thinking that might be drastically different than Canaan's forecast. Does anybody know of a place on the 'net where I can get Canaan's forecast, rather than constantly bugging the Canaan people on the phone?
This is really important because our decision to go with be very last-minute--- it will be based solely on whether snow is either on the ground or in the immediate forecast.
Thanks,
Roland
I hope I don't have to worry, because last year around this time they got a couple feet of the white stuff, and they just got 6 or 7 inches the last couple days.
My question is this: What is the real difference between the weather at the resort, and the weather at Elkins. Elkins is 1-2k lower than Canaan, and only gets half the snow. Canaan is positioned so that I belive it gets lake-effect snow. Do storms pop up out of the blue at Canaan; do storms stall over Canaan etc.?
Even if there are no West Virginia meteorologists out there, I do want some online help. I can only get Elkins' forecast, and I'm thinking that might be drastically different than Canaan's forecast. Does anybody know of a place on the 'net where I can get Canaan's forecast, rather than constantly bugging the Canaan people on the phone?
This is really important because our decision to go with be very last-minute--- it will be based solely on whether snow is either on the ground or in the immediate forecast.
Thanks,
Roland
Here's a couple of things that may help. If you go to the Weather Channel's site, www.weather.com you can get a forecast for Davis, WV which is nearby. The current conditions are for Elkins, but the forecast is for Davis.
Another site I use is Intellicast for its radar picture: http://www.intellicast.com/LocalWeather/World/UnitedStates/MidAtlantic/Maryland/WashingtonDC/Radar/
using this, you can see what is going on, and if you look at the precipitation link you can see how much precip the radar estimates has occured in the past day. The amounts are in inches of rain, but you can get a relative picture. You might want to try the national weather service directly, I dont' have the link address at the moment, but could get it for you later.
I grew up in the Elkins area. Canaan is usually 3-5 degrees colder than Elkins and at times even colder. If you see that temperatures are pretty close to freezing in Elkins and its raining there, it is probably snowing at Canaan and Snowshoe. Elkins is still a decent barometer, since probably about 2/3 of the time, if it is snowing in the mountains it does snow in Elkins, just not as much.
Canaan does get lake effect snows. It has to be a pretty strong event for the snows to make it down from Lake Erie to Canaan, but it does happen, and if there is any moisture in the air, the mountains are going to squeeze it out. Snowshoe is about the southern limit of these events.
If you are wanting to CC ski, you are going to have to be careful about the conditions. If you are planning to do some downhill skiing you aren't going to have anything to worry about. I drove through there on my way back from Elkins Monday and both Canaan and Timberline were looking nice and white. Unless it warms up to about 80 degrees for the next week, you are going to have plenty of slopes to play on. It was starting to snow there as I was driving through. I think they got about half a foot when it was done.
Let me know if you need any other info.
J.C.
(Anonymous)
December 30, 1999
I'm going to Canaan Valley Jan 2-4, if I have time i'll post a quick note here on the evening of the fourth about natural snow there. I plan to do downhill, but will be bringing my x-country gear too. You probably have already checked this website, but if not, you might find a local link with Canaan Valley ski patrol at: www.patrol.org/cvsp/cvinfo.htm
(Anonymous)
January 5, 2000
Fossey, just got back from CV last night (1/4), probably don't have to tell you, there was no x-country skiing. they had a white christmas and around 12/29 they still had about 6" of snow on the ground, but there was no natural snow on the ground when i got there on sunday afternoon, 1/2, air temp was close to 70 deg that day. i got in a good day of spring down hill skiing at canaan valley on monday, more than 20 trails still open, but they got the same heavy rain dc got on tuesday when i drove home. i believe colder temps to return now.
(Anonymous)
January 5, 2000
For the most accurate and reliable forcast for Canaan Valley and the surrounding areas go to www.whitegrass.com. Chip posts daily weather conditions and forcasts under the ski reports section of his site. I was in Canaan last week and despite very warm temps Timberline was holding snow well. Its cold enough now that they should have been able to start making more snow again last night.
(Anonymous)
January 5, 2000
Another good location for up-to-date forecasts for Canaan Valley can be found at the following address:
http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/wv/zone.html
Just scroll down to the forecast for TUCKER county. This is generally more localized a bit more accurate than the Elkins forecasts. I grew up in Thomas, and Temperatures and precipitation can sometimes vary greatly between Elkins and Canaan Valley.
http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/wv/zone.html
Just scroll down to the forecast for TUCKER county. This is generally more localized a bit more accurate than the Elkins forecasts. I grew up in Thomas, and Temperatures and precipitation can sometimes vary greatly between Elkins and Canaan Valley.
Wow. I came accross this old discussion 
and it fits right into some of the info I've been collecting. Now that I have a place at the base of Herz Mtn and one at the base of Bonner Mtn 
I've discovered how much different the weather is between the valley and Dryfork. Last winter, I left the valley and drove to Dryfork, there was a significant change in the weather, essentially temperature and wind chill.The temps were about 10 degrees apart. The wind chill was probably closer to 20 degrees apart. 
Not as much snow at the 2600' mark but significant snow at 3250'. Also, I have found Elkins can be colder than the valley at night especially during inversions. You have to look at what type of weather pattern is affecting the area to determine the inversion factor. I have found an excellent site at
www.wunderground.com/stationmaps/gmap.asp?zip=26260&magic=1&wmo=99999
You can compare the weather at Elkins with that at Pointy Knob which is at the south end of the valley at somewhere around 3750'. I use it to see what the weather is near the Bonner Mtn house.
and it fits right into some of the info I've been collecting. Now that I have a place at the base of Herz Mtn and one at the base of Bonner Mtn I've discovered how much different the weather is between the valley and Dryfork. Last winter, I left the valley and drove to Dryfork, there was a significant change in the weather, essentially temperature and wind chill.The temps were about 10 degrees apart. The wind chill was probably closer to 20 degrees apart. Not as much snow at the 2600' mark but significant snow at 3250'. Also, I have found Elkins can be colder than the valley at night especially during inversions. You have to look at what type of weather pattern is affecting the area to determine the inversion factor. I have found an excellent site atwww.wunderground.com/stationmaps/gmap.asp?zip=26260&magic=1&wmo=99999
You can compare the weather at Elkins with that at Pointy Knob which is at the south end of the valley at somewhere around 3750'. I use it to see what the weather is near the Bonner Mtn house.
Kim you can use my station on WUnderground too. Its closer to your Dryfork place in elevation. I'm at 2840. a bit further south than the Pt Knob station too. Its listed as Junc. Rt 32 and 72 Or just use the 26263 area code in wunderground.com.
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Kim you can use my station on WUnderground too. Its closer to your Dryfork place in elevation. I'm at 2840. a bit further south than the Pt Knob station too. Its listed as Junc. Rt 32 and 72 Or just use the 26263 area code in wunderground.com.
It's amazing how a few miles makes a big difference in weather conditions in the Canaan area. There aren't any weather stations in the Canaan Village area that I'm aware of. How many miles is the Rt. 32 & 72 junction from Canaan Village (say Rt. 32 & Timberline Rd)? And which mountain is Pointy Knob. I know there's Herz (T-Line), Weiss, can you see Pointy Knob easily from the valley floor?
I should probably know all this having gone up there regularly, year-round for 3 1/2 years now
Point Knob is not really visible from the valley. To reach it you turn right just as you are exiting CV to the south. The road runs on the southern boundary of CV State Park. You continue about a 1/2 mile, then wind your way up to Pointy Knob. It is really the high plateau on the southern end of the valley.
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It's amazing how a few miles makes a big difference in weather conditions in the Canaan area. There aren't any weather stations in the Canaan Village area that I'm aware of. How many miles is the Rt. 32 & 72 junction from Canaan Village (say Rt. 32 & Timberline Rd)?
Its about 5 miles South of Timberline Rd. I don't know of any other online weather stations in the Valley area. Just mine and the one on Pointy Knob. Dave Lesher is a NWS observer on Canaan Heights but he just posts daily summary info instead of realtime.
BTW, Pointy Knob is also sometimes called Flat Ridge
I use yours all the time. So much in fact that I paid the weatherundergound fee to take off the ads. Keep up the good work!
Clay
Clay
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BTW, Pointy Knob is also sometimes called Flat Ridge
Am I the only one that finds this comical?
Just another WV absurdity, which is part of its charm. It is, in fact, flat as a pancake up there. I suspect it was so named by the real estate developer selling mountain-top lots.
I had a lot up there a few years ago. Sold it, made some $$ which made the down payment on my place at Bonner Mtn. The lots on the valley side have a beautiful view looking north into the valley. The ones on the east side will have a great view of Almost Heaven when built. Thanks, WVRocks. I didn't know that it was your station on the site. It's pretty accurate for the greater downtown metropolitian area 
of Dryfork. The mini-climates in WV are interesting indeed. That's why I found this original thread interesting.
of Dryfork. The mini-climates in WV are interesting indeed. That's why I found this original thread interesting.Quote:
Just another WV absurdity, which is part of its charm. It is, in fact, flat as a pancake up there. I suspect it was so named by the real estate developer selling mountain-top lots.
Even better, there is an actual peak with the name Pointy Knob right in the same area. Its at 4145 ft, just about 2.5 miles to the north-northwest of Pointy Knob/Flat Ridge. With the leaves off you can probably see one from the other. Both places are labeled Pointy Knob on the topo. Go figure.
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I had a lot up there a few years ago. Sold it, made some $$ which made the down payment on my place at Bonner Mtn. The lots on the valley side have a beautiful view looking north into the valley. The ones on the east side will have a great view of Almost Heaven when built. Thanks, WVRocks. I didn't know that it was your station on the site. It's pretty accurate for the greater downtown metropolitian area
No problem. I'm actually getting ready to move some of my sensors a bit. I think during some events my rain guage is partially blocked by the house so I'm going to put it out in the open. Also my thermometer/Barometer is up under the overhang on my porch and I think it sometimes gets artificially inflated readings due to heat build up under the roof. Going to try to rectify both situations this afternoon.
I've been meaning to get another website up with realtime data and a webcam pointed at Mt. Porte Crayon but I've been busy/lazy and don't have it working yet.
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I've been meaning to get another website up with realtime data and a webcam pointed at Mt. Porte Crayon but I've been busy/lazy and don't have it working yet.
Get that going and I can gurantee that you will have plenty of hits from DCSkiers alone. Heck I bet Andy would never leave his computer if he could sit and watch MPC all day!!
