The drainage patterns are so extensive that there are no natural lakes or sizeable undrained areas in West Virginia, except for the Cranberry Glades which slowly are draining into the Cranberry River. The nature of West Virginia's weather , with its relatively high amount of precipitation , accounts for the excellent drainage. Annual precipitation ranges from 60 inches in the mountains to 30-40 inches in the eastern panhandle. The state's temperature range has its extremes in small portions of the state, but by and large temperatures are considered temperate or moderate. Here tropical winds and polar winds meet, resulting in fronts which shift from day to day with accompanying differences in precipitation and temperature.
Winds generally are from the west, often the southwest.
The rugged terrain, including the river valleys, can create microclimates with substantial variation within the same county.