A strong upper air disturbance triggered a relatively small but heavy band of snow.  The snow moved east, out of northern Kentucky and into southern West Virginia, during the afternoon of the 3rd.  The heaviest snow remained south of Huntington and Charleston, affecting the southern coal fields.  This feature, tracking across southern West Virginia, delayed the start of the snow for the central mountain counties around Summersville to Elkins.
By late that night, 4 to 7 inches of snow had accumulated over Mingo and Logan Counties.  For example, Lorado had 7 inches, Naugatuck had 6 inches, and Chapmanville measured 5 inches.
By the predawn hours of Wednesday the 4th, another upper air disturbance, low level moisture, and the colder air helped develop snow showers further north. As a result, the snow showers increased over the central mountain counties of West Virginia.  Meanwhile, fluffy snow showers lingered over the southern mountain counties.
By late Wednesday afternoon, 4 to 8 inches of snow was common across Fayette, Raleigh, Wyoming, and Mcdowell Counties.  Some representative snow accumulations were 8 inches at Cool Ridge, 6 inches at Cyclone and Lookout, 5 inches at Beckley, Oak Hill, and Iaeger.
Across the central mountain counties, the fluffy snow showers lingered into the early morning hours of Thursday the 5th.  Total snow accumulations were widely variable across Webster, Nicholas, Pocahontas, and Randolph.  The higher windward terrain had over a foot of snow. This includes places like Point Mountain of Webster County, the high terrain around Pickens, Snowshoe, and across Cheat Mountain.  In Nicholas County the mountains around Richwood reported 8 inches.  Meanwhile, some river valley communities only measured 2 to 4 inches of accumulation.

Heavy Snow in RALEIGH, WEST VIRGINIA
From 03-FEB-09 15:00:00 to 04-FEB-09 18:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Heavy Snow in RANDOLPH, WEST VIRGINIA
From 04-FEB-09 04:00:00 to 05-FEB-09 03:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Heavy Snow in WEBSTER, WEST VIRGINIA
From 04-FEB-09 04:00:00 to 05-FEB-09 03:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Heavy Snow in WYOMING, WEST VIRGINIA
From 03-FEB-09 15:00:00 to 04-FEB-09 18:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Heavy Snow in LOGAN, WEST VIRGINIA
From 03-FEB-09 15:00:00 to 04-FEB-09 03:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Heavy Snow in NICHOLAS, WEST VIRGINIA
From 04-FEB-09 04:00:00 to 05-FEB-09 03:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Heavy Snow in POCAHONTAS, WEST VIRGINIA
From 04-FEB-09 04:00:00 to 05-FEB-09 03:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Heavy Snow in FAYETTE, WEST VIRGINIA
From 03-FEB-09 15:00:00 to 04-FEB-09 18:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Heavy Snow in MCDOWELL, WEST VIRGINIA
From 03-FEB-09 15:00:00 to 04-FEB-09 18:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Heavy Snow in MINGO, WEST VIRGINIA
From 03-FEB-09 15:00:00 to 04-FEB-09 03:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter