Winter storms bring flooding and 'thunder ice' in several US states

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Storms spawned at least one brief tornado, sent creeks over their banks and caused flash flooding Thursday in portions of West Virginia and Kentucky, while a wintry mix coated trees and roads in ice and even dropped “thunder ice” in several states.

Residents and storm spotters in portions of Indiana, southern Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania reported the unusual mix of freezing rain accompanied by flashes of lightning in the unstable air.

“You ever seen that?” Brian Heffner of Spencerville, Ohio, said in a video he posted on Facebook. “I've never seen lightning and heard thunder during an ice storm. It's cool.”

A long line of thunderstorms kept residents awake overnight with hours of heavy rains, flooding neighborhoods, triggering mudslides and rockslides, and causing accidents where water ponded on some interstate highways. Schools in numerous counties delayed classes or closed Thursday.

Multiple drivers had to be rescued after getting stranded in the floodwaters, authorities in West Virginia said. And the rescues weren’t limited to humans. The Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association asked the community to adopt or foster 15 dogs after a portion of its shelter began to get flooded.

Several inches of rain in Charleston prompted county officials to activate an emergency operations center. In Huntington, along the Ohio River, residents of some areas were told remain in their homes for several hours during flooding before the advisory was lifted Thursday afternoon. Much of West Virginia and portions of eastern Kentucky and southeastern Ohio remained under flood warnings by Thursday evening.

In south-central Kentucky, the National Weather Service confirmed a short-lived EF1 tornado with winds of up to 95 mph (150 kph) tore apart some roofs and scattered debris in Hart County, about an hour south of Louisville. No injuries were immediately reported.

Late Thursday, severe storms with possible tornadoes moved through eastern Tennessee. The Tennessee Highway Patrol said on social media that troopers were in Morgan County ensuring resident safety and assessing and helping with structure damage.

The Morgan County School District said on its website that schools would be closed Friday because of “significant damage from tornadoes in parts of our county.”

A storm coated trees and roads in ice in several mid-Atlantic states before warmer temperatures moved in by midday Thursday. Most areas avoided significant power outages that can accompany accumulating ice on trees and power lines.

Forecasts for several inches of snow prompted closures and delays for dozens of school systems in New England. In Maine, more than 200 schools and businesses were closed or shutting early. The Kennebunk area school district was one of many that chose to close fully rather than risk a messy commute for afternoon school buses.

“Road conditions are expected to rapidly deteriorate once the snow begins, potentially putting students and staff at risk if we were to implement an early release scenario,” said district superintendent Terri Cooper.

Associated Press writers Sarah Brumfield Cockeysville, Maryland, and Patrick Whittle in Scarborough, Maine, contributed to this report.

Dale West, a maintenance technician for the Vermont Agency of Transportation, Division 2 in Dummerston, Vt., plows the left lane of I-91 from Exit 3 to the Massachusetts state line during a snowstorm Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Kristopher Radder/The Brattleboro Reformer via AP)

Footprints are seen in snow in Fort Tryon Park, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Cars drive through rain, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Molly, left, and Eric Bemis walk their dogs on a snow covered road, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, in East Derry, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

A state road crew cleared debris from a creek along Big Bottom Hollow Road in Campbells Creek, just outside of Charleston, W.Va.,, after flood waters came across the roadway and entered the nearby Mary Ingles Elementary School on Thursday Feb. 6, 2025. (Sean McCallister

This is an aerial photo of Point Lick Park and the surrounding area of Campbells Creek, just outside of Charleston, W.Va., which flooded early Feb. 6, 2025. (Sean McCallister/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP)

A person walks through the snow during a storm in Portsmouth, N.H., Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)

People walk in snowy streets during a storm in Portsmouth, N.H., Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)

A person walks through the snow during a storm in Portsmouth, N.H., Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)

Larry Addington Field at Boyd County High School in Cannonsburg, Kentucky stands underwater, on Feb. 6, 2025, after overnight rains flooded the area. (Zack Klemme/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP)

Harry Miller works to open a clogged sewer drain near his house in Nitro, W.Va., as his neighbors look on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Chris Dorst/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP)

A crew clears snow during a storm in Portsmouth, N.H., Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)

A car is stuck in debris on Bear Fork Road along Kanawha Two Mile Creek near the Edens Fork Road overpass in Kanawha County outside of Charleston, W.Va., on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Christopher Millette/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP)

Trees covered in ice line the Great Allegheny Passage near Frostburg, Md., on Thursday, Feb. 6 2025. (Ken Nolan/Cumberland Times-News via AP)

Maryland Department of Transportation employees use a backhoe to load a truck with salt at the State Highway Administration District 6 Office in LaVale, Md., Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. (Steve Bittner/Cumberland Times-News via AP)

Flooding along the swollen Pocatalico River is shown Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, in Poca, W.Va. (AP Photo/John Raby)

Horses seek higher ground after thunderstorms caused flooding Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, in Poca, W.Va. (AP Photo/John Raby)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 25, 2025--

Pilot Company (Pilot), General Motors (NYSE: GM) and EVgo Inc. (NASDAQ: EVGO) today announced their collaborative network has reached more than 130 electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging locations in over 25 states. The charging network offers an elevated experience along popular corridors and major interstates, enabling long-distance EV travel.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320340836/en/

Pilot's growing electric vehicle fast-charging network offers an elevated experience for drivers looking to make the most of their miles and hit the road during the spring and summer travel season

As the busy spring and summer travel season approaches, EV drivers will be able to road trip confidently to many popular destinations, with charging infrastructure now available along I-75 between Michigan and Georgia and regional corridors such as Minneapolis to Milwaukee, Detroit to Cleveland, San Antonio to Houston and Dallas to Nashville.

“As we strive to be the leading energy and experience provider people rely on to fuel their journeys, our travel centers are uniquely able to fill a need for EV owners who are looking to make the most of their miles,” said Shannon Sturgil, senior vice president of alternative fuels at Pilot. “The collaboration with General Motors and EVgo will continue to bring highway-based charging to more regions and routes where this infrastructure is needed.”

Pilot, GM and EVgo first announced their collaboration in 2022 and are working to build a total of up to 2,000 fast charging stalls at up to 500 Pilot and Flying J locations. EV drivers can count on Pilot’s travel centers’ premium amenities that aren’t typically found at other charging locations, such as lounges, free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurants, grab-and-go food and beverage options and grocery and convenience items. Every location is well-lit in centrally located areas that are accessible 24/7, with modernized restrooms and round-the-clock team members. Many of Pilot’s charging locations offer overhead canopies and pull-through charging stalls that are more convenient than back-in stalls and accommodate drivers who are towing trailers. With EVgo’s high-power chargers offering up to 350 kW, drivers can recharge in as little as 15 minutes.* Seamless charging is also offered through Plug and Charge, available throughout this network for drivers with compatible EV models.

Convenient access to fast charging infrastructure along major interstates and highways is critical to boost range confidence and serve customers who choose to drive electric as EV sales continue to rise across the United States. In 2024, EV sales reached 1.3 million, and the fourth quarter saw a record 15% growth compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. 1 The range of EV options offered by GM contributed to the surge, with GM brand EV sales alone spiking 50% in the fourth quarter of 2024. 2 To support this sustained growth, the companies will continue to work together to install additional charging infrastructure, connecting highway corridors across the country.

“Spring break is all about hitting the road, making memories, and enjoying the journey — not worrying about where to charge. By expanding fast-charging access along major travel routes, our work with Pilot Company and EVgo will give EV drivers more confidence to take long trips with ease,” said Wade Sheffer, vice president of GM Energy. “With more than 130 locations now open, which customers can easily find using the GM brand app, we’re helping ensure that charging is seamless and convenient—so drivers can focus on the adventure ahead.”

The EV driver community has also shown its support of the network, providing positive feedback and consistently high scores on PlugShare, often citing the fast-charging capabilities and amenities at Pilot and Flying J charging locations.

“As part of our ongoing collaboration with Pilot Company and GM, we’re delivering a customer-centric charging experience across our country’s most traveled corridors, building new infrastructure to connect rural, urban and suburban communities,” said Dennis Kish, president of EVgo. “Infrastructure availability is a key factor for drivers considering the choice to drive electric, and EVgo will continue to deploy high-power charging infrastructure nationwide to support current and future EV drivers.”

To learn about available locations, amenities and more, visit pilotflyingj.com/ev-charging.

* Actual charging time will vary based on vehicle’s charging speed, battery size, and initial state of charge.

About Pilot Company

Pilot Company ("Pilot") is committed to showing people they matter at every turn as the leading energy and experience provider people rely on to fuel their journeys. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Pilot is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway and employs approximately 30,000 team members. As the largest network of travel centers, Pilot has nearly 900 locations in 44 states and five Canadian provinces, serving an average of 1.2 million guests per day. In addition to travel center services, Pilot and its partners offer trucking fleets a variety of solutions for fuel, credit, factoring, maintenance and rewards. The company operates North America's third largest fuel tanker fleet and supplies approximately 12 billion gallons of fuel per year. Pilot is shaping the future of energy as one of the largest providers of biodiesel and renewable fuels and through the development of its EV charging network and low carbon fueling alternatives. For additional information about Pilot, visit pilotflyingj.com.

About General Motors

About EVgo

EVgo (Nasdaq: EVGO) is one of the nation’s leading public fast charging providers. With more than 1,100 fast charging stations across over 40 states, EVgo strategically deploys localized and accessible charging infrastructure by partnering with leading businesses across the U.S., including retailers, grocery stores, restaurants, shopping centers, gas stations, rideshare operators, and autonomous vehicle companies. At its dedicated Innovation Lab, EVgo performs extensive interoperability testing and has ongoing technical collaborations with leading automakers and industry partners to advance the EV charging industry and deliver a seamless charging experience.

1https://www.coxautoinc.com/market-insights/q4-2024-ev-sales/

2https://investor.gm.com/news-releases/news-release-details/gm-posts-4-sales-growth-2024-market-share-keeps-expanding

Pilot, along with collaborators General Motors and EVgo, connects travel corridors with convenient electric vehicle charging on major highways in more than 25 states