ABOVE: Steve Seifried snowblows outside of his business Wednesday afternoon on Downtown Plaza in Fairmont.

FAIRMONT – It’s never a good day to have a blizzard, but the aftermath of Tuesday night and Wednesday morning’s snowfall and winds put the brakes on travel and area events.

For several hours Wednesday, the highways surrounding Fairmont closed as a result of nearly 6 inches of snow, consistent 30 to 40 mph winds and packed ice under the snow due to Tuesday’s rain. Even when they were opened, travel was still not advised on roads throughout the rest of the day.

These hazardous travel conditions also meant several area events were canceled or postponed. The blizzard fell on Ash Wednesday, and an annual cross-marking event held by several collaborating churches was canceled. The Cool School Polar Plunge, aimed at supporting Special Olympics at Fairmont Area Schools, also did not take place. The event will happen, but a new date has not yet been chosen.

Forecasts in the days leading up were showing around 2 to 4 inches, according to AccuWeather. National Weather Service Meteorologist Bill Borghoff said there’s a reason the storm hit harder than expected.

“We had a very strong low-pressure system that developed in the plains and moved to us,” he said. “We had a lot of moisture with the low-pressure system and cold air. That moisture wrapped with the cold air and turned into snow. That intense pressure with the snow turned it into these heavy, narrow bands. This meant that any shift would cause a drastic change in snow totals.”

This storm is the latest in incidents this year where temperatures shoot from hot to cold or vice versa over a few weeks. Borghoff said long areas of low and high air pressure have been significant, and their collisions have led to these disruptions.

“We have seen strong cold behind these systems and warmups after them,” he said. “We are projecting a major warmup after this storm, with 60s and even 70s possible.”

High temperatures will come at the end of a gradual warmup throughout the rest of this week and weekend. However, Borghoff warns this may not be the end of bumpy weather on the horizon.

“There’s a heavy system we’re monitoring near the end of next week and the following weekend which could deliver major impacts to a good chunk of the country,” he said.

As the roads are cleared and winds die down, Borghoff said there are still precautions to take to ensure safety if travel is necessary.

“Watch for slick spots this evening, we will be cold tonight,” he said. “There may be some thawing now but come sunset some slick spots will develop again. Heed any warnings and keep your eye on the forecasts, as we could have a varied next couple of weeks.”