Highways officials closed the northbound lanes of U.S. 19 near Summersville for about an hour following a storm that dumped six to ten inches of snow on the area.

An emergency dispatcher for Clay and Nicholas counties says authorities began diverting northbound vehicles off the highway at the bottom of Powells Mountain at around 9:40 a.m. Tuesday. The dispatcher, who would not give her name, says the closure would allow Division of Highways crews to clear the highway.

The highway was reopened to passenger vehicles at 10:17 a.m. and to tractor-trailers about 30 minutes later.

The dispatcher says several minor accidents were reported.

Snow-related accidents also tied up traffic on Interstates 64 and 77 and on U.S. 60 in Kanawha County.

A dozen counties were under winter storm warnings through Tuesday night.