Information subject to correction:

Airplane old as sin was recently purchased with engines 600hrs away from overhaul according to the sales ad.
Chief pilot/ Lead pilot without an ATP which would be required for 135.

The weather was below minimums from 02:35 till 06:35 it didn’t move in suddenly after they canceled IFR:

https://www.weather.gov/wrh/timeseries?site=KF70