The Shadow
STAUNTON (VR) – (4 a.m.) A mix of rain, freezing rain and sleet is falling early Thursday morning, December 15, in the Shenandoah Valley and Alleghany Highlands. As of 4 a.m., the northern valley is reporting some icy spots, and freezing conditions are expected to overspread the region throughout the morning. Hazardous conditions are likely for the Thursday morning commute. The Virginia Department of Transportation advises motorists to avoid all unnecessary travel.
Crews from the VDOT Staunton District are on duty throughout the 11-county region to treat roadways with salt and abrasives. Interstates and other major highways are treated first, followed by secondary roads and subdivision streets.
Bridges and overpasses freeze first, sometimes creating an icy glaze even when roadway approaches are just wet. Those who must drive should use extreme caution and always wear a seatbelt.
In addition to freezing rain and sleet, strong and gusty winds are expected on Thursday. Motorists should be alert for downed trees, branches or utility lines. VDOT has tree-removal contractors on standby to help keep roadways clear.
Statewide road conditions and traffic cameras are found at http://www.511Virginia.org. Roads with snow conditions will be marked minor, moderate, severe or closed.
Road condition definitions:
- Closed – Road is closed to all traffic.
- Severe – drifting or partially blocked road.
- Moderate – snow or ice on major portions of the roadway.
- Minor – bare pavement except for isolated spots of snow, ice or slush. Driving with caution is recommended.
For a text listing of winter weather road conditions go to http://www.511Virginia.org and click “Text Views” on the orange bar across the top of the page. Then click on “Road Conditions Table” and use the pull-down box to select individual counties and cities.
On the go? Visit VDOT’s Free Virginia 511 Tools to get your 511 app for android or iOS. Traffic alerts and traveler information can be obtained by dialing 511.
The VDOT Customer Service Center can be accessed through its mobile friendly website at https://my.vdot.virginia.gov/. Agents are on site 24/7 every day of the year to assist the public. People can also call the VDOT Customer Service Center at 800-FOR- ROAD (800-367-7623).
The Staunton District Snow Page is on the VDOT website under Travel Center Snow Emergency Pages. The Staunton District Twitter feed is at @VaDOTStaunton.
Follow VDOT on Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube. RSS feeds are also available for statewide information. The VDOT Web page is located at http://www.VirginiaDOT.org.
The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany and Bath counties.
