If you are driving in Central Virginia overnight be aware that streams and rivers are rising rapidly after Thursday’s heavy rains. The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for Greene, Madison, Orange and Culpeper counties, and other locations along the Blue Ridge Mountains and areas to the east may experience high water as the floodwaters travel downstream.
Crews from the Culpeper and Staunton districts of the Virginia Department of Transportation worked most of the afternoon to reopen Route 33 at Swift Run Gap between Greene and Rockingham counties after an estimated eight to 10 inches of snow fell at the top of the gap on Thursday afternoon. The road was closed for several hours until snowplows and other equipment were able to clear the road and remove a number of vehicles that became stuck on the slick road.
Numerous secondary roads in Albemarle, Culpeper, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Greene, Madison, Louisa and Orange counties are closed by high water and more are expected since the rain is forecast to continue into the evening. VDOT and other emergency response agencies remind drivers never to drive through water flowing across a roadway. Six inches of moving water is enough to knock a person off their feet; 12 inches will sweep a car off the roadway. Remember: Turn Around, Don’t Drown.
Drivers should check www.511virginia.org or the 511 mobile app for updated information about traffic conditions and follow @VaDOTCULP on Twitter for updates.
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Chris Graham
