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The forecast for the next couple of days is shaping up, and snow, ice and a flash freeze are all possible from early Thursday morning through Friday afternoon in the Shenandoah Valley.
The Virginia Department of Transportation is advising drivers to avoid travel during the pending winter storm and black-ice conditions that are expected to follow.
According to VDOT, the first wave of winter weather could impact the Thursday morning commute with a combination of snow, sleet and freezing rain. As temperatures rise throughout the day, the precipitation should change to rain and taper off Thursday night.
The highest snowfall totals are expected in the northern Shenandoah Valley and higher elevations on Interstate 64 in Augusta County, Route 33 in Rockingham County and Route 211 in Page and Shenandoah counties.
In these areas, snowfall rate of an inch per hour are possible from mid-morning through mid-day on Thursday, which will cause slippery roads and decrease visibility.
A second round of snow is expected early Friday morning followed by a flash freeze. Temperatures will fall rapidly into the teens and possibly single digits in some areas. This will cause wet roads and bridges to freeze over creating a glaze of ice that will make travel extremely hazardous.
Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing though the holiday weekend.
VDOT has begun pre-treating primary roads and interstates. When the winter weather begins, VDOT crews and contractors will plow and treat roadways on an as-needed basis. They will work on rotating 12-hour shifts until all routes are passable.
For more information on road conditions, visit www.511Virginia.org
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Crystal Graham
