Snow squalls, high winds wreaking havoc in Shenandoah Valley

A fast moving cold front bringing high winds and blowing snow began moving through the Shenandoah Valley very late this afternoon and into the early evening.

Motorists should be alert for changing weather conditions as they travel through the region.  High profile vehicles may be affected by these winds.

Virginia Department of Transportation crews are deployed and treating roadways as needed.  The public should use extreme caution when traveling on wet or snow covered surfaces.  Temperatures are expected to drop into the 20s or lower this evening.

Motorists should keep in mind the following safety tips:

• Keep your car’s windows, mirrors and lights clear of snow and ice.
• Always wear your seat belt.
• Leave a few minutes early.
• Be aware of potentially icy areas such as shady spots and bridges.
• Keep a safe distance of at least five seconds behind other vehicles and trucks that are plowing the road.
• Don’t pass a snowplow or spreader unless it is absolutely necessary. Treat these as you would emergency-response vehicles.
• Drive smart and pay close attention. Don’t text and drive – it’s a secondary offense in Virginia.

For winter weather road conditions go to www.511Virginia.org, look at the orange bar on the top of the page and click on “Text Views” and then click on “Road Condition Table”. Look at the pull down box that lists all jurisdictions.  In this box individual counties can be chosen to view.

Traffic alerts and traveler information can be obtained by dialing 511. Traffic alerts and traveler information also are available at 511Virginia.org. For other assistance call the VDOT Customer Service Center, available 24 hours-a-day, seven days a week. Citizens can dial 1-800-FOR- ROAD (1-800-367-7623) from anywhere in the state to report road hazards, ask transportation questions, or get information related to Virginia’s roads.

The Staunton District Twitter feed is at @VaDOTStaunton. VDOT can be followed on Facebook, Flickr, Twitter andYouTube. RSS feeds are also available for statewide information. The VDOT Web page is located atwww.VirginiaDOT.org.

The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany and Bath counties.