Snow, wind affecting travel across Northern Virginia

A burst of snow early this morning across much of Northern Virginia is coating roads and making travel hazardous.

In the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Culpeper District, some areas of Fauquier, Rappahannock, Orange and northern Culpeper County are reporting accumulating snow and roads in minor condition, with patches of snow on the surface. In some areas strong winds are blowing the snow, affecting visibility for motorists.

VDOT crews are treating primary highways and recommends delaying non-essential travel in these areas since snow may be heavy at times and impair visibility. To the south major highways are clear and secondary roads are in minor condition, with patches of frozen snow and ice in some places. The snow is predicted to end by mid-morning and temperatures will rise above freezing, aiding VDOT’s work to clear the roads.

Motorists who are traveling on Tuesday should:

• Clear all of the snow and ice off of their vehicle including the roof
• Drive for the conditions by reducing speed and increasing following distance
• Stay alert for potentially icy surfaces especially on low-volume secondary roads and on bridges, overpasses and areas of higher elevation
• Use VDOT’s free 511 tools to know road conditions along their route and at their destination

VDOT’s Customer Service Center is open 24 hours a day to answer questions and take reports of roadway hazards. Call 1-800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623) or contact us online at my.vdot.virginia.gov.

Additional information about winter-weather preparations and response can be found at www.virginiadot.org/travel/snow.asp. Local updates are posted to Twitter.com/VaDOTCulp and the district’s snow emergency webpage.

The Culpeper District includes the counties of Albemarle, Culpeper, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock.