There have been 136 crashes on Virginia roads between noon and 3:30 p.m. due to snow and ice conditions in the Commonwealth.
Virginia State Police report 85 crashes in Southwest Virginia and 51 crashes in the Salem district. There have been seven accidents with injuries. As of 3 p.m., no fatal crashes were reported.
The Virginia Department of Transportation is asking residents to reschedule travel planned in the Shenandoah Valley and Alleghany Highlands on Sunday or Monday. Roads will be extremely treacherous, and travel should not be attempted, according to VDOT.
In other words, stay home. Watch a movie. Drink some hot cocoa. Build a snowman. Make a snow angel.
Most schools have already announced closures for Monday. The counties of Rockingham and Augusta, and the cities of Staunton and Waynesboro, have all closed in anticipation of the storm.
VDOT crews and contractors will be fully engaged in snow and ice removal operations as a high impact winter storm enters the Commonwealth of Virginia. A foot of snow or more is possible in some areas with a mix of snow and ice in other parts of the state.
All interstate roads and major primary and secondary roads have been pre-treated with brine, VDOT reports.
It is likely to take a few days to plow and treat roadways to make them passable. Temperatures for most of the week are forecasted to remain below freezing.
Heavy snowfall is expected for several hours.
VDOT crews and contractors will remain active on 12-hour shifts throughout this weather event. Virginia State Police has also increased the number of state troopers on the roads to handle the storm and have adjusted to 12-hour shifts.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect through 1 a.m. on Tuesday.
Virginia State Police crash update (4-8 p.m.)
- Richmond – Six crashes, none with injuries
- Two crashes, none with injuries
- Appomattox – Central-West – Eight crashes, three with reported injuries
- Wytheville – SWVA – 20 crashes, three with reported injuries (between noon and 4 p.m., it was 85 crashes, three with reported injuries).
- Chesapeake – Hampton Roads – Three crashes, one with reported injuries
- Salem – Western Va. – 47 crashes, five with reported injuries (between noon and 4 p.m., it was 51, four with reported injuries).
- NOVA – Nothing at this time.
Virginia State Police ask that you avoid driving during the storm.
(Updated Sunday, 8:48 p.m.)
Tips if you have to drive during the storm
- Use headlights. Increasing your visibility helps you to avoid slick and dangerous spots on the road, as well as helps other drivers see you better.
- Slow your speed. Though State Police works closely with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to identify problem areas on Virginia’s highways during a winter storm, drivers still must drive for conditions. Slowing your speed gives you more time to safely react and avoid a crash.
- Don’t tailgate. You need increased stopping distance on slick road surfaces. Give yourself more space between vehicles traveling ahead of you to avoid rear end collisions.
- Buckle up. Most crashes that occur during winter weather are caused by vehicles sliding into guardrails, off the road or other vehicles. Wearing your seat belt protects you from being thrown around the inside of your vehicle and suffering serious injury in a crash.
- Check your vehicle. Make sure your vehicle is in good working order for the conditions. Fill up the tank in advance. Check windshield wipers, windshield wiper fluid, tire tread, battery life, etc. Don’t leave home without a window scraper, blanket, bottled water, snack, cell phone charger and flashlight.
Snow removal priorities
VDOT is responsible for snow removal on all state-maintained roads, while all cities and some towns maintain their roads, including Arlington and Henrico counties. VDOT may support cities and towns, if requested.
- Interstates and limited-access roadways are VDOT’s first priority.
- Primary roads (routes numbered 1 to 599) and major secondary roads (routes numbered 600 and up) with vital emergency and public facilities, or those with high-traffic volumes, will be cleared along with interstate and limited-access roadways as resources allow.
- Low-volume secondary roads and subdivision streets will be treated after higher-priority routes are completed and additional resources are available.
For road information, check 511 at https://511.vdot.virginia.gov/.
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.
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Crystal Graham
