Motorists traveling throughout the Shenandoah Valley tonight, January 11 and into the morning hours on Monday, January 12 should expect to see icy conditions develop. Precipitation is forecasted to begin during the night and last into the morning hours. Temperatures are expected to be below freezing near the surface. Freezing rain is forecasted along with sleet and rain during this period.
Over the last week the region has stayed mostly below freezing, allowing surfaces to become cold and capable of supporting freezing rain conditions. The area will be near the freezing mark during this weather event and motorists may encounter varying road conditions as they travel.
Virginia Department of Transportation crews will be in place to watch for developing weather beginning at 8 p.m. tonight. More crews will come on duty at midnight and begin working on roadways as needed once precipitation begins.
Any elevated road surface or a roadway over an area that can receive air, such as pipes and culverts are prone to freeze first. Caution should be used on these road surfaces. Motorists should also expect black ice to develop on various roadways. Crews will monitor and treat surfaces as warranted.
Travelers throughout the Shenandoah Valley region should use extreme caution.
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 and YouTube. RSS feeds are also available for statewide information. The VDOT Web page is located at www.VirginiaDOT.org.
The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany and Bath counties.
Road condition definitions:
- Severe – drifting or partially blocked road. Snow tires or chains are necessary.
- Moderate – snow or ice on major portions of the roadway. Snow tires or chains are advisable.
- Minor – bare pavement except for isolated spots of snow, ice or slush. Driving with caution is recommended.
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Chris Graham
