Winter going out with a bang: Snow covers Shenandoah Valley

A late-winter storm is bringing snow and high winds to the Shenandoah Valley and Alleghany Highlands.

As temperatures drop on Saturday morning, heavy rain is transitioning to heavy snow and beginning to accumulate. Many areas could see 2-3 inches of snow, with greater amounts in the northern Shenandoah Valley and higher elevations.

Snow and slush will create slippery driving conditions, and winds are expected to increase throughout the day. This could cause branches or trees to fall on roadways. The Virginia Department of Transportation advises against driving during the winter storm due to heavy snowfall, high winds and poor visibility.

VDOT crews and contractors are on duty throughout the 11-county Staunton District to plow or treat roadways as needed. Tree-cutting crews are on standby and wreckers are pre-staged in several areas.

Below are the road conditions as of 7 a.m. Saturday.

• Interstate 64 – Minor conditions in Alleghany County. Clear conditions in Rockbridge and Augusta counties.
• Interstate 66 – Clear conditions in Warren County.
• Interstate 81 – Moderate conditions in Frederick County. Clear conditions in Rockbridge, Augusta, Rockingham and Shenandoah counties.
• Primary roads – Moderate conditions in Frederick and Clarke counties. Minor conditions in Alleghany, Bath and Highland counties. Clear conditions in Rockbridge, Augusta, Rockingham, Page, Shenandoah and Warren counties.
• Secondary roads – Moderate conditions in Frederick and Clarke counties. Minor conditions in Alleghany, Bath and Highland counties. Clear conditions in Rockbridge, Augusta, Rockingham, Page, Shenandoah and Warren counties.

For statewide updates 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.

On the go? Then visit VDOT’s Free Virginia 511 Tools to get your 511 app for Android or iOS. Traffic alerts and traveler information can be obtained by dialing 511.

The VDOT Customer Service Center can be accessed through its mobile friendly website at my.vdot.virginia.gov/. Agents are on site 24/7 every day of the year to assist the public. People can also call the VDOT Customer Service Center at 800-FOR- ROAD (800-367-7623).

The Staunton District Snow Page is on the VDOT website under Travel Center Snow Emergency Pages. The Staunton District Twitter feed is at @VaDOTStaunton.

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.