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Shoppers at Earl's True Value Hardware grab snow shovels Mason Parker, 2, waits with his father, Brian, at Earl's True Value Hardware, where shoppers lined up to buy snow shovels yesterday. |
By KELLY HANNON
A near-blizzard is forecast to bring 16 to 24 inches of snow to the Fredericksburg area starting at mid-morning, making travel "very hazardous or nearly impossible" tonight, according to a National Weather Service storm warning.
Snow totals will be even greater in Culpeper and Orange, where 20 to 28 inches of snow could fall.
The weekend storm has the potential to top or match snowfall amounts from last month's rare December snowstorm of 19 inches.
"The best thing we can tell the public is to limit your travel to emergencies only," said Tina Bundy, Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman.
Gov. Bob McDonnell declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, citing high potential for ice, power outages and blocked roads across Virginia. The city of Fredericksburg declared a local emergency and asked residents to prepare to shelter at home for three days, if needed, with adequate water, food and medicine.
Near Fredericksburg, the snow is expected to start falling after 10 a.m. with the heaviest accumulation anticipated between nightfall and sunrise Saturday.
Wind gusts accompanying the snow could reach 35 mph today and Saturday, making it difficult for drivers to see beyond a quarter-mile.
"If we get into whiteout conditions, that reduces your visibility to zero," Bundy said. "The best thing to do is stay home, stay off the roads, and let VDOT get the roads to a point where it's safe to drive."
Last night, most area school districts decided to cancel classes today.
Sleet could mix in with this weekend's snow, making surfaces slick. Also, with already-cold ground temperatures, surfaces will freeze overnight, Bundy said.
Even four-wheel-drive vehicles could face challenges on the roads this weekend.
"If we have a whiteout, it still limits your visibility. And if we have ice, a four-wheel-drive will slide, as well," Bundy said.
Just as with the Dec. 18-19 storm, the heavy volume of snow could hamper travel in the area for days.
"I don't imagine we'll get into a subdivision at least until Sunday night," Bundy said. "And that's just a guesstimate. It just depends on what we get and how long it snows--and how much progress we make."
Yesterday, VDOT readied 600 pieces of snow removal and road treatment equipment in the 14-county Fredericksburg District. A salt brine, anti-icing solution was sprayed on Interstate 95, primary and major secondary roads. And more than 100 VDOT staff in the Fredericksburg area--even those with duties unrelated to snow--will be pitching in to take phone calls and keep offices open, Bundy said.
"This is a team effort, and we're going to respond to whatever Mother Nature brings," she said.
As they work, they ask for the public's patience.
Ideally, VDOT wants to remove most of the snow sitting on road surfaces within 48 hours of a storm's end, Bundy said.
But removing 24 inches of snow--28 near Culpeper--may take longer.
Also, even after a plow does pass through a neighborhood, the street may not look pristine.
"Passable does not mean bare pavement," Bundy said. "It means we'll go out there, we'll push that surface snow off, and we'll apply some salt, some abrasives to give some traction, and they can safely maneuver out of their neighborhood."
Unfortunately, the snow may not melt quickly on its own. Temperatures Sunday and Monday will reach only into the low 30s, and there is a slight chance of additional snow on Tuesday.
In Fredericksburg, where the Public Works Department treats roads, there are 225 tons of salt on hand. Last night, the city was still waiting for a salt order it placed last week that would have brought its salt total to 750 tons, the most it can store.
"It's our understanding that pretty much everyone's in the same situation," said Doug Fawcett, director, Fredericksburg Public Works Department. "With the storms so close together, right on the heels of each other, the salt suppliers are probably having trouble fulfilling everybody's orders."
The city's snow removal team was expected to start working 12-hour shifts tonight, and regular work shifts will clear the snow as it begins falling today.
"We're getting a lot of practice," Fawcett said. "Both the people removing the snow, and the people trying to drive in it."
Safety officials made several other points yesterday related to travel:
For real-time road conditions in Virginia, go online to 511virginia.org or call 511.
Try not to pass snow removal equipment.
"Give them some room and be patient," Fawcett said. "Treat them like the emergency vehicle that's got a sign on it saying stay back a couple hundred feet."
Plowing the road while watching for passing drivers makes the job more difficult, Fawcett said. "It's really a dangerous situation when people start weaving in and out of view," he said.
If you can, park in a driveway, not on the street.
At VDOT, some plows cannot navigate cul-de-sacs where residents have parked along the side, Bundy said. Such areas may not be plowed as quickly since the agency has to call in smaller plows to finish the job.
If you travel, prepare to shelter in your car for several hours if you get stranded.
In recent storms, the Virginia State Police has advised filling your vehicle with a full tank of gas, and carrying a charged cell phone, medication, food, water, warm clothes, a blanket and an ice scraper if you go.
During the Dec. 18-19 storm, Virginia State Police received 16,000 calls for help, and many of them were for disabled vehicles.
In an emergency only, call #77 or 911.
For businesses owners, do not push cleared snow from a parking lot into a travel lane.
"It creates very unsafe driving conditions," Bundy said. After the Dec. 18-19 storm, some business owners removed their parking lot's snow by dumping it into turn lanes, and drivers crashed into the piles.
"They want to put the snow somewhere, but the roadway is not the option," Bundy said.
Shovel snow to the right of your driveway's end.
That way, snow plows will not push snow back into a just-cleared driveway as they clear your neighborhood.
Kelly Hannon: 540/374-5436
Email: khannon@freelancestar.com
Power outages are a serious threat this weekend.
Dominion Virginia Power released a statement yesterday warning the combination of high wind, sleet, freezing rain and wet, heavy snow could knock trees and tree limbs into power lines.
Companies that provide power to Fredericksburg area customers reported
To report an outage, call the following phone numbers:
Dominion Virginia Power, 888/667-3000 Northern Neck Electric Cooperative, 800/243-2860 Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative, 888/335-0500 Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, 800/552-3904
