Snow followed by extreme cold – Expect icy travel conditions in the Shenandoah Valley

STAUNTON — More impactful winter weather will arrive in the Shenandoah Valley and Alleghany Highlands on Sunday, Jan. 19, followed by several days of extreme cold.

Virginia Department of Transportation Staunton District crews and contractors will monitor, plow and treat roads as needed. Travelers should remember that salt is less effective on roads once temperatures dip below 20 degrees. Roads that have been plowed and/or treated may remain icy.

On unpaved roads, sand and gravel are spread to improve traction, especially on packed snow or ice. Packed snow and ice may remain on the road during extreme low temperatures.

Bridges and overpasses will freeze first. The public should also be alert for falling tree limbs and tree debris on roadways from heavy wet snow or ice.

Travel should be planned to occur before or after these hazardous conditions.

Monitor the weather forecast closely, because weather systems can change. Also monitor the weather along any travel route for possible changes. Conditions can vary greatly from one end of the Commonwealth of Virginia to the other. 

The VDOT Staunton District serves the counties of Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany and Bath.

Road-clearing priorities are as follows: 

• The Interstate Highway System and limited-access roadways are our first priority.
• Primary roads and major secondary roads 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.

Check 511 at its updated URL and website: https://511.vdot.virginia.gov/. The 511 site has traffic cameras, current crash locations, weather conditions and more. The public can sign-up for 511 alerts to be sent to their personal device. On the VDOT 511 website roads with snow and ice conditions will be marked minor, moderate, severe or closed.

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.

Another information source is the VDOT website at https://www.vdot.virginia.gov. Type in “winter weather” in the search bar located in the middle of the home page. Follow the links to the winter page for driving tips, snow removal procedures, travel kit items and additional resources.

To view a text listing of weather road conditions, go to https://511.vdot.virginia.gov/, look at the blue bar on the top of the page and click on “Road Reports” and then click on “Road Conditions”. Look at the pull-down box that lists all jurisdictions.  In this box individual counties can be chosen to view. Apps for Virginia’s 511 system are also available for android and iOS devices.

The VDOT Customer Service Center can be accessed through its mobile friendly website at https://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 X (Twitter) feed is at @VaDOTStaunton. The VDOT Staunton District has a group page on Facebook. Follow VDOT statewide accounts on Facebook, Flickr, and YouTube.

VDOT statewide X feeds can be found at @VaDOT. The nine districts can be found at: Hampton Roads @VaDOTHR; Richmond @VaDOTRVA; Northern Virginia @VaDOTNOVA; Fredericksburg @VaDOTFred; Culpeper @VaDOTCulp; Lynchburg @VaDOTLynchburg; Bristol @VaDOTBristol; Salem @VaDOTSalem; and Staunton @VaDOTStaunton.