Chilling Alert: Snowfall Transforms Shenandoah Valley into an Icy Wonderland – Prepare for Treacherous Travel!

STAUNTON — More significant winter conditions are set to arrive in the Shenandoah Valley and Alleghany Highlands on Sunday, Jan. 19, succeeded by several days of intense cold.

Crews and contractors from the Virginia Department of Transportation Staunton District will oversee, plow, and treat roads as necessary. Travelers should keep in mind that salt loses its effectiveness on roads once temperatures fall below 20 degrees. Roads that have been plowed and/or treated may still be icy.

On unpaved routes, sand and gravel are distributed to enhance traction, particularly on compacted snow or ice. Compacted snow and ice may persist on roads during extreme low temperatures.

Bridges and overpasses will be the first to freeze. The public should also remain vigilant for falling tree branches and debris on roadways due to heavy wet snow or ice.

Travel plans should aim to occur before or after these dangerous conditions.

Keep a close watch on the weather forecast, as weather patterns can shift. Additionally, check the weather along any travel paths for potential changes. Conditions can significantly differ from one end of the Commonwealth of Virginia to the other.

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

Priorities for road clearing are outlined as follows: 

• The Interstate Highway System and limited-access roads are our top priority.
• Primary roadways and major secondary routes with essential emergency and public services, or those with high traffic volumes, will be cleared alongside interstate and limited-access roads as resources permit.
• Low-volume secondary roads and subdivision streets will be treated once higher-priority routes have been finished and additional resources can be allocated.

Visit 511 at its updated web address: https://511.vdot.virginia.gov/. The 511 site features traffic cameras, current accident locations, weather updates, and more. The public can register for 511 alerts to be sent directly to their devices. On the VDOT 511 website, roads with snow and ice conditions will be classified as minor, moderate, severe, or closed.

Definitions for road conditions:

• Closed – Road is inaccessible to all traffic.
• Severe – drifting or partially obstructed road.
• Moderate – snow or ice on significant portions of the roadway.
• Minor – clear pavement except for isolated patches of snow, ice, or slush. Driving with caution is advised.

An additional resource is the VDOT website. Enter “winter weather” in the search bar located at the center of the homepage. Follow the links to the winter page for driving recommendations, snow removal guidelines, travel kit essentials, and further resources.

To see a text listing of weather road conditions, go to https://511.vdot.virginia.gov/, look at the blue bar at the top of the page and click on “Road Reports” followed by “Road Conditions”. The pull-down menu lists all jurisdictions. In this box, specific counties can be selected for viewing. Applications for Virginia’s 511 system are also available for Android and iOS devices.

The VDOT Customer Service Center is accessible via its mobile-friendly website at https://my.vdot.virginia.gov/. Support agents are available 24/7 throughout the year to assist the public. Individuals can also contact the VDOT Customer Service Center at 800-FOR- ROAD (800-367-7623).

The Staunton District X (Twitter) feed can be found at @VaDOTStaunton. The VDOT Staunton District also maintains a group page on Facebook. Follow VDOT’s statewide accounts on Facebook, Flickr, and YouTube.

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