Montgomery Co. Snowfall Guide: Street Plowing, Shoveling

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for central and southeast Montgomery County, calling for one to two inches of snow and temperatures near freezing this weekend.

The advisory will begin at midnight Friday and last until 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9. Residents are advised to expect a light to moderate accumulation of snow, sleet and freezing rain that would make sidewalks and roads icy.

The county has provided general snow preparedness tips for residents:

Preventive Road Treatment

The Montgomery County Storm Operations Center and all County depots will be activated at 9 p.m. In consideration of the NWS advisory, salt will be spread throughout the night and tomorrow during the day on all County streets, beginning with emergency and primary roads before treatment of neighborhood streets. Road temperatures are currently warm and while air temperatures may drop below 30 degrees overnight, road temperatures are expected to remain above that. Significant accumulation is not expected; with most accumulation on grassy areas rather than roadways.

Alert Montgomery

As the winter snow season begins, community members are urged to subscribe to Alert Montgomery at http://alert.montgomerycountymd.gov to stay updated on the latest important information pertaining to all emergencies including snow information. Alert messages can be delivered to email accounts, cell phones, text pagers, wireless PDA’s and other wireless devices, as well as to home and work land-line phones.

Where to find County Snow Information

• Headline emergency information will be posted on the homepage of the Montgomery Country website: montgomerycountymd.gov
• More information provided through the County’s Twitter feed and Facebook pages: https://twitter.com/MontgomeryCoMD and facebook.com/montgomerycountyinfo.
• The County’s Winter Storm Information Portal at: montgomerycountymd.gov/snow is another valuable resource.

Where To Call

• The County’s information call center MC311 can be accessed by calling 3-1-1 or 240-777-0311, weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Questions can also be asked through the MC311 website, MC311.com, available 24-7. During emergencies, the call center hours are extended to provide emergency support as long as it is needed.
• Only call 9-1-1 in an emergency. The police non-emergency line is 301-279-8000.

Snow Preparedness and Safety Information

Preparing for the winter storm season and following safety precautions can help in staying safe and secure. Find more comprehensive safety information on the County’s Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security website at: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/oemhs.

When there is an accumulation of snow that requires shoveling...

• Dress appropriately for winter weather. Ears, hands and feet need extra protection in frigid temperatures.
• If you can, shovel as the snow falls. That way, there is less to remove. It’s also easier to remove fresh snow that has not hardened or turned to ice.
• Put less pressure on your back. Lift with legs bent to avoid injury and try pushing the snow instead of lifting it.
• Pace yourself and take it slow. Shoveling can raise blood pressure and heart rate dramatically.
• Don't work to the point of exhaustion. Take it easy and take breaks. If you run out of breath or feel tightness in your chest, stop immediately.
• Find the County’s snow shoveling law requirements on the Snow Portal: montgomerycountymd.gov/snow

Animals and Pets

Montgomery County Police Animal Services officers want to remind citizens to be particularly careful with all pets during every period of cold weather. The best advice during periods of extreme weather conditions is to bring pets indoors. Even animals that are accustomed to living outdoors can be susceptible to the dangers of cold weather. Livestock animals should have a place to get out of the wind and dry bedding should be provided to protect them from frostbite.

During periods of very cold temperatures and windy conditions the Montgomery County Animal Services Division will announce enforcement of Executive Regulation 10-10AM, Anti-Cruelty Conditions for Dogs. Section II-C of the regulation states that “a person must not tether a dog under circumstances that endanger its health, safety, or well-being including: unattended tethering of the dog during a weather emergency.” The enforcement of this regulation is put into effect during conditions of unusual cold, wind, or heavy snow. The penalty for this violation is a $500 fine. If you see an animal left outside that appears to be in danger, please call 301-279-8000.

Snow Treatment and Removal Information from MCDOT

Montgomery County’s Department of Transportation staff begin their job well before snow is predicted to fall. Highway Services staff track weather reports days in advance to determine if the MCDOT Storm Operations Center should be activated and when to do so. Snow plow crews and truck mechanics at each depot are called to report in advance of a storm and may begin pretreating major roads with salt brine, a solution of salt and water, depending on conditions. Salt brine prevents ice and frost from forming on pavement and makes snow removal easier. The use of salt brine also reduces the amount of salt needed to treat pavement following a snowfall.

Plowing of roads is not expected to be necessary for this predicted minimal accumulation of snow. Plowing of roads occurs when three or more inches of snow accumulates with a temperature below freezing. The County’s Department of Transportation clears emergency and primary routes before beginning clearing of neighborhood streets. Neighborhood streets are not cleared to bare pavement, but are made passable. Find out more at: https://buff.ly/2AI5468 .

Pixabay Photo