VA Drivers Urged To Stay Home If Freezing Rain Falls Thursday Morning

VIRGINIA — Freezing rain is in the Northern Virginia weather forecast, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a winter weather advisory and warn about impacts to Thursday morning's commute.

State highway officials urged residents in Northern Virginia to stay home if temperaures and freezing rain fall ahead of Thursday morning's commute.

The advisory is in effect from 10 p.m. Wednesday through 1 p.m. Thursday. Forecasters expect freezing rain accumulation ranging from a glaze to one-tenth inch.

In Northern Virginia, the advisory applies to Prince William County, Manassas, Manassas Park, Fairfax County, Arlington County, Falls Church, Alexandria and eastern Loudoun County. In western Loudoun County, the advisory lasts until 4 p.m. Thursday with ice accumulations between one-tenth and two-tenths of an inch expected and possible sleet mixed in. The Fredericksburg area, including Stafford and Spotsylvania counties, is under a hazardous weather outlook.

"Drivers should avoid travel as frozen precipitation will create icy roadway conditions in portions of the Commonwealth tonight and tomorrow morning. Pavement temperatures will be at or near freezing levels," the Virginia Department of Transportation said late Wednesday. "Temperatures will drop overnight and could cause treacherous conditions during the morning commute, primarily in the northern, northwestern and parts of central Virginia. As a reminder, bridges, overpasses and shaded areas tend to freeze first.

Freezing rain was expected to begin around 9 p.m. Wednesday in northwest Virginia and continue through the morning.

Most VDOT crews did not pretreat roads in areas where precipitation is forecast to start as rain, since the pretreatment application will wash away and be ineffective. Crews will treat roadways with salt, sand and abrasives once icy conditions begin to develop. Wreckers are pre-staged along certain routes and tree crews are available to handle downed trees.

Areas west of Northern Virginia in the Blue Ridge Mountains have an ice storm warning, as significant icing is anticipated.

The National Weather Service expects hazardous conditions will impact Thursday morning's commute. Wintry precipitation is expected to become more intense Wednesday night into Thursday morning and become rain by Thursday afternoon.

The Virginia Department of Transportation is mobilizing workers before the winter weather arrives. Northern Virginia VDOT crews have been pretreating roads Tuesday into Wednesday and will be staged along roads Wednesday night.

In addition to normal winter weather season preparations, VDOT says it has introduced changes after the Interstate 95 incident in January 2022. On Jan. 2, 2022, hundreds of vehicles were stranded on I-95 on an approximately 50-mile stretch for nearly a day as heavy snow and dropping temperatures contributed to the interstate's condition. Some vehicles ran out of gas, others rationed their gas, and stranded travelers shared resources while trapped on the interstate.

After audits by the state inspector general and by consultant CNA, VDOT says it has made improvements. According to VDOT, it has improved contracting to help address equipment and personnel shortages, improved communications and command structure for crisis events, assigned staff to report on conditions to supplement traffic cameras, and introduced a system allowing two-way communication between drivers and VDOT in a defined area. VDOT also continues to participate in winter weather exercises from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.

According to AAA, the I-95 incident is an example of why drivers should prepare for winter weather.

"While the shutdown on I-95 is an extreme example, hours-long delays on winter roadways are not unusual, especially at higher elevations and on more rural roadways that regularly see sleet, snow and ice during the winter months," said Ragina Ali, the public and government affairs manager for AAA Mid-Atlantic in the DC region.

AAA and VDOT recommend keeping a stocked emergency kit in vehicles and checking travel conditions before driving. Virginia's real-time road conditions can be checked at 511virginia.org.

VDOT urged residents to plan for telework or delay travel Thursday morning until conditions improve. For those who drive during winter weather conditions, VDOT suggests allowing extra time for tips, reducing speeds, braking lightly, and following at an appropriate distance. Bridges, ramps and overpasses are especially prone to freezing.