Take extra caution if you need to be out on the roads Tuesday morning — central Virginia is forecast to receive its first snow and ice storm of the season.
“There’s probably going to be freezing rain,” said Travis Koshko, meteorologist with CBS19 News. “Which is even worse than snow for drivers.”
Precipitation will start around midnight, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service, and turn into sleet and freezing rain within a couple hours. Between about 2 a.m. and 10 a.m., motorists can expect to encounter slick conditions, Koshko said.
In the City of Charlottesville, the city’s Public Works Department is responsible for treating roadways. It’s unclear what the city’s plan is. A department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday afternoon.
In the surrounding counties, the Virginia Department of Transportation handles road treatment and maintenance.
“Crews will be mobilized and out at midnight to monitor the road conditions,” said Alexis Mehretab, spokesperson for VDOT’s Culpeper District, which covers central Virginia.
Crews will make real-time determinations on which roadways to treat for ice, she said. Typically that treatment involves laying down salt or brine.
Mehretab encouraged anyone who must be out Monday morning to call 511 or visit the 511 website before leaving for real-time reports on road conditions. And, in general, be extra cautious on elevated surfaces like bridges, which freeze before roads, and which tend to accumulate more ice.
Area schools Monday afternoon had not decided whether to keep or cancel class.
Spokespeople from Charlottesville, Albemarle, Louisa and Fluvanna County Public Schools told Charlottesville Tomorrow they are monitoring the weather and will make a determination as the conditions become more clear.
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More about winter storms in central Virginia
Charlottesville hospitals see increase in ice-related injuries, with more winter weather on the way
As Central Virginia braces for more winter weather this season, experts offer advice on how to prevent injuries.
Snow, ice and single-digit temps are forecast next week
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The answer, local officials say, is simply that Charlottesville’s annual snowfall differs drastically from year to year.
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