Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 28, 1995 TAG: 9501300038
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
``We are swamped - but that's nothing unusual for an oncoming blizzard,'' said Bullion, part-owner of the movie rental shop and part-time Virginia Western Community College student.
Although a blizzard was not predicted - the National Weather Service was expecting a mix of freezing rain and snow for Southwest Virginia - many Roanokers who live near Bullion's Williamson Road store prepared for the worst.
``The parents think, `I'll need to occupy the kids,' so the kids' movies are going,'' he said. ``Plus, they pick up a few for themselves. ... On a night like this, everything goes.''
Everything went into Friday's forecast for this weekend - including freezing rain mixed with sleet, plus up to 4 inches of snow for areas east of Charlottesville.
This storm began as an innocuous low-pressure system above the Colorado/Texas panhandle area, National Weather Service meteorologist Sam Simpson explained. Once it headed east, the warm front sucked some moisture up from the Gulf of Mexico and was ready to dump it back on our area late Friday night.
``We're expecting a mixed bag here for us,'' Simpson said. ``But if the cold air [in our valley] is thick enough, the precipitation may turn to snow on Saturday.''
Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation were ready and waiting - at home.
``We're keeping a close eye on it,'' said Laura Bullock, VDOT's community affairs coordinator. ``We'll probably send people home and call them in later.''
Bullock said VDOT prepares for weekend storms during the winter each Friday. Crews equip trucks normally used for road repair with front plows and fill their bins with salt.
``We're ready if it's out there,'' she said.
Simpson said the storm was moving quickly, and by Sunday the precipitation should fall as plain rain.
Bullion said he plans to stay open, even if it means using the boss's four-wheel-drive to get there.
``We have apartments nearby - those people will walk here for sure,'' he said. ``They can always get here to rent them, but can never manage to return them on time.''
by CNB