THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 7, 1996 TAG: 9601070079
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 126 lines
There's more to come.
That's the promise of forecasters this morning as an intensifying winter storm - which has already dumped snow from the Blue Ridge to the Atlantic coast - threatens to bring near-blizzard conditions to much of Virginia today. Up to a foot of snow is possible locally.
``This is a big one. One that we are going to remember for a good long time,'' Weather Channel meteorologist Rich Johnson said Saturday night. ``It may be one for the record book.''
Some mixed precipitation - sleet and freezing rain - may work its way into Southeastern Virginia today, but for the most part, only snow is expected over inland areas of Hampton Roads. More of a mix is expected in northeastern North Carolina, the National Weather Service said.
``This could be a sloppy, nasty mess,'' Johnson said.
By 10 p.m., 3 to 5 inches was on the ground near Elizabeth City, Franklin and Suffolk, 2 to 4 inches in Chesapeake and Norfolk and, west of Richmond, up to 9 inches.
Police were reporting numerous accidents throughout the region.
The storm is becoming ``a classic nor'easter,'' Johnson said. ``We're talking about possible blizzard conditions on Sunday in Virginia'' and total accumulations of up to 3 feet from Richmond to Washington.
State police have urged that no one get on Virginia's roads today. Even if highway crews can keep up with a snowfall of 2 to 3 inches an hour at times, high winds will reduce visibility to near zero. And getting around by air may be no easier. On Saturday night, airlines were canceling flights for today at Norfolk International Airport.
But some folks were enjoying the snow: At 11 p.m., hundreds of people were on the slopes of Mount Trashmore in Virginia beach, sledding and playing.
Hours earlier, as the first flurries started Saturday afternoon, Hampton Roads residents jammed stores in a furious dash to stock up on supplies. Meanwhile, highway crews hit the roads to begin clearing snow and spreading abrasives.
``This is a dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation,'' said Andy D. Stern of the National Weather Service's forecast office in Washington.
Gov. George F. Allen declared a state of emergency across Virginia and prepared the National Guard.
``By declaring a state of emergency now, we will be able to better coordinate our response to the snowfall,'' he said.
Meteorologists believe that by the time the snow tapers off, late tonight or early Monday, this storm could be the biggest since February 1989, when up to 2 feet of snow fell within 24 hours over much of the state.
``This is undoubtedly going to clobber the mid-Atlantic,'' said Johnson, of The Weather Channel. ``Kids are going to love it and maybe some of the adults, too.''
The storm appeared to be following a script first outlined by meteorologists on Wednesday.
By Saturday evening, it was tracking northeast over Alabama and Tennessee and strengthening rapidly. But the biggest surge in strength is expected today when it reforms off the Carolina coast and draws on the very warm waters of the Gulf Stream.
``This is what we call a `bomb' because it will develop so quickly,'' said Weather Channel meteorologist Brad Edwards. ``We'll see explosive growth.''
The storm is being steered by a 170 mph jet stream, a river of air in the upper atmosphere, which has dipped deep into the southland and also opened the door for bitter cold air from the north.
``As the storm moves over the Atlantic late Sunday, winds will increase to 20 to 30 mph,'' said Stern, of the weather service, ``producing blizzard conditions across much of the area with blowing and drifting snow, and dangerous wind chills near 20 below zero.''
Those same winds may push up higher-than-normal tides along the coastline, prompting the weather service to post a coastal flood watch for Virginia.
Bill Cimino, special assistant to the secretary of public safety, said state officials had been preparing for the storm for several days.
``The governor always wants us to be on the careful and the proactive side of any major event such as this,'' Cimino told The Associated Press. ``You begin to prepare for it, whether it hits you or not.''
The National Guard will be deployed with 4-by-4 vehicles and armored personnel carriers, which can move well in the snow. The personnel carriers will be used where 4-by-4s can't go, he said.
"Some of these units were already drilling this weekend," and were already at their armories, Cimino said.
While the state prepared early, many people waited until the snow was falling to begin.
Malica Askew stood in the windy vestibule of the Food Lion on 24th Street in Norfolk, hands in pockets, jockeying back and forth, as she waited for her ride Saturday afternoon. Beside her stood a metal shopping cart overflowing with green plastic bags of milk, meat, chicken and more, including three boxes of rock salt.
``With two boys, we have to be ready,'' Askew said of her 9- and 14-year-olds. ``They eat like two grown men.''
The crush of shoppers claimed every space in the small parking lot while, inside, checkout counters were crowded with people pushing brimming carts. The line at one checkout stretched two-thirds of the length of the store.
Barbara Arrington of Norview, who was waiting patiently in a long line with two friends, said she was stocking up on food but didn't believe the storm would hit.
``It's like the hurricane,'' said Arrington. ``Everybody got all prepared, and then nothing happened.''
Her fear - or hope - was dispelled by early evening, however, as light snow turned heavy and streets turned white.
While forecasters are certain that heavy snowfall will cover most of the state, they are less sure of what will happen locally. The line between rain and snow is expected to shift from the southeast to northwest somewhere between the Outer Banks and South Hampton Roads as temperatures rise today.
With the mercury expected to dip well below freezing tonight, even if there is a mix of precipitation or a change to rain, everything is forecast to turn back to snow overnight.
And wherever there is any significant changeover, the return to cold weather could threaten to leave a coat of dangerous ice for Monday morning. MEMO: Staff writer Alex Marshall contributed to this story.
ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by L. TODD SPENCER
As the storm moved in, fans who left Saturday night's ODU-Virginia
Commonwealth game at Norfolk's Scope were met with the joys of
skidding. Playing on foot, it's one thing. Driving, it's another.
Travel here is likely to be difficult, and dangerous.
Map
KEYWORDS: WEATHER STORM SNOW by CNB