
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 14, 1991                   TAG: 9103140518
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-7   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: By Associated Press
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

SNOWFALL BLAMED FOR ONE DEATH/

A late-winter snowfall in the mountains and foothills of Virginia today caused at least one traffic death and forced dozens of schools to close and others to delay opening.

But the National Weather Service said the snow would change to rain in many areas by late today.

Virginia State Police blamed slick roads for a single-car crash that killed a man near the Staunton city limits. Robert Morris Gardner, 42, of Staunton lost control of his pickup truck on U.S. 11 and hit a tree about 6:30 a.m., said police Sgt. E.R. Kiser.

Public schools in Rockingham, Alleghany, Augusta, Bath, Nelson, Amherst, Botetourt and Campbell counties closed.

Two to 3 inches are expected to accumulate in some northwestern counties by tonight.

The heaviest snowfall in south-central Virginia was over western Campbell and northern Charlotte counties, where 2 or more inches accumulated, the weather service said.

The weather service said there was a chance of light snow early Friday morning in the north and northwest regions of the state.

But Charlie Edwards, a specialist in the Roanoke office of the weather service, said temperatures have barely dipped below the freezing mark and will be increasing over the weekend.

Keywords:
FATALITY

by CNB