WINTER WONDERLAND TURNS TO SLUSHY MESS

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

DATE: MONDAY, February 22, 1993                   TAG: 9302220075
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
WINTER WONDERLAND TURNS TO SLUSHY MESS
Winter slipped quietly into the Roanoke Valley over the weekend, brushing the hills with a thin layer of snow and transforming the area, at least momentarily, into a silent, white wonderland.
Without the aggravation of their regular weekday commutes, residents could sit back, sip another cup of coffee and enjoy the view out their windows. But by late afternoon, rain had turned much of the snow into slush.
The unexpected snowfall provided some instant recreation for children, who crafted temporary works of art before the rain partially melted their handiwork.
State and local police reported a few fender-benders due to the inclement weather, but no major accidents.
"It's slushy and the temperature is starting to drop a little so it might get a little slick," a Montgomery County dispatcher reported Sunday afternoon.
Virginia Department of Transportation officials were out in force to make sure the roads were navigable, although by midafternoon, authorities in Richmond had shut down their highway helpline and roadway emergency operation center.
Snow blanketed much of the northern and western parts of the state, with accumulations of up to 4 inches reported in some regions. Highway crews planned to work through the evening in the northern parts of the state.
During the height of the winter storm and before roads were cleared, highway officials advised snow tires and chains for motorists traveling over Afton Mountain on Interstate 64 and other major highways.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB