ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Monday, February 10, 1997              TAG: 9702100020
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: C-1  EDITION: METRO 
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: ANGIE WATTS STAFF WRITER

WEATHER NOW TAKING A TOLL; AND YOU PAY NO MORE FREE CALLS, EXCEPT IN BLACKSBURG

Just when you think you've got your Rolodex organized and up to date for 1997, wouldn't you know there's a change to be made. Grab the bottle of white-out and flip to "W."

Your toll-free weather number will be history Saturday.

The National Weather Service in Blacksburg has a new listing - and you'll have to pay to call it if you live outside the Blacksburg calling area.

Don't complain - especially if you've been arguing for a balanced federal budget. Toll-free weather numbers are being canceled nationwide as part of congressional budget cuts.

If you relied on this toll-free number to get the latest weather information, you're not alone. Meteorologist Mike Enlaw estimates that the service, housed at the Corporate Research Center on the Virginia Tech campus, receives nearly 200 calls a day. That number soars on days when ice, snow and other weather miseries are predicted.

Starting Saturday, you can reach a recorded message for the latest winter weather advisories or speak with a forecaster by calling 552-0497 - but it may cost you more than time.

"Quite a few of our callers are from Roanoke and Lynchburg," Enlaw said. "For people in and around Blacksburg where it's a local call, it won't be any different, just a different number to dial. But for those people in parts of Roanoke and Lynchburg, they'll have to pay the long-distance fee.''

"In addition to paying a fee for having the 800 service, we also had to pay a fee for every call that came in on the 800 number," Enlaw said. "We're still going to be putting the weather information on the phone, so in terms of what we do here, it doesn't affect us one way or the other. It's the users who may have to decide if they want to pay the long-distance charge."

Callers will receive the same six menu choices 24 hours a day, including: the New River Valley forecast, Roanoke and Lynchburg forecasts, extended Southwest Virginia forecast, winter weather watches and warnings, and flood information.

Between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., callers also have the option of speaking directly to a local forecaster.

LENGTH: Short :   47 lines