THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 2, 1996 TAG: 9602020432
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LARRY W. BROWN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
Watch out when you leave for work this morning.
A winter storm, traveling eastward across Virginia, carried with it the threat of some ice on the roads in South Hampton Roads.
The Weather Service predicted rain in the area and an overnight dip in the mercury to the low 30s - a potentially dangerous mix.
If you are traveling north or west, things could be worse.
Snow and ice were predicted for the upper Peninsula. And the Weather Service said Richmond could get 2 to 4 inches of snow by late today.
It will warm up today, but not dramatically. Highs are expected to be near 40 in South Hampton Roads.
And rain is expected to continue throughout the day. But as temperatures slowly inch away from freezing, patches of ice could still mark area roadways.
Tonight, the Weather Bureau predicted, there could be small amounts of sleet and snow in South Hampton Roads as temperatures take another plunge into the low- to mid-30s. The precipitation is expected to end Saturday.
On Thursday, the Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for far Southwest Virginia and northern areas of the state. A winter weather advisory was in place for Suffolk, Newport News, the middle Peninsula and the lower Maryland Eastern Shore.
The advisory included a chance of ice, said Hugh Cobb, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Wakefield.
State police cautioned drivers to slow down and turn their headlights on anytime they have to use their windshield wipers. They also warned motorists to watch out for ``black ice,'' which is often hard to see.
Crews from the Department of Transportation began prepping Thursday afternoon for possible overnight work, said spokesman Bill Cannell.
Workers, who rotate 12-hour shifts, were put on standby. They loaded their trucks with sand and salt, he said.
The storm was expected to drop lots of snow west of the Blue Ridge and coat roads east of the mountains with freezing rain.
The heaviest snowfall, 10 to 14 inches, was forecast for southwest of Blacksburg. Six to 12 inches were expected in the mountains and foothills northwest of Blacksburg.
Late Saturday, after the precipitation passes, an arctic high-pressure system will anchor itself over the Northeast, and temperatures in Virginia will drop to the 20s. Winds will range from 10 mph to 20 mph, making it feel even colder, the Weather Service predicted. MEMO: The Associated Press contributed to this report.
KEYWORDS: WEATHER WINTER STORM by CNB