A winter storm swept through the mid-Atlantic region on Tuesday, leading to numerous accidents on icy roads, school closures, and concerns over potential power outages.
The most substantial snowfall, reaching up to 10 inches (25 centimeters), was anticipated in certain areas of Virginia and West Virginia. Ice accumulation varied from a light glaze in Kentucky and West Virginia to a half-inch (1.3 centimeters) in elevated regions within West Virginia and the Roanoke Valley of southwestern Virginia, as noted by the National Weather Service. Areas experiencing significant ice accumulation were expected to face power outages and tree damage.
“Did you think winter was over? Think again!” the Blacksburg, Virginia weather office posted on social media. Snow and sleet began impacting western Virginia and North Carolina early in the day, with forecasts indicating a transition to freezing rain in the afternoon, according to the weather service.
Appalachian Power, which provides services to approximately 1 million customers in West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee, requested support from nearby utility companies, seeking 700 additional workers to address the storm-related issues. Around 65 soldiers from the Virginia National Guard were deployed at various locations along the Interstate 95 and state Route 29 corridors, as well as in southwestern Virginia, to aid in the response efforts. An additional 20 members of the National Guard and the Virginia Defense Force were also in supporting roles.
Troops equipped with heavy-duty trucks were organized into chainsaw teams to assist in clearing roadways and power line pathways. Black Hawk helicopters capable of rescue missions were also positioned and ready for deployment.
Winter storm warnings were issued stretching from Kentucky to southern New Jersey. The snowy and icy conditions were predicted to transition to rain by Wednesday afternoon as temperatures increased.
In a separate weather system, a heavy snowfall was set to occur from Kansas to the Great Lakes, beginning Tuesday night, as reported by the weather service. In response, the Kansas Legislature canceled meetings scheduled for Wednesday, and Gov. Laura Kelly ordered the closure of state offices in Topeka.
Travel conditions proved hazardous in Virginia, where Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency, leading to the closure of schools and government buildings. State police recorded numerous accidents, resulting in four reported injuries, while the Department of Transportation urged residents to avoid traveling.
In light of snowfall predictions for the Washington, D.C. area, the Office of Personnel Management advised federal employees to leave work early. Schools in and around Baltimore also dismissed students ahead of schedule.
Southern West Virginia experienced multiple accidents that resulted in temporary closures of major highways. Smith’s Towing and Truck Repair received at least 15 calls predominantly from tractor-trailer drivers trapped on Interstate 64 in Greenbrier County near the Virginia border, as conveyed by dispatcher Kelly Pickles.
“Basically they just get sucked over into the median or they go off the interstate just a little bit on the right-hand side,” Pickles explained. “And they just don’t have enough power in their vehicles to get back onto the road due to the icy conditions.”
In Lexington, Virginia, Paige Williams, owner of Downtown Books, described the snow as “fluffy” and thick enough to adhere to surfaces, significantly reducing visibility outside her home in the Blue Ridge Mountains. “It makes it just like a wonderland,” she remarked, commenting on the beauty of the scenery with snow-covered evergreens and rock walls.
Williams, 58, decided to close her bookstore as forecasts indicated up to 9 inches (about 23 centimeters) of snow. She expressed hopes for reopening on Wednesday, stating the community typically handled road clearing well. However, she acknowledged uncertainty regarding the impact of rain expected to follow, which could either improve or worsen road conditions.
With temperatures fluctuating around freezing, Williams stated, “It’s just going to depend on where those temperatures go. Rain can clear things off. And rain can also freeze. And then you have a lot of skating rinks instead of roads.”
An expansive Arctic air mass stretched from Portland, Oregon, to the Great Lakes. In Detroit, temperatures dipped to the lower teens (about minus 11 Celsius), leading to the tragic deaths of two children under 10, found along with family members in a van at a casino parking garage. The family was believed to have been living in the vehicle.
On Tuesday morning in Butte, Montana, the thermometer fell to minus 31 degrees (minus 35 degrees Celsius). Over the past two winters, at least five individuals have lost their lives due to cold exposure, according to Brayton Erickson of the Butte Rescue Mission, emphasizing the ongoing efforts to provide cold weather gear to those in need.
In North Dakota, the Minot Area Men’s Winter Refuge reached full capacity as temperatures plummeted to minus 17 (minus 27 Celsius), highlighted by executive director Mike Zimmer’s comments on the biting wind conditions.
Officials in Oregon’s Multnomah County declared a state of emergency extending through at least Thursday, with plans to open five emergency shelters from Tuesday night into Wednesday afternoon. Wind chill readings in Portland could plummet to 10 degrees (minus 12 Celsius) midweek, according to the weather service.
In California, forecasts indicated an impending atmospheric river set to arrive on Thursday, bringing heavy rainfall along the coast and into central valleys, as well as significant snowfall in the Sierra Nevada through Saturday.
