A snowstorm swept through the mid-Atlantic regions on Tuesday, resulting in numerous accidents on treacherous icy roads, the closure of schools, and growing concerns regarding potential power outages.
Significant snowfall, reaching up to 10 inches (25 centimeters), was forecasted for northern and central Virginia and eastern West Virginia. Meanwhile, ice accumulations were anticipated to range from a thin glaze in parts of Kentucky and West Virginia to as much as half an inch (1.3 centimeters) in elevated areas of West Virginia and the Roanoke Valley in southwestern Virginia, as noted by the National Weather Service. These heavy ice conditions raised alarms for potential power outages and damage to trees.
“Did you believe winter was over? Think again!” the weather service’s office in Blacksburg, Virginia, shared on social media. As the system moved in, western Virginia and North Carolina experienced a mix of snow and sleet early Tuesday, transitioning to freezing rain later in the afternoon, according to the weather forecast.
Appalachian Power, which services a million customers in West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee, announced it had requested the assistance of 700 extra workers from nearby utilities to address emerging issues.
Approximately 65 members of the Virginia National Guard were stationed at various locations along Interstate 95 and state Route 29, as well as in southwest Virginia to aid in the storm response. Additionally, around 20 soldiers and members of the Virginia Defense Force were assigned to support roles. Troops equipped with heavy-duty trucks formed chainsaw teams to clear roadways and routes for power lines, while Black Hawk helicopters with rescue capabilities were positioned for emergency situations.
Winter storm warnings were in effect from Kentucky extending to southern New Jersey on Tuesday, with the mix of snow and ice expected to transition into rainfall as temperatures rose by Wednesday afternoon.
In a separate weather event, another storm system was on track to deliver substantial snowfall to areas from Kansas to the Great Lakes beginning Tuesday night, according to forecasts.
Travel conditions became perilous in Virginia, where Governor Glenn Youngkin issued a state of emergency and government offices and schools were closed. State police reported numerous accidents, including four with injuries, while the Department of Transportation urged people to avoid travel.
The Office of Personnel Management advised federal employees in the Washington, D.C., area to leave work early on Tuesday due to impending snow.
In West Virginia, Smith’s Towing and Truck Repair faced a high volume of calls from drivers stranded in the snow and ice on Interstate 64 near the Virginia border. Dispatcher Kelly Pickles noted they responded to 10 requests for assistance, four involving tractor-trailers stuck due to the slippery conditions.
“They generally get pulled into the median or veer off the interstate slightly and simply lack the traction to get back on due to the icy conditions,” Pickles explained. Working in the mountainous Greenbrier County, which could receive as much as 9 inches of snow, the company previously managed to tow about three to four stuck vehicles per hour during a similar storm.
Local business owner Paige Williams from Downtown Books in Lexington, Virginia, described the falling snow as “fluffy” and picturesque, creating visibility challenges in her mountainous area. “It’s truly a wonderland,” she expressed, referring to the snow-covered evergreens and rock formations around her home.
With forecasts predicting as much as 9 inches of snow in Lexington, Williams made the decision to close her bookstore for the day, optimistic about reopening on Wednesday, given the reliability of road clearance in Lexington and surrounding Rockbridge County.
However, she acknowledged the uncertainty of overnight temperatures and suggested that subsequent rain might create either safer roads or more icy conditions. “It’s just going to depend on where those temperatures go,” she noted. “Rain can clear things up, but it can also freeze, creating more challenges.”
Another aspect of this winter weather was the frigid temperatures affecting various regions. An Arctic air mass swept across areas from Portland, Oregon, to the Great Lakes.
In Detroit, authorities reported that two children under ten years old may have died from exposure to the severe cold after being found in a van in a casino parking garage, where the family was reportedly living. Temperatures dropped to the lower teens (around minus 11 degrees Celsius) in the area.
In Butte, Montana, temperatures fell to a staggering minus 31 degrees (minus 35 degrees Celsius) Tuesday morning, raising concerns due to past incidents where several individuals have died from the cold in the last two winters. Brayton Erickson, executive director of the Butte Rescue Mission, mentioned that support was being provided to those in need as temperatures plummeted.
Similarly, in North Dakota, the Minot Area Men’s Winter Refuge was fully occupied, with the temperature falling to minus 17 (minus 27 degrees Celsius) early Tuesday. Executive director Mike Zimmer described the biting wind that made venture outdoors profoundly uncomfortable.
In Multnomah County, Oregon, where a hypothermia-related death was recently recorded, emergency officials declared a state of emergency and opened multiple shelters equipped with over 230 beds ahead of the dipping temperatures.
Forecasters also predict an atmospheric river event in California starting Thursday, promising heavy rainfall along the coast and into central valleys, along with substantial snowfall in the Sierra Nevada through Saturday.
