Shenandoah Valley road conditions improve – but flash freeze is on the way

Most roadways in the Shenandoah Valley and Alleghany Highlands are clear on Thursday evening, December 22. The morning’s wintry mix has melted from interstates, primary roads, and most secondary routes. But additional snowfall is forecast for early Friday morning, followed by extreme cold that will quickly freeze wet roads.

The Virginia Department of Transportation advises against non-essential travel on Friday due to expected black-ice conditions. Bridges and overpasses freeze first, sometimes creating an icy glaze even when roadway approaches are just wet.

Those who must drive on Friday should use extreme caution and always wear a seatbelt. Motorists should pack an emergency kit and blankets or extra layers of clothing and have mobile devices fully charged in case of a vehicle breakdown or emergency.

Here are the conditions in the VDOT Staunton District as of 4:30 p.m. Thursday:

Interstate 64 – Clear conditions in Alleghany, Rockbridge, and Augusta counties.

Interstate 66 – Clear conditions in Warren County.

Interstate 81 – Clear conditions in Rockbridge, Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Frederick counties.

Primary roads – Clear conditions in Alleghany, Bath, Rockbridge Highland, Augusta, Rockingham, Page, Shenandoah, Frederick, Clarke, and Warren counties.

Secondary roads – Moderate conditions in Shenandoah County. Minor conditions in Highland, Frederick, and Warren counties. Clear conditions in Alleghany, Bath, Rockbridge, Augusta, Rockingham, Page, and Clarke counties.

Statewide road conditions and traffic cameras are at http://www.511Virginia.org. For a detailed winter weather road conditions list, click “Text Views” on the orange bar atop the page. Then click on “Road Conditions Table” and use the pull-down box to select individual counties and cities. Roads with snow conditions will be marked minor, moderate, severe, or closed.