The Arlington Police Department is working extended, 12-hour shifts during the snow storm, which will increase the number of officers working at any given time. The department is also outfitting cruisers with tire chains and deploying four-wheel drive vehicles when possible, according to spokesperson Det. Crystal Nosal.
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Update at 4:30 PM – From Arlington Alert: “Arlington County Libraries, Schools, and Park activities are cancelled & facilities closed through Sunday”
Update at 1:15 PM – Fairfax County government is shutting down at 2:00 PM. Crystal Couture is canceled tonight. One place that’s opening for business instead of closing: Bakeshop is opening its doors at 2.
Arlington County government offices, as well as libraries and recreation facilities, are shutting down at noon today.
Also, the steady stream of weekend cancellations continues. Arlington National Cemetery has announced that it will be closed Saturday and Sunday due to the weather.
From Volunteer Arlington: The Arlington County Emergency Winter Shelter will be open continuously during this weekend’s storm. If you want to help out, you’re asked to call 703-228-7395 to find out what they need.
The first small, wet flakes have started falling across the area. So far, though, the snow is melting as soon as it hits the ground. That will likely be the story for awhile, since the temperature is hovering around 36 degrees.
Arlington County snow crews are scheduled to deploy at 4:00 this morning to try to get a jump on the storm. They’ve been given the futile-sounding task of pre-treating roads in advance of up to 26 inches of snow. They’ll have at least five hours to prepare for Snowmageddon — the first flakes are predicted to begin falling as early as 9:00 AM.
Here’s an etiquette guide for drivers who find themselves behind a snow plow.
Arlington County’s $1 million snow removal budget was exceeded during this past weekend’s snow storm. Although exact figures are not available, the impending 16 to 26 inches of snow is guaranteed to push the budget further into the red.
Other local government are also feeling the pinch from this winter’s back-to-back-to-back storms. VDOT and DDOT are well over-budget, WTOP reported this week.
Arlington’s snow removal budget took a hit last year during a round of budget cuts. The Department of Environmental Services had to shed one of its snow crews — six employees — during 2009. Despite the cuts, spokesperson Myllisa Kennedy says the department is ready to face whatever mother nature throws their way.
“The county will continue to fight snow and provide quality services to the community,” Kennedy said via email. “Employees continue to work in 12-hour shifts around the clock during storms to keep our roads safe.”
She added: “Residents are asked to do their part – clear sidewalks, clear snow from cars before driving, shovel snow into yards, [and] stay off roads in bad weather.”
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Arlington Public Schools will be closed Friday. The Arlington County government will be open, with a liberal leave policy for staff.
The Montessori School of Northern Virginia in Falls Church will also be closed tomorrow. And the Diocese of Arlington’s Catholic Charities Ball has been postponed.
WMATA has announced that aboveground Metrorail service will shut down when snow accumulation reaches eight inches, as it did on Dec. 19. Don’t try to use Metrorail when the accumulation totals are nearing 8″ — there’s a real likelihood of the system shutting down as you’re in transit, stranding you halfway to your destination.
Some hardy souls may try to drive this weekend, despite pleas from local governments for drivers to stay off the road. If you absolutely, positively must drive, you’re likely to encounter a few salt trucks along the way. For many drivers, the exact rules of engagement around slow-moving salt trucks is unclear. Do you pass? How close to you get? To help shed some light, here are some salt truck safety tips, as emailed to arlnow.com from the county’s Department of Environmental Services:
Snow Operations Tips: Roadway Safety
- If you are behind a snow plow, stay at least 100 feet back to allow the truck adequate room to maneuver and see you in the rearview and side mirrors.
- Do not attempt to pass snow plows working in tandem on major roadways. Working together in a staggered pattern allows the plows to quickly clear more of the roadway.
- A snowplow needs a minimum roadway width of 15 feet to maneuver safely, and on many streets a snowplow cannot operate when cars are parked on both sides of the street.
- If you see a plow on a narrow, two-way road, consider an alternate route or wait for the plow to pass to ensure that both vehicles can safely navigate the road.
- Prior to a storm, work with neighbors to move as many cars off the street and into garages or driveways. Park all remaining vehicles on one side of the street – the ODD numbered side, if possible. With fewer parked cars, streets can be cleared more completely, safely and quickly. Your car is also less likely to be covered with salt and sand.
- Use extra caution when driving during, and shortly after, winter weather events. Roads can remain slippery for some time after trucks have plowed and treated them, especially when the temperatures remain low.
This is starting to sound very familiar: a major snowstorm is heading our way, just in time for the weekend. The storm is looking increasingly likely to be on par with the impact of the Dec. 19 “Snowpocalypse.” Most forecasters are predicting a minimum of 10 inches, with up to two feet possible. The fact that the snow is supposed to start around midday Friday should help facilitate an early start to the weekend for many.
Meanwhile, the state and the county have gone into full-blown end-of-the-world mode. Yesterday Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell declared what is likely his first state of emergency (mazel tov!), a full two days ahead of the storm. Arlington County, not to be outdone, is warning of “near blizzard conditions” and asking residents to be prepared to shelter in place for 3 to 5 days. From the Arlington Alerts:
Please stay off the roads. Snow crews will plow primary and secondary roads first for emergency vehicles. After severe storms (more than 10”), it may take 36-48 hours after the snow stops before County plows can get to residential streets. Removal and treatment may take several days.
Stay tuned for more snow updates later today.
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Update at 11:30 AM: Check out some great winter photos taken by the staff at Arlington National Cemetery.
It’s a beautiful, snow-covered morning. Enjoy it before we warm up today and the 3-4 inches of snow we received turns into a dirty,slushy mess.
Currently, most major arteries, including I-395 and I-66, are moving unusually well. Most streets are wet but clear of snow.
The County government is open with liberal leave today, as are libraries, although Arlington schools decided to close for no apparent reason.
More snow pics after the jump.
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South Arlington has about 1.75 inches of snow on the ground as of 10:15 PM. Big, heavy flakes are falling, and there’s no sign of it slowing down any time soon.
Partially due to pre-treating of roads, partially because of higher temperatures, the roads are still somewhat clear.
Update at 1:40 AM – Local plow crews are really starting to get the hang of this. With the snow beginning to taper off, main arteries, for the most part, are clear. Side streets are still largely snow-covered, and may present some challenges. Reports are coming in of some vehicles, including a Metrobus, getting stuck in the snow in the residential neighborhoods, but this morning’s commute may not be too bad… the plows are out and the long and growing list of delays and closures (which, it most be noted, would be laughable to anybody who has lived north of the Mason-Dixon line) should keep plenty of drivers off the road. We’ll be monitoring conditions around rush hour, and we’ll bring you updates as needed.