DOTs Across Southeast Prepare for Second Major Winter Storm
Key Highlights
- DOTs across the Southeast are activating 24-hour operations and extensive pretreatment efforts ahead of a second major winter storm.
- Agencies in South Carolina and North Carolina are prioritizing interstates and primary routes while mobilizing thousands of employees and contractors.
- Virginia officials warn that freezing temperatures will worsen road conditions and delay clearing of lower-priority roads until after the storm.
Southeastern states are preparing for a second consecutive winter storm expected to impact the Carolinas and Virginia this weekend.
NBC News reported that a new surge of Arctic air moved across the country Thursday after forming in the Southern Plains and is forecast to fuel a second major winter storm. Last weekend’s system blanketed much of the eastern third of the U.S. with heavy snow and ice.
The incoming system is forecast to intensify into a bomb cyclone — a rapidly strengthening winter storm often compared to a hurricane — according to NBC News. Charleston, S.C., and surrounding areas are expected to receive between 1 to 4 inches of snow from Saturday into Sunday morning, while central North Carolina could see 5 to 8 inches between Friday and Sunday afternoon.
Carolinas ramp up pretreatment and staffing
South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) outlined their snow preparation plan Thursday and said it will begin 24-hour operations Friday, with roughly 3,000 employees mobilized to prepare roadways and clear snow and ice build up, according to Live 5 News.
The agency began spreading brine on roadways Thursday and plans to remain actively deployed throughout the storm. SCDOT will prioritize clearing interstates, followed by primary routes including U.S. highways, with neighborhood secondary roads cleared last.
In North Carolina, crews cleared most remaining snow from last weekend’s storm earlier this week and have shifted their focus to preparations for the approaching system, according to a North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) press release. Preparations include restocking salt supplies and beginning brine pretreatment Wednesday.
As of Thursday, NCDOT reported that more than 970,000 gallons of brine had been applied statewide. More than 1,100 agency employees and contractors continued pretreatment operations on interstates, highways and high-traffic secondary roads into Friday. The agency has 1,250 dump trucks equipped for snow operations, 913 contract trucks, 217 motor graders and more than 150,000 tons of salt available.
Virginia warns of blizzard conditions and icy roads
NBC News reported that Virginia’s coast could experience blizzard conditions late Saturday into Sunday, with near zero visibility and wind gusts reaching 50 mph. Forecasts call for more than 3 inches of snow in Richmond and more than 9 inches in Norfolk.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) reported that all secondary roads in its Salem district — which includes 12 counties in northeastern Virginia — have been plowed and treated, though many contain ice and packed snow from the previous storm. Crews have been working to break down snow pack using motor graders, loaders and dump trucks where possible, but the agency cautioned that bare pavement not be expected until temperatures rise.
Those efforts will pause as crews shift focus to preparations for the upcoming storm. VDOT warned that continued freezing temperatures will cause new snowfall to bond quickly to road surfaces.
During the storm, plows will make repeated passes on interstates, primary routes numbered 1-599 and high-volume secondary roads. Lower-traffic secondary routes — numbered 600 and above — and neighborhood streets will not be plowed until after snowfall ends, according to the agency.
Sources: NBC News, Live 5 News, NCDOT, VDOT