WASHINGTON 鈥� After a wintry mix of rain, sleet and snow fell on much of the D.C. area Monday, drivers are being advised to watch for icy conditions, especially on the smaller highways and neighborhood streets.
Bob Immler, in the 海角社区app Traffic Center, said that those smaller roads, which hadn鈥檛 necessarily had the benefit of aggressive de-icing treatments or pavement-warming heavy traffic, could be freezing over as night falls, temperatures hover around freezing and the road temperatures, given the frigid conditions of the past two weeks, are way below that.
As always, elevated roadways such as bridges will freeze before surface roads, Immler added.
Sidewalks, he said, could be freezing over as the night goes on, so pedestrians should watch their steps as well. A Winter Weather Advisory was in effect for most of the area until 9 p.m.
鈥淚f you have to be out driving in these conditions 鈥� you want to treat it like it鈥檚 icy,” said Dave Dildine in the Traffic Center. “You definitely want your headlights on. Give yourself extra stopping room, especially in high braking situations, like near traffic lights and places that are normally congested.鈥�
If you find yourself behind a salt truck or a plow, Dildine said, give them even more leeway: 鈥淭hey need room to work 鈥� keep back 50 or 100 feet.鈥�
鈥淢otorists should remain cautious of potentially slick road surfaces and use safe speed,鈥� the Maryland State Highway Administration said in a statement Monday afternoon.
Ellen Kamilakis, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Transportation, was even more blunt in her assessment: “The only strategy to driving on the ice is just not to do it,” she told 海角社区app.
Monday’s afternoon rush hour came early to the D.C. area, as people headed home from work and school ahead of schedule in advance of the heavy weather. Several major school systems in the area dismissed students hours early in advance of the weather. Some public school systems, including Fairfax and Loudoun County, didn’t open at all.
Warmer weather is coming, however 鈥� Tuesday’s high is predicted to be 45 degrees.
Quick Links
Forecast
A Winter Weather Advisory (blue shading) has been issued for Monday afternoon & evening. Hazard: a glaze of ice from sleet & freezing rain which will cause slippery conditions for the Monday PM commute. A few inches of snow is expected in the mountains.
鈥� NWS DC/Baltimore (@NWS_BaltWash)
Check out 海角社区app’s closings and delays page.
海角社区app’s Weather Center
海角社区app’s Traffic Center
Check 海角社区app’s weather page for updates on conditions and 海角社区app’s traffic center to see how the winter weather is affecting the roads.
Current conditions
海角社区app’s William Vitka and Patrick Roth, and The Associated Press, contributed to this report.
