UPDATE:
A winter weather system containing snow, sleet and freezing rain will make life a little more difficult in Southwest Virginia today. National Weather Service forecasters say Roanoke, Lynchburg and the New River Valley will see a coating of ice and up to a quarter-inch of sleet and snow. The Blue Ridge Parkway could see higher accumulations, while Southside Virginia will get mainly rain.
2/21/13: Local meteorologists say it’s looking more and more probable that most of us will see a double shot of wintry mess tomorrow. The first wave will arrive just before the morning commute, then another during the evening drive. The wintry mix of sleet, snow and freezing rain is expected to arrive very early Friday morning and could cause some moderate icing even before sunrise in some areas. After a short break in precipitation during the afternoon, forecasters predict the end of day posing a greater threat for icing, as more moisture is expected to accompany the storm through the Mid-Atlantic. Radar models suggest rain will return to Central Virginia between 5 and 7 Friday evening and will transition to pockets of freezing rain after sunset and lingering through Saturday morning — a coating up to a quarter of an inch accumulation likely with up to an inch of snow possible in the mountains. According to weather experts, freezing rain falls as a liquid but freezes on contact; icing typically begins forming first on elevated surfaces such as trees and signs. For information on road condition during inclement weather visit VDOT online at www.511virginia.org
