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Helpful Information On Winter Storm Watch
Dear Friend,
Please be aware that winter weather is expected to impact Northern Virginia beginning Wednesday evening.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for Northern Virginia beginning Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. and ending Thursday at 10:00 p.m.. Snow is expected to move from the south Wednesday night and may mix with sleet and rain on Thursday. Northern Virginia can see wind gusts of up to 35 mph. The forecast also calls for five or more inches of snow.
I
would like to take this opportunity to provide you with some
information that will help you and your family prepare for the winter
weather and possible power outages.
Snow Removal Tips
To make the snow removal process easier, VDOT has a few recommendations and reminders for local citizens:
1. When shoveling
your own sidewalk/driveway, leave at least 5 feet of snow from the curb
until after the plow has passed through.
2. Park your car on the
odd numbered side of the street or in driveways. The more cars are
parked on the street, the less amount of snow is able to be plowed.
3. Stay off the road if there are reports of a storm. Abandoned cars are one of the biggest obstacles to the plowing process.
4. Remember that it is harder for crews to plow packed snow and
especially ice. Don't expect to be able to see black pavement once the
plow comes through.
5. The goal is to make all roads one lane passable, not clear them completely of snow.
Update: Virginia Department of Transportation
Currently,
crews are treating interstates and primary roads with salt brine or
anti-icing chemicals. Crews will be out in force overnight and through
the duration of the storm, treating icy roads and plowing snow.
During
the storm, motorists should avoid driving on the roads. About 70
percent of deaths related to ice and snow occur in automobiles.
Road priorities and neighborhood snow plow tracker:
- VDOT
has activated a web-based neighborhood tracking map that monitors the
status of plowing in Northern Virginia neighborhoods when it snows two
inches or more. Please visit, http://www.vdotplows.org/.
- VDOT's goal is to have all state-maintained roads passable within 48 hours after a winter storm ends.
- Crews
first begin clearing roads with the highest traffic volumes -
interstates and primary roads and then major secondary roads followed by
subdivision streets.
- A statewide network of 77 weather sensors
in roadways and bridges, plus 16 mobile video data platforms, allows
crews to quickly identify when and where road surfaces might be
freezing.
Winter weather driving tips and other preparations:
- Stay
off the roads and allow VDOT to do their job. Most traffic accidents
happen within the first 2 hours after a storm starts.
- Do NOT pass a snowplow or spreader unless it is absolutely necessary. Treat these as you would emergency response vehicles.
- Monitor your local news sources for the latest weather conditions.
- Prepare your car for winter driving conditions, including having an emergency kit in your car.
- Prepare your home for winter weather conditions in case of power outages.
- Before getting behind the wheel, call 511, go to www.511virginia.org or download the 511 mobile app to get the latest road condition information.
- You can also call 800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623)to report road hazards or ask road-related questions at VDOT's 24-hour Customer Service Center.
- When
driving, give yourself extra time to reach your destination, leave
plenty of driving room between you and the vehicle ahead and slow down.
- Remember
VDOT is not responsible for clearing sidewalks; residents are
encouraged to clear sidewalks, especially those close to schools.
- Avoid parking on the street, but if you have to park your car on the street.
For more winter travel information, go to http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/snow.asp.
Important Telephone Numbers
Emergency contact information for reporting utility outages as well as general information is as follows:
Dominion 1-888-667-3000
NOVEC 703-335-0500
Herndon Dept of Public Works: 703-435-6860
Police non-emergency numbers are:
Fairfax County: 703-691-2131
Loudoun County: 703-777-1021
Dominion Power
NEW APP-
Dominion has implemented several steps that will make it faster and
easier for customers to report outages and check on their status when
using Dominion's web site: www.dom.com, via their computers, smartphones or other mobile devices.
To report outages through one of these devices, customers need to provide:
- A 10-digit telephone number associated with the account
- The last four digits of their Social Security number, federal tax identification number, or PIN.
This
information will be used to confirm the outages' locations. Customers
will also be asked for contact information to enable Dominion to obtain
additional details regarding the outage if necessary. Additionally,
customers using smartphones will be automatically directed to a mobile
website through which they can obtain outage updates and view power
outages by city and county.
Customers who lose power can also report the outages through Dominion's toll-free customer service line, 1-866-DOM-HELP(1-866-366-4357).
The company will also issue periodic updates on Facebook and Twitter
(DomVaPower). Customers may also track power outages in their area by
viewing Dominion's Interactive Electric Outage map, which is shown below
and available here.
If you have any need for assistance and/or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 804-698-1034 or email me at [email protected].gov.
Stay safe!
Barbara Comstock
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