ROANOKE, Va. – The Roanoke Valley is digging out Tuesday under the grip of a dangerous cold snap, as road crews, utility workers, and shelters contend with the aftermath of Winter Storm Fern.
While an Extreme Cold Warning from the National Weather Service remains in effect, the focus has shifted to recovery. Roanoke began full neighborhood plowing operations Tuesday, a day after crews in Lynchburg, Danville, and Salem started clearing residential streets. To treat main roads, Roanoke deployed 44 plows and 180 employees, using 420 tons of salt and 29,000 gallons of brine.
However, officials warn that travel remains hazardous. The Virginia Department of Transportation said motorists should not expect bare pavement on secondary roads, as snowpack and ice will remain due to the frigid temperatures.
Shelter from the Cold
As temperatures dropped into the single digits with wind chills below zero, warming shelters are providing critical aid. The Rescue Mission of Roanoke, the city’s largest shelter, has been operating nonstop since Saturday night.
“The temperatures this week are going to be really dangerously cold. So I would say anyone who does not have adequate housing, please come to the mission,” said Lisa Thompson, the mission’s Director of Development and Communications.
The shelter has served over 300 guests in each of the last two nights and is working with the city to transport people in need.
Statewide Response and Travel Impacts
In an update Monday, Gov. Abigail Spanberger thanked Virginians for staying home, noting that traffic on interstates was down by more than 80 percent. She said the decrease allowed VDOT crews to plow unobstructed and Virginia State Police to respond to fewer incidents.
As of 4 p.m. Monday, State Police had responded to 506 crashes statewide, including a fatal crash Sunday evening in Pittsylvania County.
At the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport, most departing flights were listed as on-time Tuesday, though travelers are advised to confirm their flight status with their airline. Airport officials urged passengers to allow extra time to get to the airport and to be cautious in parking lots and on walkways.
City Services Adjust
The City of Roanoke announced there will be no trash or recycling pickup on Tuesday, Jan. 27. Sanitation crews have been reassigned to help with snow removal from neighborhood streets.
To further aid the dig-out, the city also suspended enforcement of street parking limits on Tuesday. PARK Roanoke garages are also free for the day.
Appalachian Power reported Tuesday morning that about 7,300 customers in Virginia were still without electricity, though only 15 were in Roanoke County.
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