VDOT News - Culpeper

CULPEPER — The Virginia Department of Transportation is preparing for a winter storm that is forecast to bring rain, sleet and freezing rain to most of the state beginning this evening. In the Piedmont region precipitation is predicted to begin late tonight and continue through the morning Thursday, with freezing rain causing icy roads during the Thursday morning commuting hours.

If travel is necessary tonight or tomorrow morning, drivers should pay attention to local weather forecasts and road conditions and plan to use extreme caution as road conditions may deteriorate quickly. As air temperatures fall, pavement temperatures are also expected to drop, creating the potential for icy conditions to develop on roads tonight through Thursday morning. Icy conditions may occur first on bridges, overpasses, ramps and in shaded areas. 

VDOT is mobilizing crews throughout the state to prepare for the storm. In the nine counties of the Culpeper District crews will be on duty overnight and will begin spreading salt and sand to improve traction and melt ice after precipitation begins. Since the storm is forecast to begin as rain brine will not be used for this event since the rain will wash it off the road, rendering it ineffective.

Safety and Travel Resources

When winter weather arrives, residents and motorists should plan travel ahead of time, check road conditions, prepare an emergency car kit, follow forecasts and announcements and limit travel based on conditions. 

Prior to travel, motorists should visit 511virginia.org, call 511 or check the 511 Virginia 

mobile app for up-to-date information on road and traffic conditions. 

Local updates about conditions in VDOT’s Culpeper District are posted to Twitter.com/VaDOTCulp.

Visit VDOT’s winter weather page for more information about winter weather preparations and response.

For questions or to report hazardous road conditions, the public should contact VDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service Center by visiting my.vdot.virginia.gov or calling 800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623).

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