Bluefield, West Virginia – Drivers in the Alleghany Highlands and along the Virginia-West Virginia border face slick mountain roads right now as a light glaze of ice continues to coat higher elevations before sunrise Tuesday.
According to the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, a Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect until 9 a.m. Tuesday for Giles, Craig, Alleghany and Bath counties in Virginia, along with Mercer, Summers, Monroe and eastern Greenbrier counties in West Virginia. Additional ice accumulations are expected to remain around a light glaze, but even a thin coating can freeze bridges and untreated secondary roads.
Higher terrain along Interstate 77 near Bluefield and U.S. Route 460 through Mercer County may turn especially slick. In Virginia, drivers on Interstate 81 near Pearisburg and along U.S. 220 through Clifton Forge and Hot Springs should prepare for icy overpasses and shaded curves.
Transportation crews are monitoring conditions, but officials urge motorists to slow down, increase following distance and check 511 for real-time road updates. While widespread power outages are not expected, isolated issues remain possible where ice clings to tree limbs and lines.
Temperatures should gradually rise after 9 a.m., improving road conditions, though slick spots could linger in the highest elevations through mid-morning.
