Bluefield, West Virginia – Ice is beginning to coat mountain roads across parts of southwest Virginia and southeast West Virginia, creating slick travel conditions that could worsen before the Tuesday morning commute. Drivers along higher elevations and east-facing slopes face the greatest risk through 9 a.m. Tuesday.
According to the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, a Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for Giles, Craig, Alleghany and Bath counties in Virginia, along with Mercer, Summers, Monroe and eastern Greenbrier counties in West Virginia. Forecasters expect up to 1 inch of snow and sleet, with ice accumulations around one-tenth of an inch, mainly above 2,000 feet.
That thin glaze is enough to make bridges and elevated roadways treacherous, especially along stretches of I-77 near Bluefield, U.S. 460 through Pearisburg, and Route 219 near Lewisburg and White Sulphur Springs. East-facing slopes in Monroe and Bath counties could see the most persistent icing.
Transportation officials urge motorists to reduce speed and allow extra stopping distance. Residents in higher terrain should be prepared for patchy black ice on driveways and sidewalks.
Conditions are expected to gradually improve late Tuesday morning as temperatures rise, but slick spots may linger in shaded mountain areas beyond sunrise.
