Published: January 08, 2009 07:33 pm      

Winter woes slide back into region

PRINCETON — Highways throughout the region were cleared of snow and ice Thursday, but motorists will want to watch out this morning for black ice that formed overnight.

Forecasters at the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Va., predict mostly sunny skies today with a high temperature of 38 degrees, but there is a 30 percent change of freezing rain tonight with a low of 30 degrees.

A 60 percent chance of freezing rain is in the forecast for Saturday with a high of 44 degrees, followed by a 40 percent chance of freezing rain Saturday night.

Road crews in both Virginias had U.S. Route 460 clear Thursday while they continued to work on secondary roads.

“Everything’s going fairly well,” said Marty Holloway of the Virginia Department of Transportation in Tazewell County. “We’re receiving calls about bare, dry pavement from Claypool Hill to Tazewell, and we expect to have the same from Tazewell to Bluefield, Va. by this evening.”

Holloway said Thursday some secondary roads were still covered with snow, but work was underway to clear them.

Drivers will want to watch today for black ice created by melting snow and refreezing, Holloway said.

In West Virginia, Route 460 was cleared along with Interstate 77, said Ryland Musick, district design engineer for District 10 in Mercer County. Secondary roads were still being cleared, and motorists will want to watch for black ice Friday morning.

One weather-related crash was reported 10:30 a.m. in the westbond lanes of Route 460 near Country Girl Road and the Mercer Mall, said Deputy J.D. Ellison of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department.

The crash happened when a Chevrolet Cobalt attempted to pass tractor-trailer carrying blocks, Ellison said. The driver lost control due to snow and ice, then spun around and hit the truck.

The female driver, who was alone in the Cobalt, was transported to Princeton Community Hospital, Ellison said, adding he spoken with her, but did not know her condition. The truck driver was not injured. No citations were issued.

Weather-related calls 911 centers in Mercer County, Tazewell and other locations involved vehicles getting stuck or sliding off the roadways.

Schools throughout southern West Virginia were closed Thursday. Mercer County and Monroe County schools were closed, and McDowell County schools were on a two-hour delay.

In Virginia, schools in Bland, Buchanan, Giles and Tazewell counties were closed Thursday.