Although the Central Virginia area only received about an inch of snow on Friday, schools and many businesses closed early.
According to the News Advance, Lynchburg police received 22 calls about accidents caused by the weather between noon and 8:30 p.m. on Friday.
In the Appomattox division, the Virginia State Police were called to the scene of 81 wrecks in the region through 9 p.m. on Friday.
The Appomattox division covers the area from Waynesboro to South Hill and includes the Lynchburg area.
Unlike last week's snowfall, the freezing temperatures earlier in the week meant the snow stuck to roads as soon as it began falling. Friday's high temperature in Lynchburg was a very cold 23 degrees with wind chills in the teens.
Truck driver Jerome Hodges reported seeing multiple accidents as he drove through Nelson and Amherst counties on his way to the Lynchburg mail processing facility from northern Virginia on Friday afternoon.
Hodges said, "It's a mess out there. There are cars and trucks in the ditches and traffic is backed way up in places." Hodges said traffic was moving very slowly along Route 29 north of the city, with many drivers creeping along at about 25 mph.
Hodges left the Lynchburg facility on his way to Roanoke's mail processing facility hoping that the traffic on the way to Roanoke would flow smoothly.
School buses also had difficulty maneuvering in the snow, which quickly made the roads slick. Although main roads had been treated before the snow began, the hills of Lynchburg caused problems for buses and cars alike.
Area kids were excited about a second chance to play in the snow in a week's time. Unlike their parents, most kids had nowhere to go and enjoyed sledding on the hills in their neighborhoods.
Facebook was filled on Friday night with photos of kids of all ages enjoying the snow. It seems that many breakfast tables this morning will feature French toast since everyone in Lynchburg heads to the grocery store to buy milk, eggs and bread when it snows.
There are cancellations of some early morning activities in Central Virginia on Saturday. Included in the events cancelled are SAT tests scheduled in Lynchburg, Chatham, Martinsville and Buckingham County and the winter open house which was scheduled at Lynchburg College.
Many community colleges throughout the area are closed on Saturday, including Central Virginia Community College in Lynchburg.
If you had plans for an activity on Saturday morning, be sure to check before you leave home. You can find additional closings and delays at WSET's website.
Comments