Stay at home! Significant accumulations of ice due to freezing rain, hail possible today

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The weather is difficult for the start of the extended holiday.

A mixture of freezing rain and hail has been moving through Southside and the Lynchburg area for a few hours. The winter climate will become more widespread in the coming hours.

Winter storm and ice warnings are in effect along and east of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is where we will see the most significant ice accumulations and the greatest impacts of this storm.

The situation will not be so serious in Roanoke and in the north and west areas, but we will still be looking at the potential for slippery roads. Warnings about winter weather have been published in these areas.

Any locations that collect at least a quarter of an inch of ice will be at increased risk of power outages because of the extra weight that ice adds to the transmission lines.

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It is a good idea to have candles, lanterns, extra blankets, warm clothing and other supplies in case you lose energy.

Although the rain will come to an end this evening, the potential for slippery patches continues on Sunday morning, due to temperatures at or below zero.

We expect temperatures to warm up well on Valentine’s Day, with highs in the 40s in the forecast. There may be some light rain showers for any night plan you have.

The next opportunity for winter weather comes Monday to Tuesday morning.

This looks like another event with borderline temperatures. Look for a winter mix to start, but as the temperatures warm up, we will see a transition to rain before the precipitation ends around noon.

We have a totally dry day in the forecast for Wednesday, but more chances of precipitation appear on Thursday and Friday.