Showing posts with label snow plows. Show all posts

03 February 2016

COURTLAND IN ASHBURN, VA IS FINALLY PLOWED & VDOT E MAIL CONTACTS FOR FUTURE NEED 2FEB16

FINALLY!!!! Courtland Drive in Ashburn is plowed the way a street is supposed to be plowed. Here are the latest e mails with Judy McCary of Loudoun Co supervisor Ron Meyer's office and VDOT. Please note the multiple VDOT e mail contacts that should be saved for future reference, share with residents in the Leesburg-Ashburn area in Northern Virginia.

McCary, Judy Judy.McCary@loudoun.gov

2:59 pm (1 day ago)

to me

This is the latest from VDOT.

Judy McCary

From: Shannon, Steven R. (VDOT) [mailto:Steven.Shannon@VDOT.Virginia.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2016 2:11 PM
To: McCary, Judy <Judy.McCary@loudoun.gov>
Cc: Bigdeli, Farid, P.E. (VDOT) <Farid.Bigdeli@VDOT.Virginia.gov>; Taori, Sunil (VDOT) <Sunil.Taori@vdot.virginia.gov>; Betz, James M. (VDOT) <James.Betz@VDOT.Virginia.gov>; Shannon, Steven R. (VDOT) <Steven.Shannon@VDOT.Virginia.gov>; Vlacich, Branco (VDOT) <Branco.Vlacich@VDOT.Virginia.gov>
Subject: RE: Courtland Drive and Navajo Drive (Ashbrook Community)

Hi Judy,

We just drove both Courtland Drive which has two lanes that are blacktop and Navajo which has a 12’ lane that is blacktop and very passable from end to end. As you know we are not plowing curb to curb. Thanks,

Steve Shannon Residency Administrator
VDOT, Loudoun County
41 Lawson Road
Leesburg, Virginia
Office: (703) 737-2034

Email: steven.shannon@vdot.virginia.gov

9- 11 - Never Forget!

US Army Retired

Honored to Have Served!

From: McCary, Judy [mailto:Judy.McCary@loudoun.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2016 12:37 PM
To: Shannon, Steven R. (VDOT)
Subject: Courtland Drive and Navajo Drive (Ashbrook Community)

Hi Mr. Shannon,

I have been calling and e mailing about these two roads which are still snow covered and unable to handle school busses. Due to this, students are waiting for busses on Russell Branch Parkway which, as you know, is a busy road.

I was just told that snow removal operations have ended. If school busses cannot travel on a road, it seems like additional plowing is still needed. I appreciate your thoughts on this and snow plows getting to these neighborhoods. Thanks so much.

Judy McCary

Senior Aide to Supervisor Ron Meyer

Direct Line 703 737 8111

Email Judy.McCary@Loudoun.gov

26 January 2016

PRETENDING TO SERVE ASHBURN, VA BUT NOT PLOW SNOW 26JAN16

THIS is Afton Terrace in Ashburn, VA, this morning, shows the level of service we do not receive from the Ashburn HOA. I bet the streets of the HOA board members are plowed. Messages left at the HOA offices get no response.

PRETENDING TO SERVE ASHBURN AND PLOW SNOW & Governor McAuliffe Declares State of Emergency in Response to the Winter Storm 25&21JAN16

THE inability of VDOT to clear commonwealth roads is pathetic, Gov terry mcauliffe, you and the House of Delegates have a lot of explaining to do. The State of Emergency you declared 4 days ago included mobilizing the VA National Guard. Understanding VDOT employees need to rest, there have to be members of the mobilized Guard who are qualified to operate snow plows. These people should be utilized to operate plows to keep the road clearing operation going 24 hours. Virginia roads should be in better condition than they are now. I bet Richmond streets, where the money is, are plowed.
The Ashburn HOA is equally pathetic and inept, they will not send their plows to clear the streets they are responsible for until VDOT plows the roads they are responsible for in Ashburn. If I was able to get out of my street I would't be surprised if I found the streets where the money is as well as the streets of the HOA officers plowed. After all, Cashburn is nothing more than a little oligarchy with a governing body granted dictatorial powers to make petty little rules about how close your garden can come to the common areas, what color your front door and house trim is and when you can put up and must take down holiday decorations. But these glorified grounds keepers can't deal with anything as difficult as snow removal.
So our lives are governed by inept buffoons, and I hope as soon as possible the residents of Ashburn remember the total failure of the HOA directors and do everything possible to get rid of them. We deserve and pay for better.

Governor McAuliffe Declares State of Emergency in Response to the Winter Storm

~Virginians Urged to Prepare Now~

RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency at 8 a.m. today, an action that authorizes state agencies to assist local governments in responding to a major winter storm that is expected to impact the Commonwealth through Sunday.

In declaring a state of emergency, the governor authorizes state agencies to identify and position resources for quick response anywhere they are needed in Virginia. This action does not apply to individuals or private businesses.

Governor McAuliffe urges Virginians to prepare for this major winter storm, which could dump up to two feet of snow in central and northern regions. Wind gusts of up to 50 mph, sleet and freezing rain could result in downed trees, power outages and blocked roads.

“Keeping Virginians safe in the event of severe weather is our top concern – that is why Virginia began preparing for severe winter weather yesterday by ordering more than 500 vehicles out to pretreat roads in Northern Virginia,” said Governor McAuliffe. “All Virginians should take the threat of this storm seriously and take necessary precautions now to ensure they are prepared for travel disruptions and possible power outages during a cold weather period.”

“VDOT is prepared with crews, equipment and materials to treat roads in advance of the storm and will work throughout the storm to plow roads,” said Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne. “Driving conditions during the storm are expected to be hazardous and motorists are urged to stay off the roads until the storm passes.”

State Actions:

Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews are on 24-hour operations and are pretreating roads where temperatures permit. Motorists are strongly encouraged to stay off the roads during the storm. For information about road and traffic conditions, check www.511virginia.org or call 511 before traveling.
The Virginia State Police have all uniformed personnel and necessary specialty units ready for response to the next round of increased volumes in traffic crashes, disabled vehicles, and other storm-related emergencies. Virginians are advised to plan ahead for slick, treacherous road conditions. They can also help reduce traffic crashes and delays by avoiding travel during the storm.
The Virginia National Guard has been authorized to bring up to 500 personnel on state active duty for possible assistance with the state's severe winter weather response operations. The Guard plans to stage personnel at readiness centers in key locations across the commonwealth in order to be ready to rapidly respond if needed. The alert process to notify personnel to report for duty began Wednesday afternoon, and the Guard plans to have forces in place and ready to go by early evening on Thursday, Jan. 21. Potential missions for the Guard include transportation through heavy snow, downed tree removal, debris reduction and distribution of food, water and other supplies.

What Citizens Should Do:

Stay off the roads during the storm unless travel is absolutely necessary. If travel is necessary, drive with caution and allow extra space around other vehicles.
Use extreme caution around slow-moving equipment being used to treat roads, such as snow plows.
Make sure your vehicle is ready for winter and is in safe driving condition. Keep an emergency kit in your car. Include items such as jumper cables, blankets, first aid kit, water, non-perishable food, cat litter or sand, shovel, flash light and batteries, ice scraper and cell phone charger.
Check on elderly or homebound neighbors, family, and friends to ensure they are ready for this storm and any possible inconveniences or interruptions that may result.
Bring pets inside from the cold.
Be prepared to take care of yourself and your family for at least 72 hours, in case roads are blocked and/or there are power outages.
Have a battery-powered or hand-cranked radio and extra batteries for emergency information. Listen to local weather forecasts and instructions from local officials.
If you need help, information or resources during the storm, call 211. Those with hearing impairments can call 711 for the Virginia Relay Center and then call 1-800-230-6977. Out of state or videophone users may also dial 1-800-230-6977 for assistance.
Download the free Ready Virginia app at: http://www.vaemergency.gov/readyvirginia/additional-resources/mobileapp.
Download the free VDOT 511 app for updates on road conditions at: http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/511.asp.

For more information on the Commonwealth’s response efforts, visit http://www.vaemergency.gov.

- See more at: https://governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/newsarticle?articleId=13966#sthash.uDj1osfb.dpuf

23 January 2016

Storm updates: Steady snow, gusty winds to slowly wane this evening 23JAN16

LATEST on our blizzard from the +Capital Weather Gang at the +Washington Post and me! Is is still cold, snowing and blowing. I was out with friends and neighbors shoveling our walks and around our vehicles. We have about 36 inches of snow on the ground with drifts thigh to waist high and the piles of snow from our shoveling are almost as tall as me, I'm 5 feet 7 inches tall. The Ashburn hoa nazis still haven't plowed my street, the one and only time we saw a plow as mid afternoon on Friday, 22 JAN 16. If it isn't plowed by morning I will not be able to go to work. Will have pictures from me and my friends posted tomorrow. And so it goes......

Storm updates: Steady snow, gusty winds to slowly wane this evening

By Jason Samenow January 23 at 6:47 PM

Snow totals have reached 22-35 inches west, north, and northwest of the Beltway (locally 35″+), 17-24″ inches inside the Beltway, and 10-20 inches south and southeast of the Beltway.
Steady snow and gusty winds are likely for a few more hours
Snow tapers off between 9 and midnight tonight
Blizzard conditions were achieved late this afternoon, but have relented some.
Total snow accumulations of 16 to 30 inches are expected with some 30-36 inch totals well north and west of the District (Frederick and Loudoun counties). 20-30 inches totals will be most common in the immediate metro region. Totals in the 12-20 inch range are most likely near the Bay into Southern Maryland.

6:47 p.m. update: Believe it or not, New York City has received even more snow than D.C. JFK has logged it snowiest single day total on record. Former Capital Weather Gang contributor Andrew Freedman, now science editor at Mashable, sends us the following report from Brooklyn:

Manhattan and the Bronx along with Newark are closing in on 24-30 inches. JFK now at 24. Some areas of northern NJ could exceed 35 inches. Unreal here, in terms of snowfall rates all day and the National Weather Service has been playing catchup.
It was clear days ago that this was an excruciatingly tough forecast for New York City, with a shift of 40-50 miles making a huge difference. Unfortunately for many people, that shift happened in the models with evening runs on Friday, catching people off guard on Saturday morning, and forcing forecasters to up totals every few hours.
Historic storm in NYC, and it’s still going.

6:10 p.m. update: Between 3 and 5 p.m., the conditions outside qualified as a “blizzard” in the D.C. area.

5:50 p.m. update: Dulles Airport, as of 4:20 p.m., had tallied 26.5 inches of snow, second most on record there. It only trails Snowmageddon of Feb. 5-6, 2010, when 32.4 inches fell. Records at Dulles date back to 1963.
5:25 p.m. update: Here’s the latest snow total map assembled by the National Weather Service. Notice pretty much everyone north and west of the Beltway is over 20 inches. Many of these numbers are at least an hour or more old.
5:10 p.m. update: D.C.’s official storm total, as of 5 p.m., is 17.5 inches which puts it ahead of the Blizzard of 1996 and into 5th place among the top 10 greatest storms. Just 0.3 inches need to fall for it to pass Snowmageddon.

[Where Snowzilla fits into D.C.’s top 10 snowstorms]

5:00 p.m. update: BLIZZARD! D.C. has officially met the criteria for a blizzard: Three straight hours with winds gusting over 35 mph, visibility of 0.25 miles or less and snow and blowing snow. At 5 p.m., National Airport, D.C.’s reporting station, observed heavy snow, winds gusting to 37 mph, and visibility of 0.06 miles.
4:45 p.m. update: Here are some recent snow totals:
Va.: Woodbridge 22″, Arlington 22″, Tysons-Vienna 23-25″, Leesburg 28-31″, Gainesville 27″, Fair Oaks 23″, Brambleton 35″, Great Falls 27″, Herndon 28″, Manassas 25″, Alexandra 21″, Fairfax 26″, Annandale 17″
Md.: Laurel 24″, Potomac and Rockville 24-28″, Silver Spring 28″, Pasadena 20″, Wheaton 22″, Eldersburg 34″, Greenbelt 20″, New Market 35″
D.C.: Petworth 19″, Mt. Pleasant 21″, Adams Morgan 23″, Navy Yard 19″

4:25 p.m. update: Let’s just say Columbia Heights is snowed under…
4:10 p.m. update: Reagan National Airport, D.C.’s official observing location, reports a storm total of 17.0 inches as of 4 p.m. This puts this storm, Snowzilla, in 6th place among D.C.’s top 10 biggest storms, passing the Blizzard of 2003, which dropped 16.7 inches. It is poised to move further up the list.
4:02 p.m. update: D.C. (Reagan National) reports heavy snow and blowing snow, winds gusting to 39 mph and visibility of 0.25 miles at 4 p.m. If this persists for another hour, true blizzard conditions will have been achieved.

3:57 p.m. update: Look at the satellite (top) and radar (bottom) presentation of this storm. It’s just massive and isn’t done with us yet.
3:38 p.m. update: “This looks to last four more hours,” says Capital Weather Gang winter weather expert on this current blast of heavy snow and strong winds. With snowfall rates of 1-2 inches an hour, you can do the math of how much more snow is possible. Lighter snow should follow before the storm ends in the 8-11 p.m. window.

3:20 p.m. update: The following locations in Virginia and Maryland report an astounding 30 inches or more of snow…Md.: Parkville (33″), Olney (30″), Point of Rocks (31″), Jefferson – Frederick Co. (40″), Germantown (30″)
Va.: Brambleton (32″), Haymarket (31″), Ashburn (31″), Lovettsville (32″), Hillsboro (37″), Purcellville (32″), Bristow (30″), Round Hill (31″)

3:00 p.m. update: This last phase of the storm is a knockout blow. Near whiteout conditions have overtaken much of the region. Reagan National is reporting heavy snow, winds gusting to 36 mph and just 0.13 miles of visibility at 3 p.m. Do not attempt to drive in this.
Photos:

2:53 p.m. update: When does it end? Here’s a simulation from the HRRR model, which suggests in the 8-11 p.m. timeframe this evening.
One caution is that sometimes in these very wound-up storms, the snow lasts a little longer than the models predict.
2:40 p.m. update: The National Weather Service has posted a map of totals, and they are impressive. Bear in mind this map is an hour old now, but you can see the consistency of totals over 20 inches north and west of the Beltway… and these are just going to go higher.
2:20 p.m. update: In areas from I-95 and east, after an extended lull (6-8 hours), the snow is picking back up in earnest and winds are howling. Visibilities are extremely limited so do not attempt to drive in this. Across much of the region, another 3-6 inches of snow is possible and potentially more depending on how long this heavy band persists over the region.
(For our previous updates,, covering 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. today: see, Snow continues through the afternoon, winds increasing)

Jason is the Washington Post’s weather editor and Capital Weather Gang's chief meteorologist. He earned a master's degree in atmospheric science, and spent 10 years as a climate change science analyst for the U.S. government. He holds the Digital Seal of Approval from the National Weather Association.

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