The models predicted a major winter storm event, yet in the New River Valley this can always be hit or miss depending on whether the weather comes from the south or the west.
Although not as bad as some forecasts called for, it was still significant.
Especially since it fell on the same weekend as Virginia Tech and Radford's winter graduation ceremonies. Especially since students living in dormitories are basically evicted within 24 hours of their final exams. Especially when residents are scurrying to get provisions and finish holiday shopping lists. A perfect storm of conditions.
All this, and the poorly sequenced traffic lights, created a perfect storm at the intersections along Franklin and Peppers Ferry roads in Christiansburg on Friday. Throw in BT service that was abruptly canceled, and you had a real mess with many drivers stalled in traffic for hours as conditions worsened by the minute and others on foot with no way home. After that, travelers along the nearby interstates had dangerous problems with over 400 vehicles reported as being stranded overnight.
These are extreme conditions most citizens have little "on the job" training for, with the last blizzard being in 1996 (many new drivers are too young to remember that one behind the wheel).
All in all, though, you have to give it to the men and women who stay out and try to keep ahead of the mess -- police, public works/VDOT, utilities, fire and rescue personnel, and hospital staff who cannot leave their patients.
And after tomorrow, the sun will start climbing back to a path giving us longer days. Friday may have been enough winter for most NRV citizens; we surely don't want too rapid a thaw or we'll all be dealing with flooding, again.