Ice-packed roads and a new sheet of sleet falling Monday will further complicate travels and urged motorists to stay away for another day. Or at least another morning.”
“People don’t want to hear this but tomorrow morning’s commute will be worse,” said Spears. “People will say, ‘I had my snow day, I had my fun, now I have to go back to work.’ ”
“If they must do that, I suggest they go in late.”
Early Monday afternoon, Spear said conditions on the south side of the metro area were worsening as rain and sleet started to freeze. And that weather system was working its way north.
“We need to get as much work (clearing roads) done by night,” he said. There were about 20 trucks working out of the Cheshire Bridge maintenance facility, where Spear was stationed, and as many as 150 in the metro area, with the department borrowing vehicles and crews from South Georgia.
Spear said there’s a Catch 22 in asking motorists to stay off the roads.
“Ironically, the treatment (which is three parts rock salt, one part gravel) works better if there’s vehicles on it; the friction from the tires helps it melt,” he said. “If you don’t have the constant movement, it will refreeze.”
Spear said that temperatures Tuesday will venture up by 40 degrees, which will help road crews. “If we can get three or four hours near 40, we can do a lot,” he said.
The snow could stay on the ground for several days because temperatures will barely get above freezing all week, according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Karen Minton.
Monday's high temperature will be about 30. Tuesday's high will be 36, with a slight chance of freezing drizzle in the morning. Then a deep freeze will return.
Minton is calling for highs of 30 and 32 on Wednesday and Thursday. Thursday's morning low will be 13, and there is a chance of flurries.
Friday should be a bit warmer, with a high just over freezing at 35.
