Winter Storm Jonas Has Closed Entire Parkway
Winter Storm Jonas closes the entire parkway in North Carolina and Virginia. The entire 469 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway has been closed due to the widespread winter weather conditions in North Carolina and Virginia. Winter Storm Jonas is causing hazardous driving conditions in the mid-atlantic region. Conditions in North Carolina range from snow, to sleet to freezing rain. Many areas are without power. Virginia is getting snow with predictions of 2 feet in northern Virginia over the next 2 days.
Blue Ridge Parkway Real-Time Road Closure Map
The Blue Ridge Parkway as well as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Shenandoah National Park are closed with all Park operations suspended for the duration of Winter Storm Jonas. No search and rescue personnel will be available during the storm.
Northern regions of Virginia are under a Blizzard Warning. A Blizzard Warning is not related to the amount of snow but is related to how heavy snowfall and windy conditions resulting in reduced visibility.
Here is the Watch and Warning for Virginia:
... Blizzard Warning remains in effect from 3 PM this afternoon to 6 am EST Sunday... * hazard types... heavy snow and wind with blowing and drifting snow this afternoon through Saturday night. Sleet may mix with the snow tonight into Saturday morning east of Interstate 95 before changing back to all snow by Saturday afternoon. * Accumulations... snow accumulation 18 to 24 inches along and east of Interstate 95... and 24 to 30 west of Interstate 95. The city of Washington DC is expected to receive around 24 inches. * Timing... heavy snow will develop this afternoon and continue through Saturday night. Conditions are expected to deteriorate this afternoon with the heaviest snow... strongest winds... and potential life threatening conditions expected tonight through Saturday night. * Impacts... heavy snow and blowing snow will cause dangerous conditions and will be a threat to life and property. Travel is expected to be severely limited if not impossible during the height of the storm tonight and Saturday. Visibility will be reduced to near zero at times in whiteout conditions. * Winds... north 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph along the Chesapeake Bay shoreline... becoming north Saturday and northwest Saturday night. * Temperatures... in the mid 20s. Precautionary/preparedness actions... A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds and poor visibilities are likely. This will lead to whiteout conditions... making travel extremely dangerous. Do not travel. If you must travel... have a winter survival kit with you. If you get stranded... stay with your vehicle. Prepare for the possibility of power outages during snowy and cold conditions. North Carolina is also experincing hazardous condtions related to Winter Storm Jonas. The mountains are predicted to get 6-8" of snow while other areas in central and easter North Carolina are getting sleet and frezzing rain. Here is the watches and warning for the Asheville, NC area.
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Winter Storm Warning For Asheville, NC
Winter Storm Warning in effect until Sunday, 7:00 AM EST. Source: U.S. National Weather Service
…WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST SUNDAY…
* LOCATIONS…THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS…ESPECIALLY EAST OF
HIGHWAY 441.
* HAZARDS…A ROUND OF MODERATE TO HEAVY WINTRY PRECIPITATION IS
EXPECTED THROUGH SATURDAY. STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE THRU
THE AFTERNOON AND RETURN DURING THE DAY SATURDAY.
* TIMING…SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON…POSSIBLY
MIXING WITH OR CHANGING TO SLEET AT TIMES.
* ACCUMULATIONS…SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 10 TO 15 INCHES…WITH
LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. A TRACE OF ICE IS POSSIBLE AS
WELL.
* IMPACTS…HEAVY SNOW COULD MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS THROUGH
SATURDAY. HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATION AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS COULD
RESULT IN SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES AND DOWNED TREES.
* WINDS…NORTH 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.
* TEMPERATURES…IN THE MID 20S TO LOWER 30S.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW
ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN
EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL…KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT…
FOOD…AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF
WEATHER INFORMATION FOR THE LATEST UPDATES. ADDITIONAL DETAILS
CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GSP.
Poor weather conditions related to Winter Storm Jonas will continue through Saturday night and into Sunday. Stay safe and stay home. Even after the storm is over it could take several days before the parkways could reopen to the public. Roads will need to be cleared, fallen trees, limbs and rocks may need to be cleared. If any power outages occur to the facilities it would have to be restored. Staff will need to make sure after the storm it will be safe to the public before the parks would be reopened.
Check out the webcams to see weather conditions in the Blue Ridge Parkway areas
across Virginia and North Carolina.
