Driving Through (or around) Snowmaggedon 2016 ???

[tpenfield]

This weekend happens to be when the Admiral and I drive her father's dog to the winter home in Florida. The trip from MA to FL usually takes 2-1/2 days, and the dog travels in luxury (of course).

This year, the snow forecast is presenting quite a challenge, as we usually travel the I-95 corridor. I assume that much of the mid-Atlantic area might actually be shut down, maybe even a travel ban at times :noidea:

I have been thinking that maybe the thing to do would be to travel out west to the Akron, OH area and then head south, coming around the back of the storm. Still quite some accumulations predicted for the WV area, but if we went that route, the storm would have hit those areas earlier, giving more time for clean-up. If we attempt the I-95 route, I am thinking we would get shut down for a whole day, either to travel bans or massive traffic jams on the interstate.

Thoughts?

I guess we should have gone last weekend . . .

 

[jbcurt00]

If you think swinging west would help, I'd suggest Cincy, Lexington, Knoxville, Chattanooga to Atlanta but there is a good hill climb up and down between Lexington and Knoxville.

From me to Wytheville, VA should be no good at all tonight thru Sun am.

Pushing further west, Cincy, Louisville, Nashville, Chattanooga, Atlanta may be better still. But the hill between Nashville and Chattanooga is worse then the one above Knoxville from Lexington. Adding even more extra hours to the trip may push you outta the bad stuff.

Southcogs and Redneck Joe can give you Nashville weather.

Alldodge is just north of them...

But as of now, snow in Charleston, WV, none here 2hrs north on I-79

 

[aspeck]

I think you are thinking correctly ... stay away from the I-95 travel corridor ... you wouldn't be doing much traveling. You may be far enough west to head down I-79 in western PA, but if you hang too close to Erie you will be dealing with Lake effect snow.

 

[GA_Boater]

Or next weekend and avoid all of it. Maybe?

 

[jbcurt00]

IMO about an hour south of me on 79, no matter how you get to Wytheville, VA, wouldnt be much fun if the mountains get half the predicted snow today thru tomorrow.

 

[robert graham]

Maybe wait until Monday or Tuesday to depart and hopefully the worst part of the storm has passed....

 

[four winns 214]

The snow is hitting Kentucky right now. Ice has closed I-75 in Rockcastle County between Lexington and London, Ky. Both I-65 and -75 in Kentucky traverse an area expected to get around a foot of snow which is an amount not often seen in the state.

I'd sit tight for a day or two.

 

[jbcurt00]

Snow has started here in northern WV too, I havent seen road closures or warnings about snow/ice/drifting but likely a little north and east of Charleston, WV is getting tricky

 

[aspeck]

IMO about an hour south of me on 79, no matter how you get to Wytheville, VA, wouldnt be much fun if the mountains get half the predicted snow today thru tomorrow.

The snow is hitting Kentucky right now. Ice has closed I-75 in Rockcastle County between Lexington and London, Ky. Both I-65 and -75 in Kentucky traverse an area expected to get around a foot of snow which is an amount not often seen in the state.

I'd sit tight for a day or two.

These two posts tell me all I need to know ... if you want to go around it, head west to the Mississipi then south, and you MIGHT be okay! Otherwise, hunker down a couple of days and go after the roads have been cleared.

 

[jbcurt00]

Our latest, roughly half way between Pittsburgh, PA and Charleston, WV:

Winter Storm Warning for Marion County, WV

From 1:00pm EST, Fri Jan 22 until 1:00am EST, Sun Jan 24

... WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST SUNDAY...

* SNOW ACCUMULATION... 8 TO 12 INCHES... WITH LOCAL ACCUMULATIONS IN EXCESS OF A FOOT POSSIBLE IN MARION... MONONGALIA... AND FAYETTE COUNTY.

* SNOW BEGINNING... THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING FROM SOUTH TO NORTH.

* PERIOD OF MOST INTENSE SNOW... TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.

* SNOW ENDING... SATURDAY EVENING.

* WIND... NORTHEAST 5 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH.

* IMPACT... HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED DUE TO SNOW ACCUMULATION. STRONG WIND MAY DRIFT SNOW ACROSS ROADS AND REDUCE VISIBILITY.

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.

WVU is in Monongahela county 15min north of me.

 

[WIMUSKY]

If it was over here, we would call it Friday.....Lol Sorry, couldn't resist........ :facepalm:

 

[angus63]

I would not travel before Tuesday if you can avoid it, unless the dog is a husky with a sled and a taste for red bull.

 

[jbcurt00]

We've been unusually snow free, so apparently everybody has lost their ability to drive thru snow.

1st time I've been to the grocery and seen nearly empty shelves. Felt like Glen or Daryl on a supply run @ TWD

 

[GA_Boater]

I wouldn't drive into the teeth of something called Jonah...I meant Jonas. LOL

Equip the pooch with a brandy cask, gotta play safe!

 

[bruceb58]

If it was over here, we would call it Friday.....Lol Sorry, couldn't resist........ :facepalm:

Us too and we drive it in the mountains!

 

[boatman37]

i would stay away from I79 in PA. it looks like it is going to hit Allegheny county (Pittsburgh) with its northern edge and I79 goes right through there (i took that route every day before i started working from home)

 

[Bayou Dave]

Put the pooch on a private jet that can traverse around the snow?

 

[64osby]

Grab a bottle of your favorite, rent The Shaggy Dog or Beverly Hills Chihuahua (1, 2 and or 3), light a fire and sit back and relax for a week.

Many years ago I was working in Richmond VA when an 8" storm blew through. Everything closed and 6 days later 95 still was only moving at 35mph. The lanes still had snow packed humps and ruts that made fast travel impossible.

A 5" storm here and invincible drivers just caused a 60 car pile up in a state that gets snow.

 

[tpenfield]

Thanks for all of the inputs and weather updates. Technology should help, as I can use my iPad while on the road to check out the traffic conditions on the interstates, as well as look at some traffic cams.

My plan is to head far enough west so that I am out of the worst of it, but not so far that I am adding too much time for the trip.

I was going to take I-84 west to I-80. then pick up I-79 south to I-70 west and take I-77 South all the way to SC and pick up I-95 south below all of the mess.

It would be a couple 12-14 hour days driving and then a half day, but I think the I-95 corridor will be shut down for 1-2 days. The only thing that I am not sure of is if I-77 through WV, VA, NC will have been cleared enough on Sunday :noidea:

The vehicle is a newer Escalade w/ AWD, so it should be OK if encountering some snow, etc. Traffic and folks getting stuck will probably be the biggest issue.

 

[jbcurt00]

Snow predicted to stop here Sat evening, so I77 south of I64 may be better by Sun after noon. But there are some up/down hills between picking up 77 and getting to Wytheville, VA which is where you'll make the turn east/south towards NC.


Good luck