WASHINGTON, D. C. (Thursday, January 17, 2019) ––The evening commute, which is never easy in the Washington metro area, could be messy, especially on overpasses and untreated side roads. Although it won’t be anything like this past weekend’s snowstorm, the first snowfall of 2019, that sent area police departments and State Troopers scrambling to more than 300 crashes in Virginia and around 300 crashes and 1,400 calls for service in Maryland, the latest storm threatens to drop one to two inches of wet snow during the evening rush hour. Area transportation agencies and AAA Mid-Atlantic are advising commuters to get a head start on heading for the exits. Even a little accumulation can have an outsize impact during evening rush hour.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is advising drivers “to monitor forecasts closely – and plan to leave early or adjust commutes – for potential snow and ice impacting rush hours this evening and tomorrow morning.” Pedestrians will face slippery conditions. “This storm will definitely impact rush hour,” VDOT is also warning. “Don’t assume a smaller accumulation won’t cause problems. Our plows need room to roll to be able to properly clear roads.”

“My punches are just as hard in Chicago as in New York,” former heavyweight boxing champion Sonny Liston once said. For the second week in a row, area residents are coping with another major bout of wintry weather. However, this bout will deliver a one-two punch, including the coldest temperatures of the season. The first punch is a fast moving clipper system arriving Thursday night into Friday and the second, more intense system, is Winter Storm Harper, which is set to snarl travel over the holiday weekend Saturday into Sunday across the Washington metro area. And as if this weather one-two punch isn’t enough, temperatures will plummet into single digits late Sunday into Monday.

With snow arriving this evening, area road crews are ready, and so are AAA roadside rescuers. But is your vehicle ready? “Crews are staging along roads early to be ready for rush hour, but please remember that with very low temperatures, pavement that looks wet may be slippery,” warns VDOT. Cold temperatures wreak havoc on car batteries and tires, and snow causes treacherous driving conditions. 

Snow will overspread area roadways. As a result, AAA Mid-Atlantic is gearing up for winter emergency roadside assistance calls. AAA Mid-Atlantic’s fleet of tow trucks, battery trucks and light service vehicles is ready to rescue AAA members during the winter months. AAA’s universally famous roadside assistance fleet is ready to rescue our members who need us this winter.

“The evening rush could be more difficult for some motorists and commuters,” said Bruce Jenkins, Manager of the AAA Mid-Atlantic Club Fleet Depot in Northern Virginia. “No one ever plans on getting stranded, so we encourages anyone with a car battery more than three years old to get it checked before temperatures drop. In addition, pack a vehicle emergency kit before you need it and leave in in the car all winter. These supplies could be life-saving.”

Expect periods of snow tonight. “A Winter Weather Advisory for snow means periods of snow will cause primarily travel difficulties. Expect snow covered roads and limited visibilities, and use caution while driving,” warns the National Weather Service (NWS). Brace yourself for “wind chill values as low as 5 below” Sunday night, advises the National Weather Service (NWS). Its forecast for the nation’s capital on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, January 21, calls for “Wind chill values as low as 5 below.” At zero degree Fahrenheit, a car’s battery loses about 60 percent of its strength, and at 32 °F, a vehicle’s battery loses 35 percent of its strength, according to AAA Automotive Research Center. A battery on the brink of dying rarely warns a driver before it fails.

Based on calls to AAA Mid-Atlantic Roadside Assistance, the most common problems that arise this time of year are with dead batteries or improperly inflated tires, both of which can be aggravated by a sudden cold snap. Last winter (December 2017 to March 2018), AAA Mid-Atlantic responded to more than a quarter of million, 275,000, requests for emergency roadside service in the area, including nearly 150,000 in Maryland, nearly 105,000 in Virginia and over 20,000 in Washington, D.C. proper.

Here is your AAA Winter Weather Car Care checklist:

• Tires – make sure your tires have a healthy tread. Insert a penny into the tread. If you can see all of Lincoln’s head, it’s time for new tires.

• Battery – most batteries last only 3-5 years in this area. Older batteries tend to fail in extreme temperatures. Don’t risk it.

• Windshield wipers – Make sure wipers are in good working order and don’t streak

• Top off anti-freeze and wiper fluids.

• Fill up - even motorists going a short distance could get stuck in traffic or have a breakdown. Having enough gas will allow you to stay warm while waiting for help to arrive.

Winter Vehicle Emergency Kit

Motorists are advised to pack a winter emergency kit now to stow in the trunk of their vehicle to have immediately available should the need arise. More than 40 percent of motorists do not carry an emergency kit in their vehicle, cautions AAA. The winter emergency kit should include a snowbrush, de-icer, shovel, kitty litter, flashlight with fresh batteries, a bright marker so you can be seen at night, jumper cables, extra coats, blankets, medications, snacks and water – especially when traveling with children or seniors.

Winter Weather Driving

• Adjust driving behaviors for conditions.

• Slow Down – At speeds as low as 35 mph, even new tires can still lose some contact with the roadway.

• Increase following distance.

• Limit distractions.

• Turn on headlights, day or night – lights should always be on when wipers are on.

• Pull over when visibility is limited – drivers should pull over at the first opportunity where it is SAFE to do so.

• Avoid using cruise control – when driving in wet or snowy weather it is important to be engaged in every aspect of driving.

AAA also reminds motorists to take the time to prepare their vehicles for winter weather. Making sure your membership is active or joining AAA is important and as simple as going to www.AAA.com.

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AAA provides automotive, travel and insurance services to 58 million members nationwide and nearly 79,000 members in the District of Columbia.  AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years.  The not-for-profit, fully tax-paying member organization works on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. For more information, visit  https://aaa.com