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Winter weather advisory issued for St. Lawrence County; DOT urges motorists to use caution

Posted 1/28/13

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for St. Lawrence County until 7 a.m. Wednesday as snow turns into freezing rain this evening. And with the wintry mix piling up on …

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Winter weather advisory issued for St. Lawrence County; DOT urges motorists to use caution

Posted

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for St. Lawrence County until 7 a.m. Wednesday as snow turns into freezing rain this evening.

And with the wintry mix piling up on North Country roads, the state Department of Transportation has urged drivers to use caution when driving.

Accumulations are expected to reach up to six inches, which a maximum snowfall rate of up to an inch per hour, the weather service says.

The precipitation is predicted to continue until morning. Roads are expected to be hazardous and visibility will be poor.

Meanwhile, DOT is reminding motorists of some of the most important tips for safe winter driving:

· Never follow a snowplow too closely or attempt to pass one. Remember that the highway ahead of the plow is usually snow-covered;

· Adjust speed for road conditions and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles;

· Schedule extra time for winter travel and be patient during ice and snow removal operations;

· Assume that bridge surfaces are slippery, as they freeze more quickly than road surfaces;

· Watch for black ice, which can be difficult to see but makes conditions slippery when pavement temperatures are below freezing;

· Have a cell phone handy, if possible, but do not text while driving; distracted driving is illegal and becomes even more dangerous during storm events;

· Never venture from your vehicle if snowbound;

· Equip your car with emergency supplies including sand, shovel, flares, booster cables, rope, ice scraper, portable radio, flashlight, blankets and extra warm clothes;

· Inform a responsible person of your destination, intended route, and estimated time of arrival; and

· Keep calm and do not panic in case of a vehicle breakdown, accident, or if you become snowbound.

In addition to following these safety tips, motorists can visit the Department's website www.dot.ny.gov/programs/driver-safety for informative safety applications.

The site features an interactive safe driving experience that includes tips for driving safely in winter weather conditions, a video demonstrating the proper method for steering out of a skid, a winter driving quiz and a video that allows visitors to experience the conditions snowplow operators face each winter.

For an up-to-date forecast, visit our weather page at http://northcountrynow.com/weather.

This afternoon’s seven-day National Weather Service forecast follows:

Tonight: Snow before 1 a.m. then a chance of snow and freezing drizzle. Low around 23. Northeast wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. Little or no ice accumulation expected. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Tuesday: A slight chance of snow and freezing rain before 1pm, then a chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 37. Light and variable wind becoming east 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Tuesday Night: Rain. Low around 36. East wind 6 to 11 mph becoming south 12 to 17 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Wednesday: Showers. High near 52. Windy, with a south wind 16 to 26 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Wednesday Night: Rain showers likely before 4am, then a chance of snow showers. Cloudy, with a low around 27. Windy, with a south wind 22 to 27 mph increasing to 29 to 34 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Thursday: A 40 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 28. Breezy, with a west wind 16 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

Thursday Night: Cloudy, with a low around 12. West wind around 10 mph.

Friday: Cloudy, with a high near 20. West wind 9 to 11 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 11. Southwest wind around 7 mph.

Saturday: Cloudy, with a high near 24. Southwest wind 7 to 10 mph.

Saturday Night: Cloudy, with a low around 11. Southwest wind around 6 mph.

Sunday: A 40 percent chance of snow showers. Cloudy, with a high near 23. Southwest wind 7 to 11 mph.

Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 7. West wind around 11 mph.

Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 19. West wind 9 to 11 mph.