(ABC 6 News) – We are seeing a major impact on holiday travel as a massive winter storm heads towards our region.
Many drivers were originally scheduled to leave on Thursday or Friday, but now expect the worst two days.
Current forecasts call for sometimes dangerous, if not impossible, driving conditions heading into the holiday weekend.
If you are stranded during your trip due to the extreme cold associated with the storm, you never know if or when you will be rescued. It can be a life-threatening situation.
“Really just change your travel plans. If you plan to travel Wednesday, Thursday, Friday through Saturday, make a few adjustments because it’s better to have a late celebration than a tragedy.”
We can see 4-7 inches of snow in our area, and snowplow drivers are prepared to work 12-hour shifts throughout the holiday weekend.
Poor visibility, drifting and strong wind gusts are to be expected, and in the past, even snowplows had to be pulled off the road in dangerous conditions, Dougherty said.
You’re putting people at risk when they start thinking, ‘If a snowplow slides off the road, it won’t do any good,'” says Dougherty.
“They will continue to assess the situation and assess what is happening on the ground, but for now the plan is that it will be a few days before everything is clear and we are back on the bare pavement. ”
