Politics & Government

Arlington Preparing for 'Full Mobilization' in Advance of Snow Storm

Arlington crews will begin working 12-hour shifts at midnight; VDOT expects to deploy 4,000 trucks in Northern Virginia by 4 a.m. Wednesday.

With Arlington in line to see its heaviest snowfall of the season, the county's Department of Environmental Services is spending Tuesday preparing for full mobilization.

The storm system is expected to dump 5 inches or more on Arlington starting late tonight. The Weather Channel has named this Winter Storm Saturn. The National Weather Service does not name snow storms.

Locally, the name "snowquester" has caught on.

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Outlying areas of the Washington metro area could see as much as double the snowfall.

Arlington County will operate 46 of its trucks and will secure six or more contract trucks as needed, spokeswoman Shannon Whalen McDaniel said in an email.

Find out what's happening in Arlingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to Whalen McDaniel:

"Staff are now hooking up equipment to the trucks in preparation for the storm, including plows, spreaders and chains. Starting at midnight, crews will begin working in 12-hour shifts (in compliance with safe practice standards) to treat and clear the streets. These shifts will continue through the storm and and extend into Thursday and Friday if necessary.

"There are no current plans to haul or melt snow given the current forecast. This is subject to change depending on the storm.

"Residents are encouraged to use the County's online form to report a snow issue 24 hours after the snow has stopped falling.

"Stayed tuned to FacebookTwitter, and Snow and Ice Central for updates about snow removal operations."

Shortly before 2 p.m., Metro announced that all Tuesday evening track work had been canceled in advance of the storm.

By 4 a.m. Wednesday, the Virginia Department of Transportation will have deployed 4,000 trucks in Northern Virginia. VDOT is responsible for 17,679 miles of road in Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and Arlington counties, according to a news release. Arlington maintains its own secondary roads.

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