ROANOKE, Va. – Snow has been falling all of Monday in Roanoke city, marking an early start to winter weather this December.
This snowfall already surpasses the total snow Roanoke has seen in December since 2018, and it’s only the eighth day of the month. The early snow has caught the attention of many residents.
Jack Marion, a downtown Roanoke resident, said, “It felt like all of a sudden we were out of the fall and all of a sudden we were just slammed into winter, but yea it’s a good time for it to happen, it’s right around Christmas.”
In response to the snow, downtown businesses and city offices closed early to ensure their staff could get home safely on the snowy roads.
The Roanoke City Sheriff’s Office is urging everyone to stay off the roads if possible. For those who must drive, officials advise caution.
Doug Williams, chief deputy of operations for the Roanoke City Sheriff’s Office, said, “You don’t wanna go fast and you don’t wanna go too slow, so you want to be very easy on the gas and very easy and gentle on the brake pedal.”
The city’s fire department is also warning residents about holiday safety, especially regarding decorations.
Tommy Nash, assistant fire marshal with the City of Roanoke Fire Marshal’s Office, said, “Big mistake with real trees is not watering them. When Christmas trees dry out, they’re really flammable... with lights, try to limit the extension cords.”
Roanoke’s fire department also advises residents to ensure space heaters have an automatic shutoff feature to prevent fire hazards.