Snow

In preparation for a winter storm that was expected to move into the Tri-State area Tuesday evening, road crews were pre-treating the roads, plow trucks were positioned in key locations, and utility workers from three companies in Ohio were on the way to the area.  The Maryland State Highway Administration on Tuesday was pre-treating secondary roads in Washington County, including Maryland and U.S. numbered routes, with salt brine, according to...

As of 6:46 p.m., the Washington County 911 center had handled a little more than 180 calls throughout the day and evening for crashes and disabled vehicles, a 911 supervisor said. The snow and ice that fell throughout the day turned Interstate 68 into a parking lot Wednesday afternoon when authorities had to close the road. The supervisor said I-68 westbound from Hancock to the Allegany County line was closed starting from about 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. because there were so many disabled tractor-trailers and vehicles on the interstate, which made it difficult for snow plows to work on the road, the supervisor said.

gregs@herald-mail.com A new policy on sidewalk snow removal passed with little fanfare during the Hagerstown City Council's Tuesday voting session. The City Council unanimously approved the policy, which extends the amount of time property owners have to comply with the rules and gives property owners more notice before they can face hefty fees or fines. City Councilwoman Penny May Nigh was the only person to comment on the measure just before it passed. Nigh addressed the case of Mary Jane Zook, 87, a Virginia Avenue resident who was charged $223 last winter by the city because her sidewalk was not cleared by the time a city contractor visited the house.

Just as the snow and ice from the last week's storm has melted from area roads, freezing rain predicted for this morning and throughout the day could make Monday's commute difficult all over the Tri-State area. Washington County could see less than an inch of snow on the ground this morning, but throughout the day, about one-quarter inch to one-half inch of ice could coat that, said Calvin Meadows of the National Weather Service. The forecast is the same for Berkeley and Jefferson counties in West Virginia and similar in Franklin and Fulton counties in Pennsylvania.

WASHINGTON COUNTY - For the boys in the Bower family, their previous state of residence conjures up images of hurricanes. Snow, they said, is not as scary. "We play in it," 5-year-old Justin said Monday while walking with his brothers and father, Eric Bower, near The Home Depot at the Centre at Hagerstown. Eric Bower carried a new shovel and a jug of salt. The Bowers, who moved to Maugansville from Florida, were preparing for a winter storm that forecasters said could deliver a wintry mix today and Wednesday.

Residents brace for possible snow bomb By DAN KULIN dank@herald-mail.com Groceries, salt and shovels were moving fast out of Hagerstown area stores Saturday as residents readied for a major snowstorm that was predicted to hit the East Coast from Virginia to New England today. "Busy" was the word from area grocery stores, as managers and other staff were put into cash register duty to deal with the swelled ranks of shoppers. "We're probably twice as busy as normal," said Eric Hahn, grocery manager at Weis Markets on the corner of Eastern Boulevard and Dual Highway in Hagerstown.

Hoping to remove the old snow before any new snow falls, workers with the City of Hagerstown Department of Public Works will be working on North Potomac Street from North Avenue to Franklin Street today, city officials said. Parking will be prohibited after 9 a.m. along that entire stretch of the street, said Eric Deike, manager of public works. The removal is expected to take all day.

Hancock police chief outlnes draft snow plan Hancock Police Chief Donald Gossage went over a draft snow emergency plan with the Hancock Town Council last week. Gossage said he does not think the council will pass the plan in time to affect this winter. Under the plan, parking would be prohibited in some parts of Hancock when the county's snow emergency plan is in effect. The requirements would remain in place for four hours after the snow emergency plan is lifted.

The forecast for Wednesday might be 4 to 8 inches of snow in the Hagerstown area, but Edwin Plank said weather officials haven't been too accurate lately. Plank, director of the Washington County Highways Department, pointed to last Thursday when forecasters said 3 inches of snow could fall on the area. It didn't happen. "Maybe it will do that again, and we'll be lucky," Plank said Tuesday afternoon. National Weather Service meteorologist Heather Sheffield said some of the recent storms have been tough to predict.

charlestown@herald-mail.com Heavy snow from last weekend's storm knocked over a chimney on a courthouse Wednesday, caused part of a roof to collapse on a Shepherdstown church and caused officials to take measures to prevent further problems. Wednesday morning, a section of ice and snow slid down the roof of the Jefferson County Courthouse and knocked over a chimney on the building, said Jesse Jones, chief deputy of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department. The remains of the chimney fell onto a parking lot below, but no one was struck, said Jefferson County Administrator Leslie Smith.