On Tuesday, Floyd County public schools tried to welcome students back into their classrooms for the first time in 2018.
Didn’t work. After reports of icy conditions on several secondary roads, the “delayed arrival” became “closed for the day” for the fourth straight day of classes scheduled for being last Thursday.
Today, with temperatures already in the 40s at daybreak, the country’s schools should open on time.
Slick conditions met those attempting to drive home Monday evening after work and others trying to head out Tuesday morning.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Eric Branscom hit a patch of icy road on his way home Monday and his Subaru hit the ditch — hard. The slick road prevented a Virginia State Trooper from reaching the scene.
Motorists reported black ice and worse on several roads and police stayed busy dealing with minor accidents.
Even with temperatures in the 40s in many areas, frozen ground under the roads for the past two weeks turned wet roads into icy hazards.
If forecasts from the National Weather Service Office in Blacksburg offer correct information, Wednesday temperatures stay in the mid 40s during the day and mid 30s overnight, with 47 on Thursday and 58 Friday, accompanied by rain.
Two cold days for the weekend, though, as the temperatures heads south Friday night to a low of 27 with a high of 31 Saturday and down in the teens that night and 30 on Sunday with a low of 12.
Next week’s NWS predictions calls for highs in the low 30s Monday and Tuesday with lows in the teens, then 29 on Wednesday with a low of 13, then 37 on Thursday, 45 on Friday and 48 Saturday.
Earlier forecasts of days in the 50s next week and beyond now say 30s and 40s for highs and overnight lows below freezing.
Still, it will not be the frigid cold that gripped Floyd County and Southwestern Virginia at the beginning of the year but it will remind us that this is winter here in the mountains.
Of course, like all forecasts from the National Weather Service, the outlook could change — for better or worse.
Stay warm. Spring is still a ways off.