The first major area snowstorm of the 2012 winter waited until midafternoon to make its appearance Sunday, but came down with a fury that led to some car accidents and caused bridges and overpasses to quickly freeze as the snow fell.
The snow started falling around 2 p.m., and by 5 p.m., there was an accumulation in Waynesboro of 5 inches, said Gary Critzer, the city's director of emergency management.
Critzer said the city's 911 center was busy receiving calls, and said the city's public works trucks were also busy plowing streets that had become covered. He said the local bridges and overpasses were freezing.
"It got slicker. The snow is dumping so fast,'' said Critzer, who said the snow was not expected to taper off until close to midnight and would accumulate to about 7 inches. He said the city was hoping to avoid power outages. Winds were not that severe.
The Waynesboro police were reporting only one accident, but said several vehicles had been stuck as the snowstorm picked up. Sgt. J.K. McCall said cars were getting stuck in ditches across the city. McCall reported no serious damage to the cars or injuries to the drivers.
The Virginia State Police in Augusta County were all busy working accidents late Sunday afternoon, according to a state police dispatcher.
The National Weather Service's forecast for the area Sunday morning had said there would be an accumulation of 1 to 3 inches. But the intensity of the storm Sunday afternoon quickly altered that forecast.
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