BE WARY OF BLACK ICE AND SLIPPERY ROADS

A tractor trailer passes melted ice as it travels north up the Hometown Hill (SR309) tonight. — A tractor trailer drives passed a patch of ice as it travels north up the Hometown Hill (SR309) tonight.

Be careful if you have to travel tonight (Sunday, January 18, 2015) into tomorrow morning. Quick changes in temperature throughout our area are resulting in slippery sidewalks and roadways.
According to IcyRoadSafety.com, accidents on icy roads kill at least twice the number of people annually than all other severe weather hazards combined (tornadoes, hurricanes, lightning, floods, high winds).
The site adds that annual injuries number well into the thousands, with many millions in property damage. Icy roads are a threat to life and property that just about everyone will face each winter.
JustDrivePA.org states that 6,384 people have died in vehicle fatalities in Pennsylvania from 2009 to 2013. Of all 67 Pennsylvania counties, Schuylkill County is tenth with 125 fatalities. Philadelphia was first.

Click HERE to view county and statewide fatality statistics as found on JustDrivePA.org.

The National Weather Service in State College has issued a special weather statement for Monday (January 19, 2015).

The statement reads:

… BLACK ICE IS POSSIBLE…

UNTREATED ROADS ARE BECOMING ICY THIS EVENING DUE TO BLACK ICE FORMATION. ICE IS FORMING ON UNTREATED SURFACES… EVEN WHERE AIR TEMPERATURES REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING… CREATING LOCALLY HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION… PATCHY DENSE DENSE FOG WILL AFFECT THE MIDDLE TO LOWER SUSQUEHANNA RIVER VALLEY THROUGH LATE EVENING… PRODUCING RAPID REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITY.

BLACK ICE IS THE TERM USED WHEN A THIN LAYER OF ICE COATS THE ROAD SURFACE. WHILE A ROAD MAY APPEAR DRY OR EVEN JUST GLOSSY AND WET… THE TEMPERATURES ARE COLD ENOUGH TO CREATE AN ALMOST INVISIBLE LAYER OF ICE. PLEASE USE SPECIAL CARE IN DRIVING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT.

FOR THOSE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 80… THIS INCLUDES AREAS BETWEEN THE LOGANTON AND NESCOPEK EXITS… SPECIFICALLY FROM MILE MARKERS 185 TO 247.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING INTERSTATES… THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE FROM MILE MARKERS 184 TO 295. INTERSTATE 78 FROM MILE MARKERS 0 TO 8. INTERSTATE 81 FROM MILE MARKERS 1 TO 139. INTERSTATE 83 FROM MILE MARKERS 1 TO 50. INTERSTATE 180 FROM MILE MARKERS 1 TO 29. INTERSTATE 283 FROM MILE MARKERS 0 TO 2.