The first potential blizzard she said. "We are completely of the winter season was and 100 percent prepared with working its way toward staff, equipment and de-icing Delaware overnight, with chemicals if the storm comes forecasters issuing stern through." warnings of heavy drifting The Air Transport Association snow, wind gusts up to 40 mph was expecting 44.3 million and travel conditions that people on U.S. flights will be "hazardous or between Dec. 16 and Jan. 5 -- impossible." up 3 percent over the same "What we will see is snow period a year ago but still become steadier and heavier below pre-recession travel during the day," said Jim volume. The AAA predicted Hayes, a meteorologist with overall holiday travel to the National Weather Service rise about 3 percent this in Mount Holly, N.J. "During year, with more than 92 the afternoon, winds will million people planning to go start to pick up. So by mid- more than 50 miles by Jan. 2. to late afternoon, we could More than 90 percent would be be seeing near-blizzard driving. Road travel will conditions very much across become hazardous because of the state." significant accumulations of Today's highs will remain snow, with blowing and near the freezing mark across drifting snow expected with the state, which is expected greatly reduced visibilities to get 8-12 inches of snow at times, the weather service "across the board." A winter said. storm warning will be in The forecast is for northerly effect starting near dawn winds increasing to 20 to 30 today until Monday afternoon. mph with gusts over 40 mph. "This looks like an equal- Motorists waiting for Monday opportunity storm," Hayes to travel also could be in said. "Maybe a little bit for some complications, Hayes more in Sussex [County] and a said. little bit less in northwest "The snow probably gets drier New Castle County, but as the night goes on because everyone should get in that it gets colder," he said. "We range." could see blowing and Hayes said the storm is part drifting snow Monday morning." of a system that began in the Aware of the approaching Gulf of Mexico on Saturday weather system, state and made its way up the East Department of Transportation Coast, creating a rare white crews began pre-treating the Christmas in parts of the major roads in Sussex County South. It also complicated on Thursday by spraying brine. life for some holiday The mixture of salt and water travelers as airlines is effective for days after canceled hundreds of flights. it is applied. Delta Air Lines spokesman DelDOT also had a skeleton Kent Landers said 500 weather- crew and supervisors out related flight cancellations overnight checking the road were planned for Saturday conditions statewide, said nationwide. Continental Jim Westhoff, agency Airlines announced Saturday spokesman. evening it was canceling 250 "We plan to have everyone flights departing from Newark fully staffed on the road by Liberty International Airport dawn," Westhoff said. "We outside New York City. United want our people to be on the Airlines said weather road before the brunt of the conditions would likely force storm begins." delays and cancellations at The agency has about 65,000 United's hub at Washington tons of salt in more than 20 Dulles International Airport locations to spread on the and at other northeastern nearly 12,900 total lane airports between Saturday and miles -- or 89 percent of Monday. Delaware roads -- DelDOT "At this point, the forecast covers. calls for less snow at Up to 500 employees are Dulles" than in the New York available for snow-removal area, United spokesman operations, including Michael Trevino said in an e- equipment operators, mail. "As a result, the team mechanics, dispatchers and is still working through the administrators and other plan for that station and office personnel, officials whether any proactive said. DelDOT has 446 pieces cancellations will be of equipment available for necessary." snow operations statewide. Some carriers are waiving Equipment includes heavy-duty fees for one-time changes in snowplows of various types affected areas and are urging and sizes attached to six- passengers to make changes and 10-wheeled dump trucks, through their websites. as well as snowblowers, road (2 of 2) graders and front-end loaders. Operations were normal at "We are as ready as we can be, Philadelphia International " Westhoff said. Airport on Saturday, but Wilmington's Public Works airport spokeswoman Victoria crews also will work Lupica said there were some throughout the day to apply flight cancelations as a salt to city streets and plow result of storms in the snow. If travel can be Midwest. Lupica asked that avoided, it will reduce the before people go to the likelihood that motorists airport they check the status will interfere with the of the flight to see if it is salting and plowing on time. operations, city officials "We're following the weather said. just like everyone else is,"
Tags: Delaware, expected, slam, Snowstorm
