WVTK Local & State News March 7, 2011 STORM UPDATES!

The National Weather Service continues its Winter Storm Warning for Addison & Essex Counties through 7PM. Expect anywhere from 1 – 2 Feet Of Snow with locally higher amounts possible. The Winter Storm Warning for Rutland County continues through 4PM with 7 – 14 Inches possible.

Clinton County and Essex County in New York are under State of Emergencies. Eric Day, Clinton County Director of Emergency Services, said people are urged to stay off the primary and secondary roads. Road crews are working hard to keep the roads open, Day said noting that visibility is horrible and the edge of the road is difficult to see.

ROAD UPDATE AS OF 12PM:

There are critical disruptions on VT 17, VT 22A, VT 125
 
VT 17: Route impassable.
Between VT 125 and VT 22A. The route is impassable due to deep snow on the roadway.
  
VT 22A: Route impassable.
Between VT 17 (5 miles south of the Vergennes area) and US 7 (near Vergennes). The route is impassable due to deep snow on the roadway.

VT 125: Route impassable.
Between VT 17 and VT 22A (7 to 14 miles south of Middlebury). The route is impassable due to deep snow on the roadway.

Town of Shoreham – Most roadways are impassable.

For the most up-to-date road conditions in Vermont click HERE.

This major snowfall will go down as the 5th biggest snowstorm in the state's history. The snow started falling yesterday and just kept coming. That coupled with the wind buried cars, homes and everything in its path. Traffic came to a standstill in most places. Many roads across the state are impassable or closed. The storm also knocked out power to thousands of Vermonters with more than 10-thousand homes without electricity early this morning. A record 500-plus schools were also closed today.

In Pittsford a tow-truck rolled into a snow bank as a result of wind, snow and ice, according to an officer at the scene. The driver was not injured but the road had to be closed while the truck was pulled out of the bank.

A statewide public hearing on health care reform in Vermont has been postponed for a week due to inclement weather. With public safety officials urging motorists to stay off the roads, the huge list of cancelations of public events has grown to include the hearing that was to take place this evening at Vermont Interactive Television studios around the state. Members of the public wishing to speak out on health care reform legislation currently under consideration in Montpelier will still have a chance to do so, though. The hearing has been rescheduled for next Monday evening, March 14, at Vermont Interactive Television studios.

Today's snowstorm is causing the postponement of three area playoff games scheduled for tonight. The girls basketball semifinals were supposed to tip off at the Barre Auditorium tonight with No. 1 Twinfield hosting No. 4 Poultney in the first Division IV semifinal at 6:30 p.m., followed by No. 1 Lamoille and No. 5 Middlebury in the first D-II semifinal at 8:15 p.m. Both of those games will be played Tuesday at 6:30 and 8:15 p.m. The Lake Division girls hockey quarterfinal between No. 4 Northfield and No. 5 Rutland, originally scheduled for 7:30 tonight at Norwich University, has been postponed. The Vermont Principals' Association has not announced a makeup date and time.

A section of Vermont's Interstate 89 has reopened but police are warning tractor-trailer trucks to stay off the highway during the snowstorm. Vermont State Police had closed the northbound section from Richmond to Williston at mid-day after about a half dozen tractor-trailer trucks were blocking lanes. Earlier today the northbound lane of the interstate was closed for several hours in the same general area. Police are warning commercial vehicles to stay off the interstate and the public to avoid unnecessary travel during the storm, which so far has dropped nearly 2 feet of snow.