Public works crews began pre-treating roadways early Monday after the city of Suffolk’s emergency management department advised of treacherous conditions about to descend on the area.

The department, headed by Capt. Jim Judkins, expects a high temperature Monday of 23 degrees, with wind chills near zero, according to city spokeswoman Diana Klink.

Snow had begun in the downtown area at 2 p.m., and an accumulation of about three inches is expected, officials said.

A transition to sleet and freezing rain is expected after 1 a.m. Tuesday, with a total snow accumulation of three to five inches, along with about a tenth of an inch of ice.

Crews began pre-treating roadways at 6:30 a.m. Monday, Klink stated. As of 11:30 a.m., they had applied about 5,500 gallons of brine solution on primary roadways.

It was expected all primary roadways in Suffolk would be treated by 2 p.m., when crews would begin applying brine to secondary roadways.

Snowplow teams have been called in at 4 p.m. Monday and will work 12-hour shifts throughout the storm, according to Klink.

“We have 21 snowplow trucks ready to treat roadways as needed with a salt/sand abrasive mixture,” she stated.

“Public works would also caution drivers to be aware that wintertime driving conditions can change rapidly.  Icy spots may be present, even where roads appear dry.”

Drivers are asked to “maintain vigilance for icy conditions and please give ample distance between themselves and the plow.”

Wintry precipitation is expected to taper off Tuesday morning, according to Klink. After overnight lows Monday of about 20, Tuesday is expected to reach the low 30s, with winds 5 to 10mph from the north to northeast.

A slight chance of snow is forecast for Wednesday, but no new accumulation is expected.

Winter weather preparedness and safety tips can be found at www.suffolkva.us.