What Type of Winter Weather Information Does the DOT Maintenance group have available and what is available to other DOT employees and the public?
Many different tools are used by Maintenance forces in the battle against winter weather. DOT employs a private weather contractor (Accuweather) to provide periodic reports specifically tailored to DOT’s needs and operations. Reports are provided via fax to all DOT shops, and are usually posted on the 9th floor of the Dulles State Office Building just outside of the Regional Maintenance Office. Periodic winter road conditions are provided by DOT dispatchers at the Jefferson County Residency to local radio stations, school districts, and government agencies in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties. A subscription satellite radar service is also used at the Regional Office and all Residency locations. Road Weather Information Systems are also used to provide real time pavement temperature and chemical application information. Forecasts of pavement temperatures are then extrapolated from historical data to aid Maintenance Managers in making decisions for personnel deployment and ant
