Memphis is expected to receive four to six inches of snow on Friday, and road conditions are expected to worsen as the day goes on.
The National Weather Service is urging drivers to stay off roads as much as possible on Friday as more snow falls throughout the day. Gov. Bill Lee and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) director Patrick C. Sheehan issued a State of Emergency ahead of this weekend’s winter storm. Memphis’ winter storm warning is in effect until 6 a.m. Saturday.
In addition:
Here’s what to know about road conditions in Memphis for Friday.
Memphis road conditions
During a Zoom press conference early Friday morning, Memphis Public Works Director Scott Morgan told reporters that the division deployed snow-fighting efforts at 10:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. Thursday.
The division is using a new plan to clear roads for the winter weather conditions this year, which strays away from the “hot spot,” approach used in prior years.
How do I find road conditions in Memphis?
The primary way for people to see road conditions in Memphis is through TDOT’s TNSmartWay Traffic cameras.
“Travelers can access road and travel conditions online at TNSmartWay Traffic or by dialing 511 from a cellular or landline phone,” the website states.
New snow mitigation plan in Memphis
The City of Memphis has a new plan for dealing with snow and ice which went into effect on Jan. 1. Crews from the Division of Public Works will focus on specific routes and clear one lane in each direction.
The old way to deal with snow and ice was to focus on inclines, declines, overpasses and bridges.
Instead of using a salt and sand mix, crews now will treat streets with straight salt. The use of only salt will more effectively melt snow and ice on roads.
Memphis weather radar
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis road conditions on Friday after snow storm were treacherous