MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The beleaguered crews clearing roads for the state Department of Highways (DOH) are preparing for yet another winter weather event.

On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” Chief Engineer for Special Projects Jacob Bumgarner said the workers have been working 24-hour shifts at least for the last four weeks. So far, the feedback from the public has been largely positive, and no serious incidents or injuries have been reported.

“We always try to give them as much rest as we can, but the way these storms keep coming in, we just haven’t had a lot of chances to do so,” Bumgarner said.

The next weather system packs Arctic air that could drop temperatures to -10 degrees, but not before rain arrives Saturday and temperatures rise into the 40-degree range. Saturday night the rain changes to a wintry mix, then to snow that will continue through Sunday with a total accumulation of 1 to 3 inches.

The timing of the rain will likely take the use of salt brine pre-treatment off the table as an option, and when temperatures plummet, conventional salt becomes ineffective.

“That does present that challenge and doesn’t allow us to use that tool in our toolbox,” Bumgarner said. “But, we’ll do our best to get ahead of it as the conditions change and we get closer to the snowfall.”

Bumgarner said motorists should give DOH trucks a wide berth and always watch for them because plow drivers have limited visibility.

“Remember these guys are on 24-hour shifts, and they have been for a long time,” Bumgarner said. “Tiredness is setting in, so try to respect them as much as you can while they’re out there so they can get the job done.”

MetroNews Accuweather Meteorologist Jeff Nordean said from Saturday to Sunday night there is the potential for a 35-degree drop in temperature into the single digits. Monday, Martin Luther King Day, won’t get out of the single digits, and the first of two consecutive evenings of below-zero temperatures is in the forecast.

“Then the AccuWeather Real Feel gets even colder—-10 degrees to -20 degrees in much of the state,” Nordeen said. “So, it is going to be a very cold-feeling Monday morning.”

Nordeen said there is relief coming, but it won’t be until after at least the first three days of the week.

“We’re going to be back to the low 30s Thursday, so that will feel better,” Nordeen said. “Upper 30s Friday, and we’ll be back into the low 30s for next weekend.”

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