• ♦Manual Notice 2017-1
• ►1. District Snow and Ice Control Plans
  • ►1. Overview
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Road Closures
    • ♦Railroad Grade Crossing
    • ♦Purpose of this Manual
    • ♦Introduction to this Chapter
  • ►2. District Snow and Ice Control Plans
    • ♦Elements of a Snow and Ice Control Plan
    • ♦Objective
    • ♦Maintenance Section Plan
    • ♦Resources
    • ♦Coordination
    • ♦Operations
• ►2. Materials
  • ►1. Overview
    • ♦Summary
  • ►2. Solid Chemical Application Capability
    • ♦Need for Moisture Before Application
  • ►3. Liquid Chemical (Chemical Solution) Application Capability
    • ♦When to Use Liquid Chemicals
  • ►4. Pre-wetted Solid Chemical Application Capability
    • ♦Benefits of Pre-Wetting Solid Chemicals
  • ►5. Recommendations for Use of Liquid Chemicals
    • ♦Using for Snow Storms
    • ♦Pretreatment
    • ♦Early-Storm Treatment
    • ♦Preventing Black Ice
    • ♦Use Caution During Liquid Precipitation Storms
  • ►6. Recommendations for Use of Dry Chemicals
    • ♦Timing is Critical
    • ♦Do Not Use As Pretreatment on Dry Pavement
  • ►7. Chemical Types
    • ♦Sodium Chloride, NaCl
    • ♦Magnesium Chloride
    • ♦Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA)
    • ♦Potassium Acetate
  • ♦8. Brine Application
  • ♦9. Abrasives
  • ♦10. Testing
  • ►11. Environmental Considerations
    • ♦Environmental Effects vs. Benefits
    • ♦Variations in Effects
    • ♦Chemicals in Highway Runoff Not a Major Source of Chloride Contamination
• ►3. Equipment Maintenance
  • ►1. Overview
    • ♦Summary
  • ►2. Dump Trucks
    • ♦Pre-storm activities
    • ♦During the storm activities
    • ♦Post-storm activities
  • ►3. Motor-Grader
    • ♦Pre-storm activities
    • ♦During the storm activities
    • ♦Post storm activities
  • ►4. Loader
    • ♦Pre -storm activities
    • ♦During the storm activities
    • ♦Post storm activities
  • ►5. Snow Plow
    • ♦Pre – storm activities
    • ♦During the storm activities
    • ♦Post storm activities
  • ►6. V-Box Spreader
    • ♦Pre-storm activities
    • ♦During the storm activities
    • ♦Post storm activities
  • ►7. Tail Gate Spreader
    • ♦Pre-storm activities
    • ♦During the storm activities
    • ♦Post storm activities
  • ►8. Snow Wing
    • ♦Pre-storm activities
    • ♦During the storm activities
    • ♦Post storm activities
  • ►9. Snow Blower
    • ♦Pre-storm activities
    • ♦During the storm activities
    • ♦Post storm activities
  • ►10. Herbicide Rig
    • ♦Pre-storm activities
    • ♦During the storm activities
    • ♦Post storm activities
  • ►11. Pickup Applicator
    • ♦Pre-storm activities
    • ♦During the storm activities
    • ♦Post storm activities
• ►4. Purchasing
  • ►1. Overview
    • ♦Summary
  • ►2. Anti/De-icing Materials
    • ♦Blanket Purchases
    • ♦Small Purchases/Emergency Purchases
  • ►3. Major Equipment
    • ♦Definition
    • ♦Funding
    • ♦Specifications
  • ►4. Minor Equipment
    • ♦Definition
    • ♦Funding
  • ►5. Purchase of Parts
    • ♦Distributor Purchase
    • ♦Purchasing Used Repair Parts
  • ►6. Lease of Equipment without Operator
    • ♦Lease vs. Purchase
    • ♦Alternative fuel waiver
  • ►7. Lease of Equipment with Operator
    • ♦When to Use
  • ►8. Lease Purchase Contracts
    • ♦Use When Cost Effective
• ►5. Bridge Maintenance Needs
  • ►1. Overview
    • ♦Summary
  • ►2. Bridge Decks
    • ♦Risks of Chemical Damage
    • ♦Washing the Deck
  • ►3. Bridge Joints
    • ♦Risks of Chemical Damage
    • ♦Bridge Joint Inspection and Cleaning
  • ►4. Bridge Beams
    • ♦Risks of Chemical Damage
    • ♦Repair of Joint Systems
  • ►5. Bridge Caps
    • ♦Risks of Chemical Damage
    • ♦Maintain Joint Systems
  • ►6. Bridge Columns
    • ♦Risks of Chemical Damage
    • ♦Don’t Store Chemicals by Columns
• ►6. Personnel
  • ►1. Responsibilities of Maintenance Supervisors
    • ♦Coordination
  • ►2. Outsourcing
    • ♦Funding
  • ►3. Personnel Scheduling
    • ♦Tracking Employees
    • ♦Training
    • ♦Scheduling Employees with Commercial Driver Licenses
    • ♦Equipment
• ►7. Reporting
  • ►1. Overview
    • ♦Why Reports are Important
  • ►2. Federal Reporting
    • ♦Tracking Storm Damage Costs
  • ►3. State Reporting
    • ♦Highway Condition Reporting System
  • ►4. District Reporting
    • ♦Reports from Each Maintenance Section
    • ♦What to Include
  • ►5. Local Reporting
    • ♦What to Track
• ▼8. Weather Forecasting
  • ►1. Overview
    • ♦Importance of Accurate Forecasts
  • ►2. Advisories and Warnings
    • ♦Definitions
  • ►3. Winter Storm Stage Definitions
    • ♦Uniform Terminology
    • ♦Ice and Snow Message Library For Message Signs
  • ►4. Weather Information
    • ♦NWS Products and Services
    • ♦Internet Web Sites
    • ♦Private Forecasting Services
    • ♦Roadway Weather Information System
• ►9. Alternate Methods
  • ►1. Overview
    • ♦Proactive Approaches
  • ►2. Snow Fences
    • ♦Preventing Snow from Drifting onto Highways
    • ♦Where Effective
    • ♦Varieties and Forms
  • ►3. De-Icing & Anti-Icing Systems
    • ♦Definitions
    • ♦Anti-icing
    • ♦Benefits
    • ♦Use with RWIS
    • ♦Types of Application Systems
    • ♦Mobile Application Systems
    • ♦Fixed Application Systems
    • ♦De-icing

Chapter 8: Weather Forecasting

Anchor: #CHDEJAJE

Section 1: Overview

Anchor: #i999417

Importance of Accurate Forecasts

The decision to begin snow and ice control treatment begins with a good weather forecast and knowledge of the weather trends for your area. Maintenance supervisors have a number of alternatives available to aid in finding accurate weather forecasts to help determine when to begin snow and ice control measures.

Local news stations’ daily broadcasts are generally the initial warning that adverse conditions are to be expected and planning needs to begin. Monitoring these broadcasts can provide vital information on when to begin preparations.

This chapter provides additional sources of accurate and timely weather information and offers definitions of National Weather Service advisories and warnings.