Take caution

7:15 a.m.
Albemarle County Schools are closed.
Charlottesville City School District is on a 2 hour delay.

The predicted snowfall didn’t materialize, but freezing rain and sleet led to dangerous road conditions Tuesday, leaving two dead in Albemarle County.

More bad weather was expected. Jerry Stenger of the climatology office at the University of Virginia predicted that a mixture of freezing rain and sleet would fall Tuesday evening and this morning.

The precipitation likely will turn into rain today, with the potential for light snow as the winter weather system heads out of the area tonight.

This morning’s “commute will be at least as unpleasant as today, probably more so,” Stenger said Tuesday.

He said temperatures could drop into the 20s by sunrise Thursday, possibly making for a third straight hazardous morning commute.

Tuesday proved deadly for at least three Virginians.

A Waynesboro man died early Tuesday in Augusta when his pickup slid off U.S. 340, flipped and was hit by a truck when the pickup landed back in the road, according to the Virginia State Police.

In Albemarle on Tuesday morning, two Virginia women were killed in a single-vehicle crash on U.S. 29.

Albemarle police continue to investigate the accident but believe weather and road conditions were factors, Cpl. Sean Hackney said.

Shortly after 8 a.m., Wesley L. Motley of North Carolina was driving his 1998 Nissan Altima north near Hickory Hill Store west of the city when he lost control, Hackney said. The vehicle spun off the right side of the highway, down an embankment and struck a tree.

Motley, 54, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at the University of Virginia Medical Center, according to Hackney.

Two passengers were killed in the crash. Danville resident Dora Gunter Jones, 53, and Tiffany Marie Gunter, 34, of Madison Heights, died at the scene, Hackney said.

Hackney and Lt. Todd Hopwood said drivers need to slow down.

“People are driving like it’s just a rain storm,” Hopwood said. He warned drivers to be extra cautious at night, when precipitation on the roads freezes into black ice.

The Virginia Department of Transportation warned drivers to be especially cautious on bridges, overpasses, turn lanes, ramps and intersections.

By about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Albemarle police had investigated 15 accidents, Sgt. Peter Mainzer Jr. said. There were likely many more accidents; patrol officers were handling only crashes with injuries, significant damage or those that blocked traffic.

County government offices closed early Tuesday, at 4 p.m., because of the inclement weather, spokeswoman Lee Catlin announced.

Area schools also were closed Tuesday.

Albemarle schools had planned to open two hours late today, but officials decided to close early this morning after reports of icy roads.