Driving from TX to VA in January
 

My husband and I will be driving from DFW to Richmond, VA in mid-January. (It's not a vacation, so dates cannot change.) Since both of us are native Texans, we have very little experience with driving in snow, etc. Will the interstate highways be clear, or do we need to get snow chains, etc? Also, which route past Knoxville, TN will have less snow/ice: north through Roanoke, VA or south through Greensboro, NC? We can also take I-20 through GA, SC and NC. Would that be better?

classic.mapquest.com

always go the 20 in Janjust to be safe...

odds are you will be ok the other way too

but the further south and warmer the better.

chains usually not needed unless going over poorly cleared

roads over mountain passes not a problem for you at all

on the southern route... Good luck!

Thanks, Quo!
I think the 20 route will be the way to go. It's only an hour longer.

You definitely do NOT need snow chains. Snow and ice on most of your route would be a major weather event - believe me, people in Georgia, Tennessee and NC are not really better prepared for snow than you are in Texas. It just doesn't happen very often. Even if there is a little bit of snow in the mountains, the roads are most likely going to be clear.

Honestly, I'd just check out the weather along each route right before you go rather than stressing about it now, and make your decision based on that. It's not likely enough to buy special equipment (if there's *that* much snow, you should postpone the drive - things will clear up in a day or two), though it's always a good idea to have blankets and other emergency supplies on a long trip. If there *is* major snow, personally I would rather drive along I-81 than I-40 through the Smokies. 81 is more northern, but doesn't wind around nearly as much. 40 through the mountains isn't fun in normal circumstances, much less bad weather.

> Will the interstate highways be clear, or do we need to get snow chains, etc?

I've driven on all kinds of highways, all over this country in all kinds of weather. If the interstates ever get so bad that you would need tire chains to drive on them, then you shouldn't drive that day. These expressways are designed for safety in all kinds of weather, and highway departments give the clearing of them the highest priority. When the weather gets so bad that THEY are unsafe to drive on (which, BTW, I've done -- just VERY slowly), then just pull off the road and stop for the night. Weather THAT bad hass only happened to me a few times in thirty years of traveling, so I doubt it will happen to you.

Simple rule: if you THINK the weather is too severe for you to safely handle the road, then it IS.

Any chance you could fly from DFW to Richmond (or Charlotte) and rent a car? A long road trip is not the time to develop your winter driving skills.
One of the worst iced up interstates I've heard of was from DFW to Abilene.

A tiny thing but make sure you have an ice scraper/snow brush to clear your windshield in case it does snow en route. We were driving from New Orleans to Virginia in February one year, stopped to stay overnight halfway there, and it snowed overnight. The roads were already cleared but none of the gas stations or stores had scrapers because we were too far south and the snow was a freak event. We ended up using a tupperware lid to scrape the windows.

We will definitely have at least one ice scraper, and probably a small tarp to cover the windshield overnight in the hotel parking lot!

No, we can't fly. Long story why, but this has to be driven.

I'm glad to hear that the weather shouldn't be that bad. I honestly wasn't sure where the "snowbelt" started, so I'm relieved to know we won't need chains, etc. We will definitely go the I-20/85 route and skip Tennessee entirely.

Go Dallas--Shreveport--Birmingham--Atlanta--Charlotte--to Richmond. Do not go through Knoxville!!
There is no way to tell what the weather will be. NO chains. Your car undoubtedly has front wheel drive.
It will be what it will be.
I had to stop one time in Kansas on the way to Denver. If it is bad and you have to stop, then that is it.
It's a two day drive for you.

It's ok to get an idea of which route is best, but as jent103 said, check the weather right before you go and THEN decide which route you're taking. No point in nailing down the details now because winter storms can be fairly localized.

I would also get the websites for each state's Department of Transportation (or whatever they call it) and bookmark the road conditions section so you can check each route before/during your trip.

I know you're worried about snow but ice storms are way worse, I would take a foot of snow any day rather than an ice storm that you all get down there.

Regarding the decision to go 20/85, you never know - there have been occasions where Atlanta got ice and 40 all the way through Tennessee was fine. I'd say the most likely scenario is a clear route any way you choose, and if that's the case, there's no reason I can see to take a longer route (personally I really, truly hate driving in Atlanta and would only do so as a last resort, but that's due to traffic and the layout rather than weather).

If there are storms somewhere, pick your route last minute. You won't have any trouble finding a place to break up the drive in the middle of January regardless of which way you take. As I said above, no point in stressing about it a month ahead of time.

I would say you have a 95% chance of not having a bit of problem with any route.

What kind of car do you have? Front Wheel Drive?


Even if you buy chains, you would need to know how to put them on.

If you do run into snow or ice just really reduce your speed.

I needed chains once between Meridian and Jackson, Mississippi, way back when tires were not as good and cars were rear wheel drive.

No chains since 1972! If you need chains, you need to stay over. I drive frequently from Boston to Richmond, sometimes in snow, and have never needed chains.

Don't plan to be the first car on the highway in the morning or the last at night. Overnight slick spots will mostly melt when the sun gets to them and won't freeze until well after dark.

If there is an ice storm or icy snow, stay over. The joy of traveling by car is having room for books, food, drinks, whatever to make a layover a treat. You know about ice if you are from North Texas. It is no different farther east.

I live in Richmond and don't know anyone here with chains or snow tires. Main roads, even after the worst of storms, are cleared quickly...it's the secondary roads that cause more problems such as school and business closings.

Do the I-20, I-85, I-95 route. An hour longer than I-40 from Knoxville to Asheville and beyond but the peace of mind will make it worthwhile.
Last Xmas, we drove from near Knoxville to WashDC and on the I-81 return coped with miserable snow from Roanoke into NE TN. Typical of the Appalachian high country in winter.
If you have a smart phone, you can get real time traffic and road condition map info for NC at http://www.ncdot.org/traffictravel/ and for VA at
http://www.511virginia.org/Conditions.aspx?r=1

Thanks for those websites! Keeping up on the weather will be great!

We will be driving a 2010 Ford Escape 2WD SUV.

ChristieP, just want to say that a couple of years ago, when we moved from TX to MD, we did so in January. Sunny and dry the entire trip, even through the hills of WVA and VA. Didn't get on 95 until north of Baltimore. Plan for the worst, hope for the best, right? Best wishes.

Yes, we are definitely hoping for good weather! If it is clear weather, we will probably go through the Smokies since we have never been that way. If the weather there is not good, we will go the southern route. The iPhone's weatehr apps are great!

Do you really even think you can buy chains today? And now you are going through the Smokies. NO doubt. Beautiful. Never been there--need to see it. Why on earth did you ask in the first place. LOL

I didn't mean that last post quite that way. You won't actually go through the Smokies that way because I would think you'd go north and east on I81. You can go through the Pigeon River Gorge (really pretty drive)if you head on east on I40 to Asheville but the Smokies are actually a bit south of I40.