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Alexandria making a snow plow ‘dry run’ around the city today

A snow plow on King Street in Old Town. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

There’s not a speck of snow on the forecast, but Alexandrians might see snow plows making the rounds across the city today.

The city’s Department of Transportation & Environmental Services (T&ES) is doing a practice run today for potential wintery conditions.

“If you see snow plows on Alexandria streets on November 13, they are not responding to an actual snowstorm but are instead practicing their routes and equipment readiness,” the city said in a release.

According to the release:

Test runs are an essential part of the City’s winter preparedness strategy; they help T&ES, and other City agencies involved in winter weather response, to respond promptly and effectively to keep our streets clear and our community safe when a snow event does occur.

Such drills give snow plow operators the opportunity to refamiliarize themselves with equipment, routes, and safety procedures to enhance their efficiency when responding to snow and ice events. The dry runs also allow T&ES to identify and address any maintenance or operational issues with our snow plows, ensuring they are in peak condition when winter weather arrives.

As always, T&ES encourages everyone to exercise caution when encountering snow plows on City streets. Even when there isn’t snow and ice on the ground, we ask residents to please give snow plows space to safely maneuver.

Weather experts are predicting a potential winter wonderland this year, with estimates of up to six or seven inches of snow, Washingtonian reported.