The Physical Nature and Prediction of Blowing Snow Within the Roadway Environment

Blowing snow presents one of the greatest challenges for maintenance personnel in snow and windblown regions. Blowing snow causes reduced driver visibility and snow-drifted and icy roads. The uncertainty associated with blowing snow events in maintenance decision making represents a major obstacle in effective and efficient responses during and after winter storms. The reduction of uncertainties associated with blowing snow events requires a broad understanding of the physical atmospheric, land surface, and roadway environment aspects leading to blowing snow. To achieve a more reliable prediction model for when and where blowing snow will occur within the roadway environment, a process was established to combine field experimentation with computer simulation to characterize the nature of blowing snow adjacent to an active Interstate highway. This paper presents results of the analysis and prediction of blowing snow mass flux within a roadway environment during the winters of 2005–2006 and 2006–2007. The blowing snow mass flux observations are used to validate a roadway environment blowing snow prediction system along with comparison with data from environmental sensor stations. The influence observed by blowing snow on pavement condition, pavement temperature, and visibility throughout different weather events is presented to relate the importance and challenges associated with blowing snow for maintenance decision makers.

• Record URL:
  http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/160000.aspx
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00978515
• Authors:
  • Hershey, Benjamin W
  • Osborne Jr, Leon F
• Conference:
  • Fourth National Conference on Surface Transportation Weather; Seventh International Symposium on Snow Removal and Ice Control Technology
  • Location: Indianapolis Indiana, United States
  • Date: 2008-6-16 to 2008-6-19
• Publication Date: 2008-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: pp 381-392
• Monograph Title: Surface Transportation Weather and Snow Removal and Ice Control Technology: Fourth National Conference on Surface Transportation Weather and Seventh International Symposium on Snow Removal and Ice Control Technology, June 16-19, 2008, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Circular
  • Issue Number: E-C126
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0097-8515

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Decision support systems; Icy roads; Interstate highways; Snow and ice control; Snowdrifts; Surface temperature; Visibility; Weather forecasting; Winter maintenance
• Uncontrolled Terms: Blizzards
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; I62: Winter Maintenance;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01103924
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Snow08-018
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jun 30 2008 3:05PM