DANVILLE, Va. – The National Weather Service has placed Danville and the surrounding area under a Winter Storm Warning starting at 10 p.m. Saturday and extending through 10 p.m. Sunday.

That 24-hour period will bring a wintry mix to Southside Virginia. The NWS is predicting several inches of snow, mixed with sleet and freezing rain. The precipitation will begin as snow Saturday night, then change to sleet and freezing rain. This wintry mix will make travel difficult and dangerous.

Danville Public Works crews spent the day Friday pre-treating roads; however, any ice accumulation will render many roads impassable except for vehicles with 4-wheel drive.

Total accumulations of 2 inches of snow and two-tenths of ice are likely, but the amounts could vary depending on the timing of the changeover from one type to the other. The bigger concern is the ice, which could lead to power outages.

The latest Danville forecast calls for a chance of snow before 3am, then snow likely after 4am. A low around 28 is expected with a snow accumulation of less than a half-inch possible overnight.

For Sunday, snow and sleet before 11am, then freezing rain between 11am and 3pm, then rain after 3pm. The snow and sleet could be heavy at times. New ice accumulation of 0.1 to 0.3 of an inch possible. New snow and sleet accumulation of 1-to-3 inches possible. The NWS is calling for a high of 34 on Sunday.

Rain is likely Sunday night before 2am, then a slight chance of freezing rain, with a low right around freezing. Little to no additional ice accumulation is expected Sunday night. The storm should exit the area Monday, with only a slight chance of sleet and rain before noon.