DC’s snow czar feels confident ahead of snow season

DC’s ‘Snow Czar’ feels confident ahead of snow season

The D.C. area is projected to get about 10 to 15 inches of snow this winter, and D.C.’s snow team coordinator is feeling confident after months of preparation.

“For the most part, we’re ready as a city,” snow czar Warnique West said. “Because I have salt, I have vehicles and I have staff. And we have done the training.”

In the Snow Command Center at the Department of Public Works, West explained how she stays updated on information, problems and the forecast during a storm. But her snow team spends all year preparing for snow season.

They study trends, learn about new equipment and set up contracts. D.C. has a fleet of more than 200 heavy and light plows, and they need to make sure all the machines are up and running.

“As the world is evolving and changing, I need to be able to evolve and change too with the snow program,” she said. “And know what different technology and things that we can do to make this city safe.”

When a storm hits, she urges residents to stay off the roads so crews can clear them more quickly and safely.

Linh Bui

Linh most recently worked at WJZ in Baltimore as a reporter and anchor from 2013-2023 and is now teaching at the University of Maryland. Prior to moving to the D.C. region, Linh worked as a reporter and anchor at stations in Fort Myers, Fla. and Macon, Ga.

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