STAUNTON, VA (Rocktown Now) — Staunton officially recorded six consecutive days in which temperatures failed to reach 32 degrees Fahrenheit, marking a rare cold streak in the city’s weather history. According to local records dating back to the 1890s, longer freeze streaks have occurred only 10 times.

The prolonged deep freeze placed significant strain on city infrastructure, particularly underground utilities. While snow crews worked to keep roads passable above ground, Staunton Utilities and Public Works crews responded to nine separate water main breaks caused by the extreme cold on Monday.

Despite the challenges, cleanup efforts are continuing as temperatures begin to moderate. Snow operations crews are actively scraping streets and pushing back snowbanks, with a priority on clearing school bus routes and bus stops to improve safety. Downtown areas remain a focus, particularly in tight corridors where accumulated snow has limited space to be relocated.

Crews are also working to widen travel lanes and improve sightlines at intersections. With daytime temperatures rising slightly before refreezing overnight, crews will continue scraping and applying salt to maintain road safety.

City officials also issued service reminders for the week. Trash collection will continue on its normal schedule, and residents may place extra trash at the curb. Yard waste collection, however, has been postponed to allow crews to focus on increased trash volume and to give snowbanks additional time to melt. Yard waste pickup has been rescheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 11.