THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Wednesday, January 8, 1997            TAG: 9701080378
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B7   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY KENNAN NEWBOLD, STAFF WRITER 
                                            LENGTH:   22 lines

SNOW A SLIGHT POSSIBILITY IN AREA EARLY ON THURSDAY

If Hampton Roads gets any snow from a storm system expected this week, it will arrive early Thursday morning - before most are awake to see it.

``There may be some snow, sleet and freezing rain, but it'll be before sunrise Thursday,'' said National Weather Service meteorologist Brian Cullen. ``It doesn't look like this snow will be a major event for Hampton Roads.''

``The further north you go, the sloppier it'll get during the morning commute (Thursday),'' he said. But it's nothing for this area to worry about.

Cullen also predicts that if there's any precipitation Friday, it'll be in liquid form.

Snow or no snow, a string of cold days will begin Thursday, when the high makes it only into the 30s. Temperatures will drop again on Friday and Saturday, with the high expected to stay in the upper 20s.

KEYWORDS: WEATHER