‘If you are not where you want to be by midnight tonight, don’t go’: Youngkin urges people to stay home ahead of winter storm

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia leaders urge residents to stay home Tuesday evening as threats of a winter storm creep closer.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin held a press event Feb.18 to break down the state's preparations for the storm. Part of his core message was that Virginia remains in a formal State of Emergency and that Virginians should act accordingly, for the sake of themselves and others.

"If you are not where you want to be by midnight tonight, don't go," Youngkin cautioned Tuesday morning.

The state leader shared this plea as the Commonwealth awaits dangerous weather, anticipated to hit Central Virginia around 2 a.m. Wednesday morning.

If you've peaked outside at all this week, you would see that the looming storm isn't working on a blank canvas. Downed trees, debris and other remnants of last week's brutal winter weather still linger.

"I need everybody to understand that the state of emergency continues and if there wasn't one that had already been declared, I would be declaring one today," Youngkin explained.

Last week, Virginia saw 450,000 weather-related power outages. To put that into perspective, that number is about 135,000 more than the state saw with hurricane Helene, which made national headlines.

Given the massive scale of last week's storm, the Commonwealth is bracing for round two.

"We're dealing with road closures, all across southwest Virginia," Youngkin remarked. "And again, our road closures peaked during the flood events over the weekend at 408 road closures. We're now down to 149 and those are mainly secondary roads."

State leaders said Virginia is prepared. The national guard is deployed, Virginia State Police are on a 24-hour shift notice and the state has help on standby to keep tabs on critical infrastructures like Richmond's water system.

So far in 2025, Central Virginia has been no stranger to natural crises and the cascading effects they can produce within our community.

Richmond, Henrico and other surrounding counties like Goochland and Hanover County saw this first hand with what has come to be labeled as the "Richmond Water Crisis" back in January, when a snow storm took out the entire community's water system.

After assuring the state is prepared to help in whatever ways necessary over the next few days, Governor Youngkin addressed Virginians directly.

"We can get through this," Youngkin assured. "What I have recognized is that Virginians are extraordinary. Our first responders are extraordinary."

Attorney General Jason Miyares also spoke at the press event Tuesday morning where he reiterated that price gouging is illegal in a state of emergency. He stated that stores and shops found to be unlawfully raising their prices for critical materials like water, batteries and other emergency services during times of disaster will be prosecuted accordingly.

"Businesses should not be increasing what they charge during a state of emergency unless they could show their increases as accurately reflect actually increased costs that they have incurred," Miyares said.

The governor went on to explain that -- above all -- as natural disasters continue to occur, community members need to think about their neighbors.

"Across the Commonwealth, we have seen one last most important trait, which is Virginians looking after Virginians," Gov. Youngkin said. "I just want to encourage everyone to check on your neighbors. Make sure that you all are staying close."