LIST: Central Virginia localities under local states of emergency ahead of winter storm
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Several Central Virginia localities have declared a local state of emergency ahead of the powerful snow and ice storm that will hit the region on Saturday.
Virginia is bracing itself for a winter storm expected to bring several inches of snow, freezing rain and dangerous ice accumulations, which is likely to cause widespread power outages.
Our StormTracker8 team is expecting that this system will bring some snow to the region at first, starting around dinnertime on Saturday, Jan. 24. The snow will then become sleet and freezing rain in the early morning hours of Sunday, Jan. 25 — and that freezing rain will quickly freeze into ice. As the rain continues to fall through early Monday, Jan. 26, this ice will build up, creating hazardous conditions.
On Thursday, Jan. 22, Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) declared a state of emergency for Virginia, which allows for the activation of additional resources that can be used to support the Commonwealth through the storm.
Multiple Central Virginia localities have followed suit by declaring their own states of emergency, which have a similar impact, just on a local level.
This includes the following localities:
- Hanover County
- Henrico County
- Goochland County
- Louisa County
- Prince George County
Additional localities will be added to this list if and when they declare local states of emergency.
RELATED: Hanover shares community resources ahead of winter weather
"The declaration of emergency, approved today by County Manager John A. Vithoulkas, gives officials additional flexibility to make purchases and mobilize resources to address impacts of the storm," Henrico said of its own emergency activation. "The Emergency Operations Center was activated early this week in anticipation of the storm, which is paired with bitter temperatures that could drop to the teens and wind chills below zero."
Central Virginians should start preparing now for substantial impacts to their day-to-day lives both during the storm and after it ends, as temperatures are expected to stay low into next week, meaning melting will be limited.
Here are a few links that could help you get ready for this storm:
- Roadway conditions and driving-related tips
- Is it safe to drive this weekend? AAA says to stay home if you can
- How to prepare your car as winter storm heads to Central Virginia this weekend
- LIST: Items to include in your car’s emergency kit for winter weather
- Driving safety tips to follow if travel is absolutely necessary during Virginia’s winter storm
- Home and health-related tips
- Power outage-related tips
Our StormTracker8 team continues to monitor this storm. On Saturday and Sunday, you can tune into our ongoing winter weather coverage using our free WRIC+ app. You can also check out our StormTracker8 24/7 weather livestream here.
For the most up-to-date weather alerts, click here or visit our StormTracker8 weather page.
