Governor Glenn Youngkin warns Virginians to stay put by midnight due to an approaching winter storm. His emergency declaration remains active as the state prepares for significant snowfall, with resources being allocated statewide. A snow accumulation of two to six inches is expected across Virginia, with localized areas experiencing more intense snowfall.
Governor Glenn Youngkin has issued a critical message to residents of Virginia: “If you are not where you need to be by midnight, do not go.” During a press conference, he emphasized the importance of vigilance as another winter storm approaches. Youngkin urged citizens to allow access for treatment trucks to adequately prepare roadways for the upcoming snowfall. He reaffirmed that his emergency declaration from last week remains active due to the ongoing weather challenges.
Youngkin indicated that if an emergency declaration had not already been made, he would have done so in light of the forecast for significant snow impacting a large portion of the state. The governor highlighted the hardships many areas still face from recent power outages caused by wintry weather and flooding. Comparatively, Virginia experienced 315,000 outages during Hurricane Helene, while last week’s conditions resulted in approximately 450,000 outages due to ice-related incidents.
Efforts are underway to relocate resources across the state, particularly toward the Eastern Shore, which lacks sufficient snow removal facilities. The emergency personnel and equipment that assisted with flooding in Southwest Virginia will be repurposed as the snowstorm approaches. This includes deployments of the National Guard, as well as additional resources dispatched to Lynchburg, Richmond, and Southside Virginia.
The entire state should prepare for snowfall on Wednesday, with Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Warnings in effect from Wise to Richmond and beyond. Forecasts predict accumulating snow ranging from two to six inches, with certain localized areas, particularly in far Southwest Virginia, potentially receiving even higher amounts.
In conclusion, Governor Glenn Youngkin has taken proactive measures to address the impending winter storm, urging Virginians to stay in place if already out. He has extended emergency declarations to manage ongoing challenges from previous weather events. With resources mobilized across the state, residents are advised to heed weather warnings and remain cautious during the upcoming snow event.
Original Source: www.wvtf.org
