Governor Youngkin Urges Caution Ahead of Severe Winter Storm

Governor Glenn Youngkin has advised Virginians to avoid travel before midnight to ensure safety as another winter storm approaches. His emergency declaration remains active due to the storm’s anticipated severity, with preparations in place statewide, especially in areas still recovering from previous outages.

Governor Glenn Youngkin has issued a clear directive to residents of Virginia ahead of an anticipated winter storm: “If you are not where you need to be by midnight, do not go.” During a press conference, he emphasized the importance of safety and urged residents to ensure that treatment trucks have unobstructed access to roadways to prepare for the impending snowfall expected on Wednesday.

Youngkin revealed that his emergency declaration from the previous winter weather event remains in effect. He stated, “If there wasn’t one that had already been declared, I would be declaring one today,” highlighting the severity of the upcoming snowstorm that is set to affect a significant portion of the state.

The governor noted that many areas are still recovering from previous power outages caused by wintry conditions and flooding. He provided a comparison, stating that Virginia experienced 315,000 outages during Hurricane Helene in September, while more than 450,000 outages occurred last week during the peak of icy conditions.

To address the anticipated storm, Virginia is reallocating resources statewide, including to the Eastern Shore, where snow removal equipment is limited. Emergency personnel and response equipment that were utilized for flooding in Southwest Virginia will remain in the area to assist with the incoming snowstorm, alongside National Guard deployments to areas such as Lynchburg and Richmond.

A statewide winter weather event is anticipated for Wednesday, with Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Warnings extending from Wise to Richmond and further afield. Forecasts predict accumulations ranging from two to six inches, with localized regions, particularly in far Southwest Virginia, expected to receive even higher amounts of snowfall.

In summary, Governor Youngkin has urged Virginians to remain cautious and avoid unnecessary travel before the winter storm arrives. His emergency declaration underscores the seriousness of the situation, especially given the recent power outages. As the state prepares for significant snowfall, officials are mobilizing resources to ensure public safety.

Original Source: www.wvtf.org