Impending Winter Storm Prompts State Of Emergency Declaration By VA Governor

WASHINGTON, DC — Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency in advance of the winter storm expected to hit parts of Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., Thursday night.

“Having two bouts of snow and icy weather back to back makes it more likely communities will need additional help as they continue to recover from the first round of tree-snapping wet snow and ice that we saw Monday,” Northam said, in the declaration he issued on Wednesday evening.

“While we typically have ample resources for snow storms, these back-to-back events will generate landmark winter weather that requires extra flexibility. I am grateful to the hundreds of first responders and emergency personnel who continue to work around the clock to keep Virginians safe,” the governor said.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory earlier in the day, saying a snowstorm is expected to move through the District, as well as parts of northern and central Maryland and Northern Virginia, from 9 p.m. on Thursday to 5 a.m. on Friday. The storm may bring accumulations of 2 to 4 inches and up to 5 inches of snow in some areas, according to the advisory.

The heaviest accumulations are expected to occur between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., when snow may accumulate at a rate of 1 inch per hour.

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The snow may cause hazardous road conditions and impact the Friday morning commute.

In addition to Washington, D.C. and central Maryland, the storm will impact the following communities in Northern Virginia: Arlington County, Alexandria, Fairfax County, Falls Church, Loudoun County, Manassas, Manassas Park and Prince William County.

The Washington D.C. metro region is still recovering from Monday's winter storm that dumped nearly up foot of snow on some areas. Heavy snow and winds knocked down utility poles and power lines, leaving 120,161 Virginians still without power days after the storm. Icy conditions caused more than 600 traffic crashes on roads across the state and stranded many drivers on I-95 for more than 20 hours.