Huntley Homecoming event postponed due to ‘extreme’ cold

In light of the snow this week and the anticipated extreme weather conditions on Sunday, the Fredericksburg, the Fredericksburg Nationals, and Huntley have jointly decided to postpone Sunday’s Huntley Homecoming Event for public safety.

The snow-covered stadium field poses potential hazards, especially with the expected icy conditions and low temperatures overnight. All events, including the downtown procession and the stadium pep rally, are now postponed to a later date.

Adding to the excitement surrounding Huntley’s connection to Fredericksburg, Mayor Kerry P. Devine declared January 21, 2024, as “Huntley Day” in Fredericksburg. This declaration comes in recognition of Michael Huntley, the victor of season 24 of The Voice on NBC, honoring his perseverance and dedication to the musical profession. Huntley, a celebrated singer-songwriter and native son of Fredericksburg, specializes in American Blues.

To mark “Huntley Day,” the Fredericksburg officials had outlined plans for a celebrity processional downtown, followed by a pep rally-style event that will take place at the Virginia Credit Union Stadium, home of the FredNats.

This Sunday is poised to bring an intense cold wave as frigid conditions tighten their grip on the region. According to the National Weather Service, a low-pressure system intensifying off the East Coast will move away on Saturday, paving the way for a robust high-pressure ridge to swiftly build southeastward from the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest U.S. into the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic region.

While upslope snow accumulations are expected to diminish on Saturday, the spotlight shifts to the extreme cold that will prevail on Sunday. Though not as severe as Saturday, wind chills will still be notably brisk across the entire region.

Central zones are projected to experience near zero or single-digit wind chills above or below zero. At the same time, metro and bay areas can anticipate wind chills in the teens above zero. Meanwhile, the mountains in the west may see wind chills plummet into the negative teens and 20s.

On Sunday, the entire region is forecasted to remain below average in temperature, with highs ranging from the middle 20s to the middle 30s. This marks a departure of 10 to 15 degrees below average, creating an exceptionally cold day.