Residents across Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Woodbridge should brace for what could be the most significant winter storm in years, with snow accumulations of 4 to 12 inches forecasted. The storm is set to begin Sunday afternoon, bringing snow, sleet, and freezing rain through Monday and potentially into early Tuesday.

Governor Glenn Youngkin has declared a state of emergency for Virginia, mobilizing state resources to prepare for hazardous conditions. The National Weather Service reports that the storm’s impact will depend on its track, with a northern trajectory bringing more ice and a southern track resulting in heavier snow across the area.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has activated its highest level of preparedness. “We’re mobilizing more than 900 pieces of equipment and have pre-treated major roadways, including Interstate 95, with brine to prevent ice from bonding to surfaces,” said Kelly Hannon of VDOT’s Fredericksburg District. Crews are also staging towing equipment along major routes to quickly address incidents.

Travel Warnings and Road Preparations

VDOT urges residents to complete all essential travel by Sunday and avoid driving during the storm. “Staying off the roads not only ensures your safety but allows our crews to clear snow and ice effectively,” Hannon emphasized. The storm is expected to bring snow at rates of up to an inch per hour, with periods of sleet and freezing rain complicating road conditions. Frigid temperatures following the storm could prolong icy conditions, hindering recovery efforts.

Lessons from the Past

Memories of the January 2022 snowstorm that stranded motorists on Interstate 95 loom large for hours. Hannon stressed the importance of staying home during hazardous weather, as treacherous conditions can halt even the most prepared response teams.

VDOT plans to prioritize interstates and primary roads but acknowledges that secondary streets may take longer to clear. Residents can track road-clearing progress through VDOT’s online resources.

As the storm approaches, Potomac Local News will provide updates on closures, travel conditions, and recovery efforts. Residents are encouraged to subscribe to our email newsletter or follow us online for the latest information.

Officials urge everyone to heed warnings and prepare for several days of challenging weather.

With a major snowstorm expected to impact the region starting Sunday, January 5, 2024, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) updated the Stafford County Board of Supervisors on its winter storm preparations late last month.

Andrew Thorpe, Assistant Resident Engineer, presented an overview of VDOT’s snow removal strategies during a recent meeting, emphasizing readiness across Stafford and neighboring counties.

The upcoming storm, fueled by a low-pressure system moving west to east, is forecast to bring significant wintry precipitation to the area. Snow is likely across most of the region, with sleet and freezing rain expected in southern areas late Sunday.

The system will exit the region by late Monday or early Tuesday.

An elevated winter storm threat is expected late Sun.-Mon. There is increasing confidence in regards to potential travel impacts & closures, especially for the Monday commute. More detailed snow & ice totals will be provided within the next 24 hrs at https://t.co/ZOlvEShgSf. pic.twitter.com/g1dU0K8xvh

— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) January 2, 2025

Thorpe outlined VDOT’s preparations, which include the allocation of $220 million statewide for snow removal and deployment of over 900 pieces of snow removal equipment across Stafford, Spotsylvania, and Caroline counties. Stafford County alone will see more than 260 hired snow removal units, alongside VDOT-owned equipment. Crews have stockpiled 29,000 tons of salt and sand and 58,000 gallons of salt brine for pre-treatment.

Preparations began in July with contractor coordination and continued with a recent dry run to finalize plans. VDOT’s tiered approach prioritizes clearing Interstate 95, primary roads, and access to public safety facilities before moving to high-volume secondary roads and subdivisions. During severe storms, plows focus on making roads passable for emergency vehicles, with follow-up efforts to fully clear roadways as conditions improve.

Thorpe emphasized the importance of technology, including GPS tracking on equipment, which allows for real-time monitoring of plowing progress. Residents can access live updates on v.plows.org and view road conditions through the 511 website and app.

He also encouraged drivers to stay off the roads during severe weather, ensure their vehicles are winter-ready, and use proper shoveling techniques to minimize re-blocking driveways after plows pass.

The Board of Supervisors thanked VDOT for its proactive planning and dedication to keeping roads safe. Residents with concerns or inquiries can contact VDOT’s 24/7 customer service center at 1-800-4-ROAD.

Get ready for a sharp drop in temperatures and gusty winds as a strong cold front moves through the region tonight into Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecast Overview

Thursday Morning: A mix of rain and snow showers may persist until 10 a.m., transitioning to snow in some areas briefly before tapering off. Temperatures will fall to around 33°F by late afternoon. Strong west winds at 16-20 mph could gust as high as 46 mph—precipitation chance: 40%.

Thursday Night: Skies will clear, but it will remain cold with lows around 29°F. Winds will continue from the west at 14 mph, with gusts up to 23 mph.

What to Expect

The powerful cold front will bring:

• Windy Conditions: Gusts could reach up to 46 mph, with the potential to cause isolated power outages and downed tree limbs.
• Chilly Temperatures: Wind chills will make temperatures feel much colder, especially on Thursday night when it could feel like the teens or single digits in some areas.
• Precipitation: A mix of rain and snow may lead to slick spots during the morning commute, especially in higher elevations and areas northwest of the immediate area.

Potential Impacts

• Power Outages: High winds may result in minor power disruptions, so residents should charge devices and prepare for outages.
• Travel Safety: Due to dangerous conditions, including whiteouts and reduced visibility, drivers in the mountains or other high elevations are advised to avoid non-essential travel.

The cold snap is expected to continue through Friday, but high pressure moving in will bring a gradual warming trend over the weekend. By early next week, another weather system could increase the chance of rain in the area.

Residents are encouraged to stay updated on the latest weather forecasts and advisories. Those in higher-risk areas should prepare for rapidly changing conditions and consider limiting travel during peak wind and snow times.

From Prince William fire and rescue:

Daylight Saving Time ends [2 a.m.] Sunday, November 3rd. As you turn your clocks back, the Prince William  County Fire and Rescue System would like to remind residents to change the battery in their smoke  alarms. When properly installed and maintained, working smoke alarms save lives and protect against  injury and loss due to fire. You double your chances of surviving a home fire with working smoke alarms  compared to homes without working smoke alarms. (Smoke Alarms Save Lives). 

Facts: 

• 360,000 home structure fires occurred resulting in 9,940 injuries, 2,710 deaths, and over $10.5 billion in property loss.  
• A home fire occurred every 88 seconds. 
• Cooking was the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries while smoking materials  were the leading cause of home fire deaths. 
• Nearly three out of five (59%) home fire deaths were caused by fires in properties with no  smoke alarms (43%) or smoke alarms that failed to operate (16%) due to missing or non functional power sources, including missing or disconnected batteries, dead batteries, and  disconnected hardwired alarms. 

Safety Tips 

Deadly house fires often occur late at night and early morning (11:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.) when individuals are sleeping. Therefore, it is imperative that smoke alarms be properly installed and maintained to  protect against injury and the loss of life. To keep you and your family safe follow these life-saving smoke  alarm tips: 

• Place a smoke alarm on every level of your home, including the basement, in every bedroom  and outside each sleeping area. 
• Test smoke alarms monthly by pushing the test button. If you cannot reach the button easily,  use a broom handle.  
• When a smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside. 
• Call 911 once you’re safely outside.  
• DO NOT remove the batteries from your smoke alarms to put in other appliances. • Replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years or sooner if they don’t respond  when testing: 

For smoke alarms with a non-replaceable battery, replace the entire smoke alarm if it  begins chirping. 

For smoke alarms with regular batteries, replace the batteries once a year when you  change your clocks, fall back, spring forward, or before if the battery starts to chirp.  • Smoke alarms should be interconnected, so when one alarm sounds, they all do. • Keep smoke alarms clean. Vacuum or dust your smoke alarms according to manufacturer’s  directions to keep them working properly. 

• Teach children what the smoke alarm sounds like and what to do in the event it sounds. 

Smoke alarms can often sound while cooking or taking a shower that emits large amounts of steam. If a  smoke alarm sounds during these types of activities, DO NOT remove or disable the battery; creating a  minor fix can lead to a deadly mistake. Instead you should: 

• Open a window or door and press the “hush” button,  
• Wave a towel at the alarm to clear the air, or  
• Move the entire alarm several feet away from the location.  

Smoke Alarms for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing 

There are specially designed smoke alarms for the deaf and hard of hearing, i.e. vibrating alarms or visual  alarms equipped with flashing strobe lights. It is vital that this audience is aware of the availability of  these types of smoke alarm devices as well as the importance of a proper escape plan.  

For more information on smoke alarms for the deaf and hard of hearing, contact the Hearing and Loss  Association of America at 301-657-2248 or visit www.hearingloss.org. 

The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for Sunday night, October 27, as temperatures are expected to plummet into the upper 20s and lower 30s across the region. The cold front that moved through the area earlier this morning brought cooler and drier air, which will persist into the night. Winds will begin to weaken after 3 a.m. Monday morning, with high pressure building over the region, leading to mostly clear skies and light winds.

The freeze warning is a concern for areas where the growing season is still in effect. Residents are urged to take precautions to protect sensitive plants and vegetation.

Sunday daytime temperatures will remain well below normal, with highs only reaching the mid to upper 50s. By late Sunday evening into early Monday morning, temperatures are expected to dip significantly, potentially threatening crops and outdoor plants. The cold conditions will continue into Monday morning before the region begins to warm slightly under mostly dry conditions.

In response to the devastating floods that hit western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene, Covenant Funeral Home in Stafford has stepped up to help its southern neighbors. Kyle Gibbs, the director of Covenant Funeral Home, donated a 53-foot refrigerated trailer to Harwood Homes Funeral Home in Black Mountain, N.C., to store human remains as the area grapples with the aftermath of the disaster.

The trailer, purchased initially during the coronavirus pandemic, was donated after a call between Gibbs and Tyler Puckett, Harwood Homes Funeral Home operator. The funeral home in Black Mountain, just five miles from the equally devastated town of Swannanoa, found itself in desperate need of body storage as the death toll rose. “We just wanted to help out in any way we can,” said Gibbs, who sent the trailer that arrived in flood-ravaged North Carolina on Friday, October 4. The trailer, worth $30,000, arrived that evening and is currently stationed at Puckett’s cemetery near his funeral home.

In addition to the trailer, Gibbs called on the community to contribute non-perishable foods, blankets, and other essential supplies for the affected area. NAPA Auto Parts in Stafford also donated a battery for the trailer, which runs on diesel and has built-in shelves to accommodate the increasing number of victims.

Conditions in Black Mountain and Swannanoa 

Black Mountain and Swannanoa are just outside Asheville and were particularly hard hit by the floods caused by Hurricane Helene. The aftermath devastated the small towns, with residents struggling to cope without power, water, or clear communication channels. Streets are littered with downed trees and debris.

The chaos has only been exacerbated by spotty communication, as many residents and local officials have been cut off from reliable internet and phone service. Looting was reported in the area, including at a local warehouse. Tyler Puckett described the scenes of devastation, where even getting around required the use of four-wheelers. “Pictures do it no justice,” he said, explaining that the destruction includes cars on top of railroads and homes pushed into the streets.

Despite the return of power and spotty internet connectivity to parts of Black Mountain, many areas remain without essential services, and the community is left to grapple with the overwhelming need for relief efforts. Donations of body bags and other supplies have come from across the state, but the area is struggling to recover with limited resources and aid.

Bracing for an Influx of Bodies

Harwood Homes Funeral Home is preparing for a tragic and grim reality: the number of bodies continues to rise as search and recovery efforts unfold. Puckett has been working around the clock to prepare for the influx of victims, which is expected to overwhelm the facility in the coming weeks.

He currently has 15 bodies in his care, but only two have been positively identified. Puckett explained that the remaining 13 are awaiting identification, a process that is being handled in Raleigh, the state capital, using blood and dental records. The challenge of identifying the deceased has been exacerbated by the condition of many bodies, making it a slow and arduous task. “Fingerprinting is unlikely to be possible due to the condition of the bodies,” said Puckett.

Puckett has already taken in bodies from as far as Raleigh and Mission Hospital in Asheville, and more are on the way.

“We’re getting ready to be impacted with bodies and bodies,” said Puckett, expressing concern about the funeral home’s capacity to manage the situation. Typically, Harwood Homes handles about 200 calls per year. But with the recent devastation, the funeral home is now faced with managing 100 bodies in what could take up to two months to address fully.

Despite the challenges, Puckett remains dedicated to serving his community in this time of need, saying, “This is someone’s mother, brother, or father. The dignity has gone out the door, to some extent, but we’ll do what we can to honor them.”

However, processing the dead presents immense challenges. The area lacks reliable internet service, so funeral homes cannot process death certificates with the state’s online system, Database Application for Vital Events, or DAVE for short. Without death certificates, cremations cannot proceed, further complicating the handling of the deceased.

The state has ordered that all unidentified bodies be transported to Raleigh for identification, adding another layer of red tape and additional costs for grieving families. Requests to the state to allow funeral directors the option of using paper death certificates have been denied, said Puckett.

In the meantime, Puckett has expressed his deep gratitude for his support during this difficult time. Supplies have been donated from as far as Georgia. Despite these contributions, Puckett stressed that the community is still in dire need of assistance and compassion.

“We just need prayers. That’s what we need,” he said.

As Hurricane Helene intensifies and approaches Florida’s Big Bend with the potential to become a major Category 4 hurricane, swift water rescue teams from Virginia are mobilizing to assist with the expected impacts.

The Prince William County Swift Water Rescue Team, a FEMA Type 3 team comprising six technicians and a Battalion Chief, was activated by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and deployed to Norton, Virginia. They left at 10:00 AM today from the Prince William Public Safety Training Center, aiming to coordinate with local authorities and manage water rescues in hurricane flood waters.

Simultaneously, the Stafford County Fire and Rescue’s Swift Water Team, recently validated under an MOU with VDEM and undertaking their first deployment, departed on Friday with eight members to southwestern Virginia. Both teams are equipped to be fully self-sufficient and handle operations in harsh conditions for extended periods, with Stafford County ensuring their local swift water response capabilities remain unaffected during this deployment.

Hurricane Helene is moving north-northeast at 12 knots and is expected to land this evening. It has shown a significant drop in pressure to 960 mb and increased wind speeds to 90 knots. The storm’s large size means impacts such as storm surge, wind, and heavy rainfall will extend far from the center, especially on the east side. These conditions will persist as Helene moves inland over Georgia and potentially stalls over the Tennessee Valley. Authorities urge that all preparations in the hurricane warning area be completed swiftly.

In this Local Business In Focus, we talked with Cristian Abrigo, operations manager at NV Waterproofing & Foundation Repair. Call them today at 703-690-3889 or nvwaterproofing.com for all your wet basement solutions, foundation repair, crack repair, drainage systems, and new home waterproofing needs.

In a recent interview, Cristian Abrigo, operations manager at NV Waterproofing & Foundation Repair, shared his journey within the company and gave an overview of the services they provide to homeowners.

“I joined NV Waterproofing in 2019 as a design specialist. I was out on the field actually visiting with homeowners and going through what issues they were experiencing and how we could help them,” Abrigo explained. His role involved direct interactions with clients, assessing their issues firsthand, which gave him a deep understanding of homeowners’ everyday challenges.

After two years in the field, Abrigo transitioned into an operations role. “And then, after doing that for two years, I moved into an operations role here at NV, and since then, which was at the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022, I’ve been handling all the operations portions and permits for NV,” he said.

In his current role, Abrigo oversees critical aspects of the business, such as permit applications, inspections, and crew scheduling. “Almost every job that we have that’s required by the county we go and get permits for that county, that city, or whatever jurisdiction that’s in. So, I handle the application process of that, the inspection process, and then getting those closed out. I also handle all the scheduling of our crews,” he noted.

The company specializes in addressing specific waterproofing, crawl space repair, and foundation repair needs. These services directly tackle the issues Abrigo and his team frequently encounter in the field. “We specialize in waterproofing, crawl space repair, and foundation repair,” said Abrigo, highlighting the scope of NV Waterproofing’s expertise.

From his initial role to his current position, Abrigo has focused on direct client interaction and operational efficiency, ensuring that the company meets and exceeds the expectations of the homeowners they serve. Through his insights, it’s clear that NV Waterproofing is dedicated to solving the real and pressing issues affecting homes in the region.

Based in Manassas, the NV Waterproofing & Foundation Repair team has served Greater Washington D.C. with quality basement waterproofing and foundation repair services since 1986. We specialize in wet basement solutions, foundation repair, crack repair, drainage systems, and new home waterproofing throughout Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland.

In this Local Business In Focus, we talked with Cristian Abrigo, operations manager at NV Waterproofing & Foundation Repair. With hurricane season at its peak, NV Waterproofing & Foundation Repair urges residents to take immediate action to secure their homes, ensuring peace of mind as storms approach. Call them today at 703-690-3889 or nvwaterproofing.com for all your wet basement solutions, foundation repair, crack repair, drainage systems, and new home waterproofing needs.

Cristian Abrigo, Operations Manager at NV Waterproofing & Foundation Repair, emphasizes the urgent need for homeowners to prepare for the hurricane season. With peak season upon us, proactive measures are essential to prevent and manage potential water damage.

Abrigo advises homeowners not to delay in addressing vulnerabilities in their homes.

“Definitely calling the sooner the better usually, we see most homeowners wait until that storm comes or we’re experiencing that storm to then call us. And at that point, a lot of people are also putting in calls. So you’re getting added to a list that’s a little bit longer so preparing for it. Knowing that, ‘hey, these storms are upcoming. Maybe I get someone to come out and take a look at this.’”

“Now, to prepare what could I do rather than once it happens. Then having someone come out, we do everything that we can to get to people as quickly as possible. Because one of course, we want to help them but we also know it’s an urgent matter,” he stated.

The urgency is clear—waiting until the last minute can result in longer wait times for services and could lead to more significant damage. Abrigo underscores the importance of being proactive, especially with storms on the horizon. “If you’ve experienced these issues before, it’s definitely going to suffer with these harder rains and more frequent,” he said.

NV Waterproofing provides specialized services to enhance home resilience, such as installing sump pumps with battery backups and secondary systems to ensure functionality even during power outages.

“Even as simple as if you haven’t had a water issue, but maybe you live in an area where the power goes out during these storms. Those are things that homeowners should be thinking of; maybe I should think of a sump pump that can handle if the power goes out, having a battery backup, and having another secondary pump on standby. So those are things that we can offer and take care of for these residents,” Abrigo explained.

In conclusion, Abrigo reiterates the company’s commitment to the community, especially during critical times.

“We are critical on helping the community; we want to help these homeowners that live here. We live in such a great area near the nation’s capital, and we also have so many great homes, but many of them suffer from these storms and, unfortunately, the drainage around them. So if there’s anything that we can do to help, we want to do that. And we’re a company that leads in helping our community and ensuring they’re safe,” he concluded.