Virginia Beach, Virginia – A potentially high-impact winter storm could bring snow, sleet, and freezing rain across much of Virginia, northeast North Carolina, and southeast Maryland beginning Saturday afternoon and lasting into Monday, raising concerns for hazardous travel and power outages.
According to the National Weather Service in Wakefield, a Winter Storm Watch remains in effect from Saturday afternoon through Monday afternoon for a broad region stretching from the Richmond metro and Hampton Roads to the Eastern Shore, southern Maryland, and portions of northeast North Carolina. Confidence is increasing in widespread mixed precipitation, with forecasters warning of moderate to major impacts to transportation and infrastructure if current trends continue.
Communities including Richmond, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Suffolk, Williamsburg, Petersburg, Hopewell, and Poquoson could see roads become slick and hazardous, especially on bridges and overpasses. Farther inland, areas such as Hanover, Chesterfield, Henrico, Powhatan, Amelia, Prince Edward, and Mecklenburg counties are also included in the watch, where snow and ice could lead to widespread travel disruptions. In northeast North Carolina, Gates and Chowan counties may also be impacted.
Along the coast and Tidewater region, ice accumulation on power lines and tree limbs could lead to scattered to widespread power outages, especially if freezing rain becomes dominant. Officials note that even small changes in storm track could significantly alter snowfall and ice totals.
Residents are urged to monitor forecast updates closely, prepare for possible travel disruptions, and review plans for power outages. The Winter Storm Watch remains in effect through Monday afternoon, and warnings may be issued as confidence in the storm’s impacts increases.
