The city is making preparations for a winter storm expected to arrive over the weekend. Public Works crews are pre-treating roads in advance of snow accumulation.
According to the National Weather Service office in Wakefield, the upcoming storm could bring more than four inches of snow and moderate tidal flooding. The forecast predicts snow but not ice for Saturday and Sunday, with wind gusts possibly reaching 45 mph that may cause blizzard conditions from Saturday night into Sunday morning.
Temperatures are anticipated to stay below freezing for several days, with wind chills dropping into single digits.
Public Works employees are working 12-hour shifts to pre-treat roads, bridges, and overpasses before snowfall begins. All city snow routes have already been treated. When snow starts to accumulate, crews will transition from using brine to salt.
Due to the severe weather forecast, several events have been canceled or postponed. The free workshop for first-time homebuyers at the Y.H. Thomas Community Center scheduled for Saturday has been canceled. The Tidewater Striders running and walking event at Fort Monroe has been rescheduled for Sunday, February 8. Additionally, the city’s hiring and community engagement fair at the Hampton Roads Convention Center has been moved to Wednesday, April 1.
Residents can find information on how to prepare for severe winter weather here. Guidance from Dominion Virginia Power on preparing for possible outages is also available here.
The city’s Emergency Management office will continue monitoring weather conditions.
