[Archived] Blizzard Expected Friday: Are You Ready?

For Immediate Release: January 20, 2016

The National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard Watch for the Alexandria area for Friday afternoon, January 22, through Saturday night, January 23.  The forecast calls for potentially life-threatening conditions, including heavy wind and up to a foot or more of snow.

Emergency Preparation is Key

Travel is expected to be severely limited – if not impossible – at times, which may result in a Level 3 storm.  This means that some residential roads may not be clear until after the weekend.  This type of precipitation often results in power outages. The City urges all residents and businesses to be prepared on an ongoing basis for the possibility that it may not be safe to travel for three or more days, and that power may be out during this period.  Take time check on neighbors and friends who may need assistance.  Homes and businesses should be equipped with battery-operated lighting and smoke detectors; do not use candles or fuel-powered heaters indoors.

"The best thing you can do to protect your family or your business against any type of unforeseen emergency year-round is to have three days of food, water, and medicine available and to have a plan for what to do if you can’t travel safely," said Corey Smedley, Deputy Fire Chief for Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security. "In this case, the emergency is not unforeseen. Even if we don’t get all the weather the forecast says is possible for a given storm, it’s always smart to be prepared."

Once It Snows

Sidewalks, driveways, and entrances are the responsibility of the adjacent property owner, occupant, or community association. Snow and ice must be cleared from all paved sidewalks abutting adjacent property within 24 to 72 hours of the end of the snowfall, depending on the storm response level as indicated at alexandriava.gov. Failure to clear sidewalks may result in the City having the work done and charging the cost to the property owner, or fining the property owner $50.

For Help and More Information

If your power goes out, report it to Dominion Virginia Power at 866.DOM.HELP (866.366.4357) or www.dom.com. To report a water main break or for questions about water service, contact Virginia American Water at 800.452.6863. For Alexandria City Public Schools operating status, see www.acps.k12.va.us/emergency. 

For questions or concerns about storm response, call 703.746.HELP or use Call.Click.Connect. Please call 911 only if you need immediate police, fire, or emergency medical assistance. 

For details, including storm level definitions and preparedness information, visit www.alexandriava.gov/Snow, sign up for the City’s Alexandria eNews service, or connect online at www.alexandriava.gov/SocialMedia.  For updates during the storm, visit www.alexandriava.gov.

This release is available online at www.alexandriava.gov/89425

Note:  This news release was edited at 6:40 p.m. to remove a reference to a Governor-declared state of emergency.  The Governor has not yet made such a declaration.