Update on Winter Storm Helena

Prince George: Cloudy today. A slight chance of snow early in the evening... Then a chance of snow late in the evening. Snow after midnight. Snow may be heavy at times after midnight. Snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches. Lows in the mid-20s. North winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 90 percent.

Saturday: Snow until late afternoon...Then a chance of snow late. Total snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches. Cold with highs in the upper 20s. North winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 90 percent.

Closings and Delays: All Prince George Recreation Basketball games Scheduled for Saturday 1/7 have been cancelled.  Winter weather threat prompts Amtrak to modify service on the East Coast: Amtrak has adjusted schedules for trains operating Saturday due to winter weather expected to impact Virginia and North Carolina. Rail service from the northeast will end in Washington DC. 

Road Closures: None.

VDOT: VDOT advises drivers to watch local forecasts and road conditions closely throughout the week and to plan travel accordingly.  Dangerous driving conditions are possible over the next couple of days, particularly on bridges, overpasses, curves, hills and ramps, as temperatures are expected to stay below freezing.

For overall winter weather information, VDOT’s website includes frequently asked questions, driving tips and tools for motorists to learn more about VDOT’s winter preparedness at http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/snow.asp.

Fire and EMS: ERP II – ERP IV @ 1600 today (Jan 6,2016)

Police: ERP III

Current: Temperature: 33° F Wind Chill: 34° F  Wind: NNE 2mph

Power Outages: No power outages in Prince George reported at this time.

Message from Dominion: As Dominion continues with its preparations, we encourage customers across our service area to prepare now for possible power outages that could occur. Put together an emergency preparedness kit with needed supplies such as flashlights, water, medicines, portable radios, extra batteries and non-perishable goods. For more information on how to assemble a kit, visit https://www.dom.com/storm-center/storm-preparation-tips.jsp.

Customers can also prepare now by doing the following:

  • Be sure your phone number is up to date on your account. You can update the number online through Manage Your Account or by calling our phone number update line at 1-800-222-0401.
  • Bookmark m.dom.com on your mobile device so you can quickly report an outage if necessary.
  • Sign up to receive text messages from Dominion. Text DOM to 898366 from any mobile device.

Remember, customers can stay in touch with Dominion on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DomVAPower, and Facebook at www.facebook.com/dominionvirginiapower. Both are good sources of information and updates throughout the storm event.

After the storm passes, remember to:

  • Report or check the status of your power outage using your smartphone and visiting www.dom.com or by calling 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357).
  • If you see a downed wire that presents an eminent threat to life or property, call 911 first. All downed wires should be considered dangerous—stay at least 30’ away. Be sure to report any downed wires you see by calling 1-866-DOM-HELP. Wire down calls will be directed to a representative so that we may gather details about the condition and location of the wire. Crews will mark the wire to identify it - yellow tape if it is electrical wire, orange tape if it belongs to another utility.

Impacts: During cold weather, you should take the following precautions:

  • Stay indoors as much as possible and limit your exposure to the cold;
  • Dress in layers and keep dry;
  • Check on family, friends, and neighbors who are at risk and may need additional assistance;
  • Know the symptoms of cold-related health issues such as frostbite and hypothermia and seek medical attention if health conditions are severe.
  • Bring your pets indoors or ensure they have a warm shelter area with unfrozen water.
  • Make sure your vehicle has an emergency kit that includes an ice scraper, blanket and flashlight – and keep the fuel tank above half full.
  • If you are told to stay off the roads, stay home. If you must drive, don’t travel alone; keep others informed of your schedule and stay on main roads.

Know some of the terms that are used to describe winter weather:

  • Freezing Rain creates a coating of ice on roads and walkways.
  • Sleet is rain that turns to ice pellets before reaching the ground, causing roads to freeze and become slippery.
  • Winter Weather Advisory: cold, ice and snow are expected.
  • Winter Storm Watch: severe weather, such as heavy snow or ice, is possible in the next day or two.
  • Winter Storm Warning: severe winter conditions have begun or will begin very soon.
  • Blizzard Warning: heavy snow and strong winds will produce a blinding snow, near zero visibility, deep drifts and life-threatening wind chill.
  • Ice Storm Warning: freezing rain will produce ¼” or more of ice, a possibly damaging accumulation that could pull down trees and utility lines
  • Frost/Freeze Warning: below-freezing temperatures are expected

Important Numbers:

Emergency Communications Center: (used when EOC is not activated) Non-Emergency (804) 733-2770

Emergency Operations Center: (used only when activated)

  • (804) 733-2659 -- Public Number
  • (804) 733-2734 -- Public Information Officer (PIO): This number is for media outlets to call to obtain news related information

To report power outages please contact:

Real-time road conditions and weather forecasts are available at www.511Virginia.org.

To report a road hazard or get answers to your transportation questions, call Customer Service at 800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623).