The best time to get ready for a winter storm is well before one appears in the forecast. A major storm can quickly disrupt power, communication, and travel across Virginia. Whether you are new to the commonwealth or have lived here for years, we’ve gathered practical information to help you prepare in advance and better protect your family and your home.
Sign up for severe weather alerts that will inform you of incoming winter weather so you have time to prepare, especially before you head out the door and get on the road. Track storms and make appropriate preparations for the worst-case scenario. Winter storm warnings are typically issued between 12 and 24 hours before inclement weather arrives.
The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) has great resources for your family when a major winter storm is approaching Virginia. They also have an active Facebook page you can follow.
The National Weather Service for Virginia has social media communication channels in four reporting regions:
National Weather Service profiles for Virginia and surrounding areas on social media platform, X:
National Weather Service for Virginia and surrounding areas on social media platform, Facebook:
Prepare your car for winter weather with regular maintenance, including antifreeze, battery and tire checks, windshield wiper, and fluid replacement. Keep your vehicle’s gas tank full so you don't get stuck in an emergency and keep the fuel line from freezing.
Virginians do not have many opportunities to practice driving in snow and ice. So what's the safest way to drive in snow and ice, especially if you rarely do it? Stay home if you are able. Before severe winter weather, check your lights, heater, hazard signals, and windshield wipers to make sure all are working properly.
While it's sometimes unavoidable, there is no truly safe way to drive in heavy snow or ice. Prepare to travel after a winter storm by checking with transportation sources for up-to-date travel information.
The Virginia 511 Information System provides the latest traffic and road conditions by phone, website, and app.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Safety Patrol provides free-of-charge services such as tire change assistance, fuel at the nearest gas station, jump starts, phone access, and directions.
Virginia State Police is active on social media platform, X: @VSPPIO and Facebook: @VirginiaStatePolice.
Follow the Virginia Department of Transportation for local travel advisories on X in your local area:
Follow the VDOT Facebook Page and join the following Facebook groups for local advisories:
Getting stuck on the side of the road during a winter weather event can be dangerous. There are important things you can do to stay safe until help arrives. If you have flares in your car emergency kit, move your car safely out of the travel lane if possible and use them to mark your location.
Here are more safety tips if you are stranded on the side of the road in winter weather:
Click the links for updated flight information.
Your home can protect you during a major winter storm and also take the brunt of its elements. It's important to take measures to prepare its exterior and home equipment you'll depend on during a winter storm.
After any severe storm, there could be damage, including downed trees on your property, power outages, broken glass, and more.
If your home experiences damage during a winter storm, you may call your local agent for advice. Your agent can help you with your specific situation. Have your policy number and a list of questions ready: Am I covered? What's my deductible? When can I expect an adjuster to come to inspect the damage? What are the next steps?
When you're ready, the best way to report your home insurance claim is using your NNINS online member account. At your convenience, you can provide all your claim details and upload all your documentation, such as photos, police reports, and *receipts. You can also call our 24/7 Claims Hotline at 877-968-7252. Keep in mind, you may experience longer than normal wait times if a large storm resulted in many claims.
Your safety is our first priority if you have property damage. Be careful walking around damaged areas in your home. Here are a few tips for the best home insurance claim experience:
The best way to report and track a power outage in your area is online unless there is an electrical hazard. Electric utility companies get otherwise inundated with phone calls. Click on the links below to report an outage online and for information about electric utilities in your area.
During a power outage, generators can be extremely helpful—but only when used correctly. Keep these safety guidelines in mind:
1. Use generators outdoors only — Never operate a generator inside your home, garage, basement, crawlspace, or near doors and windows because of the risk of deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.
2. Keep generators at least 20 feet from buildings — Position the unit well away from doors, windows, and vents so exhaust cannot enter your home.
3. Prevent backfeeding and protect utility workers — Turn off your home’s main breaker before using a generator, and never plug a generator directly into a wall outlet. Instead, use heavy-duty outdoor extension cords or a properly installed transfer switch so power does not feed back into utility lines.
4. Turn generators off before refueling — Always shut down the generator and allow it to cool completely before adding fuel to reduce the risk of fire.
5. Avoid overloading the generator — Use outdoor-rated extension cords and only power essential appliances and devices so you do not overload the unit.
During a power outage, it's important to take extra precautions to prevent fires and CO2 poisoning. Carbon monoxide is invisible and deadly. Never use ovens, grills, or unapproved fireplaces for heat, turn heaters off before sleeping or leaving the room, and only use heaters with tip-over protection. If a CO alarm sounds or you feel dizzy or nauseous, get outside immediately and call 911.
The Virginia Department of Transportation's (VDOT) clearance goals after a storm ends allow for one passable lane on all subdivisions:
Check out this helpful video from the Virginia Department of Transportation about plowing roads. You can also see when the roads in your Virginia community are plowed with VDOT's Online Snowplow Tracker Tool.
Wondering why you sometimes see trucks drive with their plows up? They may be spreading sand & salt. May be out of materials and heading back for a refill. Operators may also be en route to the assigned area. Your patience is appreciated!
Prepare to drive safely following a storm with the following tips:
Maybe you've been the victim of snow chunks flying into your windshield from another driver who did not take the time to properly clear their vehicle, or you have been the offender because you were in a hurry. This can create a dangerous situation and cause reduced visibility, broken windshields, and even death has occurred from missing this crucial step. It doesn’t just help the drivers around you: cleaning off your own vehicle increases your road visibility and lessens your chance of a collision.
Here are a few tips to properly clean snow and ice from your vehicle:
Dry your wiper blades and make sure your wiper fluid nozzles are clear. They’ll have a lesser chance of icing over during the next storm.
Use the smooth side of a plastic ice scraper to clear frost. For a thicker coating, use the ridged side of a plastic ice scraper for the windshield. Make vertical cuts down the window and scrape across the window surface to break up the snow or ice.
Never pour hot water or use anything sharp on a car covered in ice. The rapid temperature change causes the glass to crack or shatter. Sharp items will scratch or shatter the glass.
Moisture in your car can cause fog to build up. Set your air vent to fresh rather than recirculate, and consider using your air conditioner for extra pesky days. They are designed to remove moisture and can do this even with the heater on.
Waze, the navigation app, developed a new "hazard" to report unplowed roads and black ice after VDOT suggested it might be helpful to drivers. This is really handy for side roads and communities. Just tap on Hazards > Weather > Unplowed Road.
As a Waze for Cities Data partner, VDOT plans to monitor reports coming in from Wazers and those who are simply shoveling their driveways and sidewalks this winter and determine how they can incorporate this data into their operations for the following winter.
Please don't report hazards while you're driving. You can also report a road issue at 1-800-367-7623 (FOR-ROAD). For life-threatening emergencies, please dial 911.
Stay safe, and let us know if we've left anything out! And let us know how we can serve you. We're close by and ready!
Sources:
Learn more about homeowners insurance in Virginia
Learn more about car insurance in Virginia
THE NORTHERN NECK INSURANCE INTEGRITY PROMISE — We pledge to provide straight talk and good counsel from our NNINS Virginia insurance experts through our blog. While we hope you find this to be a helpful source of information, it does not replace the guidance of a licensed insurance professional, nor does it modify the terms of your Northern Neck Insurance policy in any way. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy.