RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Those who’ve been doing their rain dances may have danced a little too hard. Less than one week into the new year, Central Virginians are already counting down the days until the area’s first winter storm of 2024.
“A winter storm doesn’t always mean snow,” meteorologist Matt DiNardo said, clarifying expectations. “I know people in Central Virginia would love to always have snow, but sometimes a winter storm here in the mid-Atlantic can mean a lot of rain.”
All season, the 8News meteorology team has warned the community about the particularly fierce winter set to roar across our region.
“That’s what we’re starting to see now,” DiNardo said. “All we need is one of those big actions to mix with significant cold air, and there’s going to be a big snowstorm — and we should expect at least two of them here. So just hold on, it’s going to happen.”
The morning of Tuesday, Jan. 2, temperatures dropped — causing bridges and overpasses in areas like Henrico’s West End to hit the freezing mark.
Those icy roads could return on Thursday, Jan. 4, making for a slippery morning commute. Heading into the weekend, locally Central Virginians can expect varying degrees of heavy precipitation.
“Maybe a mix of rain, sleet and snow,” DiNardo said. “Maybe the mountains just get the snow. That seems to be the case with this type of storm.”
DiNardo shared which travelers might face the most fury from Mother Nature.
“Heading up, let’s say, north of Philadelphia, into New Jersey or New England — this could be a big-time winter storm for those folks in terms of snow.”
Residents should be prepared. Experts remind drivers to stock their cars with emergency kits and plan routes ahead of time. Those who are not eager to brave hard — or just plain frustrating — travel conditions should reconsider long, cross-country journeys.
“I think airport cancellations are going to be a major deal,” DiNardo predicted, “Your major airports — New York, Philly, Boston. Those are going to be heavily impacted.”
Travel complications are expected to last throughout the weekend, so it’s best to plan ahead, sooner rather than later.
