Winter Storm Ravages Virginia, Leaving Tens of Thousands Without Power

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A winter storm swept through Virginia on February 11 and 12, 2025, leaving over 100,000 Dominion Energy customers without power at the peak of the outage. Heavy snow and freezing rain caused numerous downed trees and power lines across various neighborhoods, significantly disrupting daily life.

Residents awoke to darkness on Wednesday morning as treacherous conditions forced many gas stations and businesses to close. Sean Cantrell, a local resident near Forest Hill Avenue, described the scene: “A lot of trees are down on our street, so there’s a couple of power lines down as well.”

Meanwhile, in Powhatan County, Terry Paquette explained his challenges after the storm: “We’ve been hearing our trees falling all over the place… I lost power this morning and had to leave my house to find gas.” Faced with closed gas stations, he drove to Midlothian in search of fuel.

Officials indicated that restoration efforts may take several days. Dominion Energy spokesperson Jeremy Slayton stated, “There is a very distinct possibility of a multi-day restoration effort.” He added that melting ice presents additional hazards for repair crews working in icy conditions. “Access to some of these work zones is difficult with icy roads, black ice, and snow accumulation,” Slayton noted.

Throughout the region, the storm had a significant impact. Rappahannock Electric Cooperative had about 11,500 customers still without power later in the day, primarily in Culpeper and Fauquier counties. In Northern Virginia, approximately 17,000 customers were affected, with the majority of outages in Fairfax and Fauquier counties.

REC spokesperson Casey Hollins reassured customers that crews would work diligently to restore power. “For those still without power, please know that our crews are working diligently to restore service as quickly and safely as possible,” Hollins stated.

The storm was not only a power outage event; it also resulted in numerous traffic incidents. Virginia State Police reported approximately 850 crashes over Tuesday and Wednesday due to the hazardous weather conditions. Maryland State Police confirmed at least 235 accidents in their jurisdiction.

Amidst the chaos, parents took advantage of the snow day, with many families flocking to local hills for sledding. Temperatures were expected to rise, shifting the snowfall to rain, raising concerns about potential flooding in already saturated areas.

Weather experts warned that as temperatures increase, the mix of melting snow and rainfall could exacerbate flooding risks throughout the region. “Our main concern once we get into Thursday will be potential flooding impacts as we see rivers and streams swell,” said Vance Joyner, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

As the storm continues to impact Virginia and surrounding states, officials urge residents to remain vigilant and prepare for further weather-related disruptions.