We are about to be paralyzed

Virginia Declares State of Emergency Before Impending Blizzard

Northern and western parts of Virginia are expected to see well over a foot of snow beginning Friday morning, prompting Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell to declare a state of emergency in advance of impending blizzard conditions.

McDonnell's Wednesday declaration authorizes state agencies to aid local governments in responding to storm conditions.

The purpose of the declaration is to allot extra preparation time for emergency and road management crews.

According to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), 94 percent of the state snow removal budget has already been spent on earlier winter storms.

However, VDOT has an emergency reserve fund set up to serve as monetary back-up if future storms cause a need for more manpower and supplies.

VDOT wants people to know that despite budget concerns, road conditions will be first priority with this weekend's storm.

Residents are urged to stay off area roadways, with white-out conditions creating extremely hazardous travel conditions. High winds are also expected, with power outages a likely outcome.

Accumulation for this storm had the potential to match or exceed snowfall totals from the December mid-Atlantic blizzard.

The Washington, D.C. and surrounding metro areas are already very close to surpassing all-time winter snowfall records.

The function of declaring a state-wide declaration of emergency is to alert citizens that certain government processes, like postal services and schooling, may be suspended during a major weather or other emergency event.

Gumint agencies are also required to implement emergency preparation plans in response to the declaration.