RICHMOND, Va. β Richmond residents are enjoying the area's first snowstorm of 2026 despite icy road conditions and widespread concerns about potential power outages.
Three-year-old Caroline Ward was so excited about the snow that she woke up her mother with a snowball, while nearby resident Josh McFarlane spent his Sunday skiing down Monument Avenue.
"She went outside, grabbed a nice little snowball and came in and woke me up, with actual snow," Amanda Ward said.
"If it's going to be snowy, then I'm going to find a way to enjoy it," McFarlane said.
However, with temperatures remaining well below freezing, utility companies and transportation officials are mobilizing thousands of workers. Dominion Energy has deployed more than 10,000 resources, contractors and support personnel to monitor the storm and respond to outages.
"We have been monitoring this storm for the last four or five days," Jeremy Slayton, a Dominion Energy spokesperson, said.
VDOT has more than 3,000 crews working on roadways, with particular concern about freezing rain that could weigh down power lines and trees.
"We have around 79 tree crews already on standby, strategically placed throughout the counties, throughout our whole district to be able to respond," Sara Shepherd, senior communications specialist for VDOT, said.
Roads remain very icy throughout the area, and the dry snow conditions make travel treacherous. VDOT is working around the clock to clear main roadways, but residential neighborhoods may take longer to receive attention.
"I just think you never quite know, especially with the ice. But we're going to do the best we can and just pray that everyone is safe, honestly," Ward said.
Officials are asking residents to avoid unnecessary travel and remain patient as crews work to improve conditions.
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