RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Things are firming up for the winter storm on Sunday and we are certain to have a rather powerful storm come up over the area.
All that is left is ironing out the finer details on the track, such as timing and impacts from the storm.
One difference is that the short-term models have just come into where they forecast this storm right at the end of how far out they go time-wise. Due to that, they are almost 12 hours slower on when things will get here. However, should speed up by later tonight.
As it stands right now, snow will move in on Sunday morning from the southwest to the northeast.
It should be just north of the Virginia and North Carolina line by 8 a.m.
The storm will arrive in the Metro Richmond area around 10 a.m.
Then by noon, it will reach the Northern Neck and the Fredericksburg area.
During the afternoon, warmer air will start to come in with the storm moving right up I-95. This will begin to change to sleet and then rain. Right now, it does not look like there is a high risk of freezing rain in the area.
If the cold air builds in deeper over the Piedmont area, we could see an extended period of sleet there. Should that turn into a large amount of freezing rain, that could create some serious power outages.
By the evening, the center of the storm will be to the north of the area. This will cut off the moisture so that we are left with just some light drizzle and flurries.
The impacts right now look as follows:
- Almost all rain for southeast Virginia, but also very windy.
- From South Hill to the Tri-Cities and West Point, there is predicted to be about 1”-2” of sleet and then rain.
- The Richmond metro area to the Northern Neck will see 2” east to 5” west with sleet and then rain.
- West of US-522 to US-29 there is expected to be 5”-10” of snow with some heavy sleet possible.
- The mountains and the valley will have spots with over a foot of precipitation.
