Northern Virginia Snow: Emergency Resources Guide + Everything You Need to Know

Snow is in the forecast for Northern Virginia this weekend. Save this article – it has everything you need to know to be safe and prepared during a winter storm, minus the hot cocoa. From local offices of emergency management to transit updates, it’s all here. Read on for more about how to stay safe during a winter storm in Northern Virginia. 

 Emergency Management & Services

• Virginia Dept. of Emergency Management (VDEM) – official state emergency preparedness and alerts sign-ups.
• FEMA Virginia Resources – disaster response/recovery info and contacts.
• Northern Virginia Emergency Response System (NVERS) – regional Fire/EMS coordination and emergency notices.
• Alexandria Office of Emergency Management
• Falls Church Office of Emergency Management 
• Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management 
• Loudoun County Office of Emergency Management

Northern Virginia Emergency Alert Sign-Up Resources

Alexandria – E-News
Arlington Alerts

Fairfax County

• Fairfax Alerts (Emergency & Community Notifications)
  Sign up to receive weather alerts, safety notices, traffic updates, and other official notifications via email, text, or phone.
• Fairfax County Emergency Management – Wireless Alerts
  Learn about Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) and how they relate to county messaging. 
  

Falls Church Emergency Alerts 

Loudoun County

• Alert Loudoun (Official Emergency Notifications System)
  Receive emergency info, weather alerts, traffic and operational notices by text, email, or app. 
• Loudoun Emergency Alerts & Alert Center (View localized alerts + sign up)
  Browse county alerts and sign up for immediate notifications. 

Vienna Alerts 

Regional & Metro-wide Options

• CapAlert (Regional Alert System)
  Choose your city/county (including Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William) to enroll in the larger Capital Region alert system for emergencies, severe weather, traffic, and major incidents. 
  

National Weather Service Active Alerts (Virginia) – Track all winter weather watches/warnings statewide.

Transit

Arlington Regional Transit – ART
Virginia Railway Express
WMATA – Rail + Bus 
VDOT 511 (Road Conditions & Closures)
VDOT Snow Plow Tracker
VDOT Customer Service:
Report hazardous road conditions at 800-367-ROAD (7623).

Utilities

Dominion Energy (Electric & Gas) – Report or Check Outages

• Report a Power/Gas Outage or Emergency – report issues or view outage status.
• Live Dominion Outage Map – updated frequently during storm events.

Contact Info: 24/7 Emergency/Outage Hotline: 866-366-4357 (Within U.S.) / 001-757-857-2112 (International) 

Do You Have to Shovel? Sidewalk Rules by Area

Snow removal rules vary more than people realize in Northern Virginia.

• Fairfax County:
  No county-wide legal requirement to shovel sidewalks — though residents are strongly encouraged to do so for safety.
• City of Alexandria:
  Yes. Property owners must clear sidewalks adjacent to their property (generally within ~24 hours after the storm).
• Arlington County:
  Yes. Sidewalks must be cleared:
  • Within 24 hours if snowfall is under 6 inches
  • Within 36 hours if snowfall is 6 inches or more
    Fines and county cleanup (at owner’s expense) are possible.
• Loudoun County:
  Yes. Property owners are required to clear sidewalks adjacent to their property within six hours of the end of the snowfall, or by noon the following day if the snow stops at night.