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A winter storm has brought snow, sleet, and freezing rain to the Rockbridge area, closing schools, government offices, and local services while creating hazardous driving conditions across the region. Officials are urging residents to stay off the roads as crews work to clear and treat them.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) reported early Monday morning that most state-maintained roads in Virginia remain in moderate condition, meaning snow or ice covers significant portions of the roadways.
Snow removal efforts, according to VDOT, are focused on interstates and primary routes before moving to secondary roads and residential areas as resources allow.
A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until 1 a.m. Tuesday, with more snow forecast to fall Monday evening.
All Rockbridge County, Lexington and Buena Vista government offices are closed Monday, along with all three area school divisions. Buena Vista schools had planned a teacher workday, which has also been canceled.
Additionally, Rockbridge Area Health Center locations and Mountain View Family Dentistry are closed, along with other community services.
As of 10:16 a.m. Monday, approximately 1,325 Rockbridge County residents—the majority of them served by BARC Electric Cooperative—were without power, according to the FindEnergy.com outage tracker.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm, urging residents to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.
“I encourage all Virginians, visitors, and travelers to stay alert, monitor the weather forecast, and prepare now for any potential impacts,” Youngkin said in a statement. “Our pre-treating preparations are underway and substantial state and local resources will continue to actively monitor the forecast and respond through the weekend.”
Residents are advised to stay indoors, monitor updates from local authorities, and avoid unnecessary travel until conditions improve.
