Continuing snow coverage

Continuing community coverage of the winter snowstorm 2010

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What you need to know

Thursday, 1 p.m.: County's warming shelter closes
--An emergency shelter at the Lake Jackson Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department closed at noon. The shelter was set up in response to multiple power outages in the area.

--National Airport reopened its runways at 11 a.m. Now, National and Dulles International Airport open. The airports authority still urges passengers to contact their carrier before coming to the airport.

Thursday, 8:30 a.m.: Dulles reopens
--The runways at Dulles International Airport have reopened. Crews are still working on getting the runways at National Airport open for business. Passengers are always urged to check with their airline before coming to Dulles.

--Prince William County cancelled the AARP tax service until Feb. 16. Also, Meals on Wheels will not be delivered today or Friday.

Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.: Blizzard warning set to expire, shelter remains for those without heat
--A water main break in Manassas Park this morning has just been repaired.

--An emergency shelter remains in place at Lake Jackson Fire Station at 11310 Coles Drive, off Route 234 in Manassas, for those who have lost power and have a critical need.

--The blizzard warning is set to expire at 7 p.m. as the threat of blowing snow still remains.

--Take a look at snow totals from the National Weather Service:
...CITY OF MANASSAS...
MANASSAS PARK 4.5 1117 AM 2/10

...PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY...
WOODBRIDGE 10.0 140 PM 2/10

...FAIRFAX COUNTY...
RAVENSWORTH 9.0 200 PM 2/10
FRANCONIA 9.0 1200 PM 2/10
CENTREVILLE 9.0 1240 PM 2/10
VIENNA 9.0 1258 PM 2/10
OAKTON 9.0 1107 AM 2/10
LINCOLNIA 8.5 230 PM 2/10 SPOTTER
FAIRFAX STATION 7.1 150 PM 2/10 SNOW ENDED.
CENTREVILLE 7.0 130 PM 2/10
CHANTILLY 7.0 1100 AM 2/10 COCORAHS
CENTREVILLE 6.0 930 AM 2/10
LORTON 5.8 1130 AM 2/10

...ARLINGTON COUNTY...
BALLSTON 12.1 200 PM 2/10
BAILEYS CROSSROADS 11.0 1230 PM 2/10
REAGAN NATIONAL AIRP 9.8 200 PM 2/10
BALLSTON 9.0 1030 AM 2/10

...DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA...
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY 11.0 200 PM 2/10

Wednesday, 3:10 p.m.: County compiles list of buildings that could collapse under snow
--Sources told News & Messenger that Prince William County public safety officials have compiled a list of buildings built before 1975 of “concern” that could collapse under the weight of the snow. County officials have been concerned about the potential building collapses with this latest storm. On Saturday, a 14-year-old ice rink in Dale City collapsed after it was exacuated. Read the full story

Wednesday, 2:40 p.m.: Woodbridge gets nearly 9 inches of snow
--VIDEO This is submitted video from insienova.com reader Jeremiah Zabal who shot this in Waterway Drive in Montclair.

--While most of the snow has stopped in our region Woodbridge picked up 8.8 inches of new snow from this storm by 10:25 a.m., according to the National Weather Service

Wednesday, 1:10 p.m.
--The entire state of Maryland is under a blizzard warning. Northern Virginia counties including Prince William also remain under a blizzard warning.

Wednesday, 11:30 a.m.: Potomac Mills closed
Shoppers must go elsewhere today after Potomac Mills mall announced they will close Wednesday due to the blizzard. The mall anticipates reopening Thursday at 10 a.m.

--Checking the blogs, we’re reading reports of people being arrested for throwing snowballs.

Wednesday, 11 a.m.: HOV lanes closed
The High Occupancy Vehicle lanes on Interstate 95 closed at 11 a.m. They should reopen sometime Thursday or Friday, depending upon road conditions, a VDOT spokeswoman stated. As the trucks used to normally clear snow from Northern Virginia roads in at this time inadequate VDOT is using larger trucks and front-end loaders to remove snow.

Wednesday 10:30 a.m.: Snow totals coming in
--Were getting new snow totals in from the National Weather Service, but we aren’t seeing any from Prince William County, Manassas or Manassas Park. Let us know how much new snow you’ve picked up during this latest storm. E-mail your totals to ukiser@insidenova.com

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY 5.0 741 AM 2/10

ARLINGTON COUNTY
ARLINGTON 5.0 749 AM 2/10
REAGAN NATIONAL AIRP 5.1 700 AM 2/10 KDCA

CLARKE COUNTY
BERRYVILLE 3.0 623 AM 2/10

FAIRFAX COUNTY
2 NE OAKTON 7.0 838 AM 2/10
1 SE CENTREVILLE 6.0 745 AM 2/10
VIENNA 4.0 700 AM 2/10
1 SE THE I66 AND I49 4.0 716 AM 2/10
1 NNE HERNDON 3.7 710 AM 2/10 NWS EMPLOY BLIZRD CONDN
3 W OAKTON 2.1 530 AM 2/10

FAUQUIER COUNTY
MARSHALL 4.5 800 AM 2/10

LOUDOUN COUNTY
ASHBURN 6.0 800 AM 2/10 BLIZZARD CONDITIONS
LEESBURG 4.5 746 AM 2/10
DULLES INTERNATIONAL 4.0 700 AM 2/10 KIAD

SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY
4 SE THORNHILL 4.5 700 AM 2/10
SPOTSYLVANIA 2.5 500 AM 2/10

STAFFORD COUNTY
STAFFORD 3.0 500 AM 2/10

Wednesday, 10 a.m.: Blizzard slows emergency services
--Blizzard conditions are slowing rescue crews. Officials say if your home or business catches fire, get out, go someplace safe and dial 911.

--Manassas officials are reporting a water main break near Euclid Avenue.

Wednesday, 8:30 a.m.: Blizzard warning issued
Prince William residents can now say they lived through the Blizzard of 2010 after the National Weather Service this morning issued a blizzard warning for the county, Manassas, Manassas Park and surrounding jurisdictions until 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Heavy snow, six to 12 inches in most places and high winds, 20 to 30 mph and gusts up to 45 mph are expected with this blizzard, according to the weather service.

Road conditions have deteriorated overnight as at least two inches of new snow fell after midnight in the Woodbridge area.

The blizzard warning replaces the winter storm warning that had been in place over the area.

Tuesday, 11 p.m.: Flights cancelled
--All flights in and out of the region’s two airports, Washington National and Dulles International have been cancelled tomorrow. The airports authority urges all passengers to check with their airlines before coming to the airport.

--We posted snow totals earlier this hour and now the snow has tapered off for now. Forecasters still say the brunt of the storm will move into the region early Wednesday morning with additional accumulations throughout the day.

--Channel 4 meteorologist Bob Ryan just said this is the second snowiest winter ever in Washington.

Tuesday, 10:25 p.m.: Snow is already piling up
We are already getting snow total reports from the National Weather Service:

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY
WOODBRIDGE 3.5 840 PM 2/09--

ARLINGTON COUNTY
ARLINGTON 2.0 805 PM 2/09 VIRGINIA SQUARE METRO.
REAGAN NATIONAL AIRP 0.6 700 PM 2/09

FREDERICKSBURG 3.5 900 PM 2/09 TRAINED SPOTTER.

FAIRFAX COUNTY
LORTON 3.8 900 PM 2/09 USDA METEOROLOGIST.
CENTREVILLE 2.0 815 PM 2/09 TRAINED SPOTTER.
SPRINGFIELD 1.0 650 PM 2/09
VIENNA 0.5 654 PM 2/09 CO-OP.

FREDERICK COUNTY
2 S WINCHESTER 1.3 900 PM 2/09 TRAINED SPOTTER.

KING GEORGE COUNTY
KING GEORGE Trace 450 PM 2/09

LOUDOUN COUNTY
DULLES 0.5 700 PM 2/09

SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY
SPOTSYLVANIA 3.0 900 PM 2/09

STAFFORD COUNTY
2 SSE GARRISONVILLE 3.0 900 PM 2/09 TRAINED SPOTTER.
STAFFORD 2.5 905 PM 2/09

Tuesday, 8 p.m.: No local bus service in Prince William on Wednesday
--The Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission just announced it will not operate any of its transit services Wednesday. The agency ended its normal operations early tonight with the last OmniRide commuter buses running about 7 p.m.

Tuesday, 7:25 p.m.: Conditions getting worse
--Road conditions are deteriorating rapidly on the highways and local streets. Interstate 95 is covered in snow and the lights near the Dale City exit are not working, compounding the visibility problem.

--Stafford County has just opened a shelter at the county’s government center on U.S. 1. The center is stocked with MREs, or meals ready to eat, snacks, bedding and a television.

--The federal government is closed Wednesday.

--Virginia Railway Express will not operate Wednesday.

--Metro rail is limited to underground service only Wednesday.

Tuesday, 4:15 p.m.: Concern remains about roof collapses
--Don’t get complacent about the coming snow, forecasters said, as seven to 14 inches of the white stuff is still forecasted to fall in the area by late Wednesday night. According to the National Weather Service, most of the heavy accumulations will arrive overnight Wednesday, into Wednesday morning.

-- Prince William County and Manassas officials remained concerned about possible roof collapses with this next storm. Officials said the roofs on most buildings can hold 36 to 51 inches of snow.

Tuesday, 2:50 p.m.: Local bus services closing early

OMNIRIDE– No service

Linton Hall Metro Direct - No service

Prince William Metro Direct - The emergency service plan is in effect. Fares are free. Buses will operate according to published schedules; however, delays can be expected as road conditions change. The last bus from PRTC to the Franconia-Springfield Metro Station leaves at 5:45pm. The last bus from the Metro Station to PRTC leaves at 6:25 p.m.

Manassas Metro Direct - The emergency service plan is in effect. Fares are free. Buses will operate according to published schedules; however, delays can be expected as road conditions change. The last bus from Manassas Junction to the West Falls Church Metro Station leaves at 5:20 p.m. The last bus from the Metro Station to Manassas leave at 5:35 p.m.

PRTC OmniLink - The emergency service plan is in effect. Off-route trips are cancelled. Rides are FREE. OmniLink buses will stop at all signed PRTC bus stops except those noted in the Emergency Service Plan. The last buses that serve the PRTC Transit Center will leave at 5:15 p.m. Here are the times the local buses will start their final trips:
Dale City OmniLink leaves Chinn Center at 4:22 p.m.
Dumfries OmniLink leaves Quantico Terrace at 4:25 p.m.
Woodbridge A OmniLink leaves Tackett’s Mill at 4:00 p.m.
Woodbridge B OmniLink leaves Tackett’s Mill at 4:20 p.m.
Route 1 OmniLink leaves Quantico VRE at 5:55 p.m.
Route 1 OmniLink leaves Woodbridge VRE at 5:55 p.m.
Manassas OmniLink leaves NOVA Manassas at 5:45 p.m.
Manassas OmniLink leaves Oaks of Wellington at 4:45 p.m.
Manassas Park A OmniLink leaves Manassas Mall at 5:41 p.m.
Manassas Park B OmniLink leaves Manassas Mall at 5:28 p.m.

PRTC Cross-County Connector - The emergency service plan is in effect. Rides are free. Buses will operate according to published schedules; however, delays can be expected as road conditions change. Here are the times that the last buses will start their final trips:
Cross County Connector leaves PRTC at 5:20 p.m.
Cross County Connector leaves Manassas Mall at 4:15 p.m.

Tuesday, 2 p.m.: NOVEC says to expect power back on sooner
--NOVEC says it has 800 customers still without power, though crews are able to access more roads and plan to restore power faster today. The co-op said 99.5 percent of their 143,000 customers now have power.

Monday 10:15 p.m.: Snow to blow in late Tuesday

--The next storm should begin sometime after 2 p.m. Tuesday, with only one to two inches of snow expected during the daylight hours. According to the weather service, on Tuesday night, three to seven inches of snow could fall with high winds. Wednesday, winds and snow could be heavy at times.

--It may be tricky getting around tomorrow as Virginia Railway Express will not operate, PRTC OmniRide will offer limited service and OmniLink buses will stay off the roads.

--NOVEC reports nearly 1,000 customers still without power in Prince William County and one in Manassas. The co-op says they hope to have all power restored by the time flakes fall Tuesday.

Monday, 8:10 p.m.: Metro tries to get back to normal
--Metro will resume it’s best to get back to normal operations Tuesday, running trains on all lines in 30 minute intervals. The Franconia-Springfield, Vienna and West Falls Church stations will be open but 16 aboveground stations in Washington and Maryland will remain closed. They include Shady Grove, Rockville, Twinbrook, White Flint, Grosvenor-Strathmore, New York Ave-Florida Ave-Gallaudet U, Rhode Island Ave-Brentwood, Brookland-CUA, Silver Spring and Takoma Metrorail stations on the Red Line and Benning Road, Capitol Heights, Addison Road-Seat Pleasant, Morgan Boulevard and Largo Town Center Metrorail stations on the Blue Line all due to snow drifts on the tracks of three to six feet.

Monday 6:50 p.m.: Mayfield school in Manassas ordered closed
--Manassas’ Fire Marshal’s Office ordered Mayfield Intermediate School closed today after its roof began showing signs of a possible collapse. School was not in session Monday, and school officials will reportedly hold a meeting Tuesday to discuss how to handle the situation.

Monday, 4:10 p.m.: 7-14 inches of snow expected, power crews to discuss coming storm
--A winter storm warning has been issued for Prince William County as seven to 14 inches of snow is now expected to fall in the region between noon Tuesday and 7 p.m. Wednesday. The heaviest of the snow will fall Tuesday into Wednesday morning, with sleet mixing in at times, stated the National Weather Service.

--Crews with Dominion Virginia Power are working to restore power to customers in Northern Virginia before the next storm hits. They expect 98 percent of all restoration work to be complete tonight. NOVEC officials are meeting this afternoon to discuss preparations for the coming storm. News & Messenger is expecting an update from the utility soon.

--Fire and rescue crews are pleading with residents to clear snow from sidewalks, walkways and fire hydrants around homes, and to clear snow from home address placards so rescue crews can clearly see your home in the event of an emergency.

Monday, 1 p.m.: Storm watch expanded
--A winter storm watch has been expanded to include Stafford County and Fredericksburg this afternoon after a watch was posted Sunday for Prince William County and points north.

--Two storms to converge off of the Atlantic Coast on Tuesday and with it bring the chance to five or more inches of snow to the region. More snow will fall to the north and east of Prince William, Manassas and Manassas Park, said National Weather Service forecaster Kevin Witt.

Monday, 10 a.m.:
--FROM METRO: For Monday, Feb. 8, commuters should expect limited underground Metrorail service through midnight, and very limited Metrobus service from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., as icy conditions on roadways and Metrorail tracks continue to be a barrier to providing safe service. MetroAccess service for Monday will be suspended for the entire day.

Metro staff continue efforts in clearing the above-ground tracks. However, continued re-icing of the electrified third rail and winds are blowing snow back onto the tracks are hampering Metro’s ability to restore service to the above ground tracks.

Fewer than two dozen Metrobus lines will be in service on Monday, Feb. 8, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. due to snowy and icy conditions that persist on the region’s roadways. Metrobuses will stick to snow emergency routes to start the day. Customers may want to take advantage of the next bus prediction technology to get an idea when the next bus will be arriving by logging onto Metro’s web site or calling 202-637-7000 and saying, “Next Bus.” Buses are expected to be moving slowly on the roads, which remain slippery.

Monday 9:20 a.m.:
--A fire ripped through a Triangle home last night on Barnett Street leaving five people homeless. Three adults and two children lost power Sunday and left their home, and when they came back the power had been restored and their kitchen was ablaze. Officials remind residents to clear the sidewalks, clear excess snow from the entrances to their homes and dig out fire hydrants near their homes so they can be accessed by fire crews. No one was injured.

Sunday, 5 p.m.:
--A winter storm watch will go into effect Tuesday afternoon in advance of a storm that is expected to bring five or more inches of snow to the region, on top of the nearly two feet of snow that fell in Prince William County over the weekend.

--Our list of closings and cancellations is growing. See them here.

Sunday, 4:30 p.m.:
--VRE will not operate Monday.

Sunday, 2 p.m.:
--Minnieville Road is closed at Hedgewood Drive and Gemini Way in Dale City, and Va. 234 is closed at Waterway Drive near Dumfries, all because of high water.

--Transportation officials say crews will move 500,000 tons of snow from area roads, in the wake of a snowfall that brought 34 inches of snowfall to Dulles International Airport – a new record. Much of the snow removed will be placed under the Wilson Bridge.

--No flights are coming in and out of National Airport today, and officials do not know when the airfield will be reopened. While Dulles International Airport is open for limited operations today it is not known how many flights will operate today. Passengers are urged to call their airline for going to Dulles.

--Super Bowl Sunday is the busiest day of the year for pizza delivery businesses, and some pizza delivery services are offering specials for their customers today. Papa Johns is serving up $9 cheese pizzas with one free topping based on how many touchdowns the winning team scores. For example, if the winning team scores seven touchdowns, seven toppings.

Sunday, 12:35 p.m.:
-- The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for the Prince William area for Tuesday into Wednesday. A storm will approach with potential to dump "several inches" of freezing rain or snow. Stay tuned.

-- Check on your neighbors, especially those who are elderly or infirm. Meals on Wheels has been unable to deliver due to the storm, so making an extra casserole for a neighbor could be a life saver right now.

-- We want your stories of those good Samaritans lending a helping hand during the aftermath of this historic storm. Send your stories to kpugh@insidenova.com. We'll do what we did after the Dec. 19 storm and print your thanks in the paper.

Sunday, 12:15 p.m.:
Prince William County schools are closed Monday. cClosings and cancellations page.

Sunday, noon:
Manassas and Manassas Park are under snow emergencies. Any vehicles parked in designated snow emergency routes will be towed.

Fire officials remind everyone to clear snow from fire hydrants as they're out shoveling today.

Sunday, 11:40 a.m.:
As of 7:30 a.m., NOVEC said 13,000 customers were without power. All crews are working right now to restore power, a spokeswoman said.

We are now getting word of school closings. Stafford County Public Schools will be closed Monday and Tuesday. Be sure to check our closings and cancellations page.

Stafford County is closing two shelters that were set up for residents prior to the snowstorm. The county was one of the first in the area to announce shelters would be available to its residents.

Sunday, 11:20 a.m.:
The power is coming back on in Prince William County as Dominion Virginia Power reports 2,092 of their 73,330 customers are still without service. The number has fallen substantially since the height of the storm.

Virginia Railway Express is in the process of deciding which level of service they will operate tomorrow. The commuter railroad is working to get trains moving in snow-covered rail yards. A decision is expected about 6 p.m.

There is also no word yet for PRTC OmniRide, OmniLink and Cross-County Connector services for Monday.

Despite the Super Bowl state police once again say not to travel unless it is necessary. Many roads remain impassable right now.

If you do go out some of your fellow drivers who have asked us to tell motorists to remove the snow from thier cars before heading out. It can cause blowing and drifting on roadways and could be hazardous to other drivers.

Sunday, 9:30 a.m.:
We’re getting more snow totals in from the National Weather Service, including Manassas Park, where they picked up 22.2 inches of snow, Fredericksburg, 14 inches, and Warren County – the sweet spot – with 37 inches of snow from the Snowzilla storm.

Sunday, 8:00 a.m.:
Get ready, the National Weather Service says more snow will overspread the region by noon Tuesday and could change to sleet by Tuesday night.

From midnight Friday through 6 a.m. Sunday, Virginia State Police statewide responded to 4,373 calls for service to include 1,713 traffic crashes and 1,699 disabled vehicles. State Police dispatchers at the seven VSP Emergency Communications Centers have also fielded an additional 3,682 calls from the public for information. Troopers in Northern Virginia have responded to 681 calls for service to include 435 disabled vehicles and 121 traffic crashes. Northern Virginia dispatchers have also fielded an additional 647 calls for information from the public.

Sunday, 7:10 a.m.:
There will be no aboveground Metro rail service today, but will offer service at all of the system’s belowground stations. Metro ordered all 47 aboveground stations closed after eight or more inches of snow accumulated in the region. Officials will be out today evaluating the situation.

Saturday, 9:55 p.m.:
Officially for Washington, 18.2 inches of snow fell at National Airport.
In Gainesville, 27 inches of snow fell.
In Woodbridge, 23 inches of snow fell.
In Dale City, 17 inches of snow fell.

Prince William County officials opened an emergency shelter at Lake Jackson Fire Station on Coles Drive near Manassas, off of Va. 234, for those who have lost power and are in critical need. Those who need to use the shelter need to bring their own medications and toiletries. No pets are allowed. Those with heat and electricity are urged to stay inside their homes.

The lights are still out for many across Northern Virginia. Dominion Virginia Power reports 4,397 customers without power in Prince William County and 42 in Manassas. As of 8:15 pm, we had about 17,000 customers without power. Customers without power should call NOVEC at 703-335-0500 or 1-888-335-0500.

From midnight Friday through 5 p.m. Saturday, Virginia State Police statewide have responded to 3,740 calls for service to include 1,521 traffic crashes and 1,467 disabled vehicles. State Police Emergency Communications Centers around the Commonwealth have also fielded an additional 3,176 calls for information. Police investigated two fatal traffic crashes during the storm, one in southwest Virginia where weather was a factor.

Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell said the number of power outages will go up over the next few days as freezing temperatures and another round of winter weather on Tuesday will cause more tree limbs to break and fall onto power lines. McDonnell called the storm “historic” with 25 to 30 inches of snow reported in Fairfax and Loudoun counties.

It’ll be a while before plow crews get to your subdivision, at least until Monday. The Virginia Department of Transportation said it is focusing on the major highways, and then on Monday will begin working side streets. The process could take more than a week, an agency spokeswoman said.

The thought of another winter storm might be horrific for some, but the National Weather Service says it’s a real possibility on Tuesday, into Tuesday night. All of the winter storm warnings for SNOWZILLA have expired and in its place is a hazardous weather outlook, meaning there is another chance of more wintry precipitation. Much of the center of the nation is under a winter storm warning right now, according to NWS maps.

Saturday, 4:50 p.m.
SHELTER INFORMATION: Prince William County has opened a community shelter at Lake Jackson Fire Station at 11310 Coles Drive, off Route 234 in Manassas, for those who have lost power and have a critical need. Those coming to the shelters should bring essential items to make themselves comfortable, including any prescription medications, over-the-counter medications and toiletries. Pets are not allowed in the shelter. Unless they have a critical need, such as electric medical equipment or prolonged heating outage and are unable to stay home, residents are encouraged to stay in place, so that they do not have to drive in the snow.

Saturday, 2:25 p.m.
Manassas emergency officials say an airport hangar collapsed on the east side of the Manassas Regional Airport. There are no reported injuries but officials said a gas line was ruptured, and a collapse team from the fire department is on the scene.

Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell will hold a press conference at 2:30 p.m. to discuss storm operations in the state.

Saturday, 1 p.m.:
VDOT is telling residents who are digging out to not dig snow from the end of their driveways because it will just be plowed over again when plows make it onto neighborhood streets. Right now, crews are working on making sure the highways are clear.

The Washington Wizards / Atlanta Hawks game scheduled tonight at the Verizon Center is postponed. A spokeswoman said the two teams were not able to fly to Washington for the game and no make-up date has been set.

Saturday, 11:40 a.m.:
Prince William officials tell us that no one was using the emergency warming shelter that was set up at Battlefield High School in Haymarket, as of 11 a.m. The shelter was set up in the wake of several power outages in the area, and officials will reevaluate the need for the shelter. However, leave Fido behind as no pets are allowed.

The call volume at the Prince William County Public Safety Communications Center has been steady. As of this morning, officials said there have been 17 calls for fire and 10 calls for police service.

County and transportation officials urge everyone to stay home.

The snow is still falling steadily. One meteorologist on Channel 4 described the storm as a “winter hurricane” with two storm systems converging over the region. An additional five to nine inches of snow is possible today, according to the National Weather Service.

Saturday, 9:35 a.m.
The U.S. Postal Service will not deliver mail today. Potomac Mills Malls is closed. The National Weather Service reports 12.5 inches on the ground in Woodbridge with five to nine more expected through the day.

Saturday, 9:05 a.m.:
We’re just getting word that Prince William County officials set up an emergency shelter last night at Battlefield High School in Haymarket after many power outages were reported in the area. Dominion Virginia Power says more than 72,000 Northern Virginia customers are without electrical service right now.

Saturday, 8:50 a.m.:
It’s lights out Woodbridge: Dominion Virginia Power is reporting at least 3,766 customers without power in the area.

Reports of downed trees continue to come into emergency officials. Rescue crews also are having a tough go of it, as they too are getting stuck in the snow and calling for tows.

Saturday, 8:25 a.m.:
It’s still snowing outside and the winter storm warning remains in effect.

Manassas is still under a state of emergency. The city is using three Humvees from the National Guard to transport doctors and nurses to and from Prince William Hospital. The city’s snow emergency route policy is in effect and your car will be towed if found on a snow route, officials said. Additionally, the city is prepared to open a public shelter but one has not yet been requested.

Virginia State Police had a busy night. As of 10 p.m. Friday, troopers responded to 2,286 calls for help in the commonwealth. Many of the calls were for car accidents with no injuries. Two deaths in southwest Virginia have been blamed on the storm.

VDOT continues to report crashes on area highways.

Saturday, 1 a.m.:
Fire and rescue units on the eastern end of Prince William County are running few major incident calls. Most calls are for sicknesses and for minor injuries.

We’ve heard several reports of power outages in the area, as well as trees that fell on power lines and a tree that fell onto a Woodbridge house.

Though we’ve seen a slight changeover from snow to sleet, and then back to snow there is no change to the forecast. Twelve to 24 inches of snow will fall in the Northern Virginia area by the time the storm ends sometime Saturday night, according to the National Weather Service.

Friday, 10:05 p.m.:
Power outages reported from Occoquan to Colby Drive in Lake Ridge. Dominion Virginia Power is reporting a total of 3,749 without power throughout Prince William County.

Friday, 9:50 p.m.
NOVEC is reporting power outages in Manassas Park, Haymarket in Prince William County and outages in western Fairfax County. The lights are flickering here in Woodbridge from time to time, and I hear in Stafford County as well.

Friday, 9:20 p.m.:
It looks like we have at least six inches of snow on the ground outside the News & Messenger office in Woodbridge.

Prince William County calling in Humvees to use during rescue calls. Now that’s what I call heavy rescue.

Friday, 8:30 p.m.:
Virginia State Police continue to respond to crashes in Northern Virginia. At 8:15 p.m., police were working 31 incidents, many of them crashed cars with damage only. Six of the incidents were on I-95.

AS of 8:30 p.m., two deaths were blamed on the storm. A North Carolina man and his son, from Tennessee were killed on I-81 near Rural Retreat when a truck slammed into their car that was parked on the side of the highway, state police said.

Metro will suspend rail service at 11 p.m. and bus service at 9 p.m.

Friday, 7:35 p.m.:
The Virginia Department of Emergency Management has set up a "disaster" Web site to get info out during the storm. Click here.

The snow is picking up as blizzard warnings are in effect for Charles and Anne Arundel counties in southern Maryland – directly across the Potomac River from Prince William County.

Dale Boulevard is a wreck, as at least 30 to 40 cars are reported to be stuck up near Forestdale Road. Dale Boulevard is also reported closed at Kirkdale Road, about two miles west of the mess.

Officials are reminding residents that cars still parked along snow emergency routes will be towed if a plows cannot get down the street.

Emergency crews are scaling back rescue operations, responding to calls with reported injury. Crews have been told to mark abandoned cars along the roads.

Meteorologists still expect major snowfall for the region, in the neighborhood of 24 to 30 inches total. Snow will continue, along with high winds throughout the night. The winds will diminish Saturday but the snow will continue, stated the National Weather

Friday, 5:35 p.m.:
The storm is getting worse by the minute. The National Weather Service says travel conditions will soon become life-threatening:

"THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS STORM IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RECORD
SNOWFALL FOR THE BALTIMORE AND WASHINGTON DC METROPOLITAN AREAS.
TRAVEL CONDITIONS TONIGHT ACROSS THE REGION WILL BE EXTREMELY
HAZARDOUS AND LIFE-THREATENING. HELP YOUR LOCAL AND STATE
GOVERNMENT FIRST RESPONDERS AND TRANSPORTATION AGENCIES BY
STAYING OFF THE ROADS."

Friday, 4:30 p.m.

If you haven’t already got where you’re going you’ll want to do that soon. Many transit agencies, including the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission plans to curtail services early this evening.

The last OmniRide buses that were already providing free rides to commuters from the Franconia-Springfield and West Falls Church Metro stations will now make their last runs at 6 p.m. Passengers still needing to use those buses should take Metro to the those stations where OmniRide buses will be waiting to take them home. Riders must pay regular Metro fares.

OmniRide Cross-County Connector buses will end service early Friday, with the last Cross-County bus leaving Woodbridge at 5:20 p.m. The last Cross-County bus to leave Manassas left at 4:20 p.m.

OmniRide Metro Direct buses will also make their last runs from the same Metro stations at 6 p.m.

OmniLink buses have been operating on a Emergency Service Plan all day, with limited service in Prince William County. Those buses will also end service early today. See below for a list of last stops served.
Here are the times the local buses will start their final trips:
Dale City OmniLink leaves Chinn Center at 4:22 p.m.
Dumfries OmniLink leaves Quantico Terrace at 4:25 p.m.
Woodbridge A OmniLink leaves Tackett’s Mill at 4:00 p.m.
Woodbridge B OmniLink leaves Tackett’s Mill at 4:20 p.m.
Route 1 OmniLink leaves Quantico VRE at 5:55 p.m.
Route 1 OmniLink leaves Woodbridge VRE at 5:55 p.m.
Manassas OmniLink leaves NOVA Manassas at 5:45 p.m.
Manassas OmniLink leaves Oaks of Wellington at 4:45 p.m.
Manassas Park A OmniLink leaves Manassas Mall at 5:41 p.m.
Manassas Park B OmniLink leaves Manassas Mall at 5:28 p.m.

Friday, 3:30 p.m.

-- Prince William County Police will use white SUVs during the storm to respond to calls. The SUVs will have a magnet on the side denoting it as a police vehicle.

-- The Virginia Department of Transportation asks motorists to make way for the 1,700 snow plows that are on the region’s roads today. As conditions are expected to deteriorate this evening, VDOT asks drivers to give the plows enough room to do their jobs.

-- Don’t be fooled by the lack of snow accumulation outside right now. The worst conditions are expected later tonight as high winds, and heavy snow will move into the area decreasing visibilities, stated the National Weather Service.