Governor Ralph Northam issued a state of emergency due to the winter storm, according to a release from the Office of the Governor Saturday.

As high winds, downed trees and power outages are possible for the storm, the executive order “is designed to help Virginia mitigate any damage caused by the winter weather event and to streamline the process that the Commonwealth uses to provide assistance to localities and communities impacted by storm effects.”

“A state of emergency allows the Commonwealth to mobilize resources and to deploy people and equipment to assist in response and recovery efforts,” the release cited. “This action does not apply to individuals or private businesses. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management, State Police, Virginia Department of Transportation, Virginia National Guard and other pertinent agencies are already mobilizing and preparing for the impact of this storm.”

Northam, according to the release, “authorized a maximum of $100,000 in state sum sufficient funds for state and local government’s mission assignments authorized and coordinated through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management that are allowable as defined by The Stafford Act. This funding is also available for state response and recovery operations and incident documentation.”

WEATHER UPDATE

The winter storm watch has upgraded to a winter storm warning for the region, going into effect 4 p.m. Saturday and ending at 1 a.m. Monday.

“A Winter Storm Warning means significant amounts of snow, sleet and ice will make travel very hazardous or impossible,” a description of the winter storm warning on the National Weather Service cited.

Total snow accumulations of 2-6 inches is forecast for the Central Virginia region. It’s possible that some areas could see more snowfall, according to the NWS. Ice accumulation is expected to be two-tenths of an inch.