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Virginia officials have escalated Northern Virginia’s drought advisory from a watch to a warning after weeks of limited rain and snowfall pushed key indicators into emergency territory.

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality issued the warning on Jan. 13 for an area that includes Fairfax County, Fairfax City, the Shenandoah region and the Roanoke River region.

“A drought warning advisory is intended to increase awareness that the onset of a significant drought event is imminent,” the department said.

DEQ also expanded drought watches elsewhere. Only 12 counties and seven cities across Virginia are now outside a drought watch or warning area.

The Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force reported on Jan. 8 that precipitation and groundwater indicators in Northern Virginia had reached emergency status. Streamflow and reservoir levels remained normal.

The task force said persistent precipitation shortages have driven down streamflow, groundwater and soil moisture across much of Virginia, particularly in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge. Moderate to severe hydrologic and meteorological drought conditions were observed throughout central and northern parts of the state.

The U.S. Drought Monitor’s Jan. 6 update classified all of Fairfax County as experiencing severe drought. Its assessment incorporates precipitation, humidity, soil moisture, groundwater and vegetation health, along with observed conditions.

Fairfax County has regularly been under a drought advisory since June 2024, although heavy rainfall in May and June provided some relief during the summer of 2025.

No water restrictions in Fairfax yet

DEQ said it is coordinating with local governments, public water systems and water users to ensure drought response plans and conservation ordinances are followed. The agency is encouraging Virginians to use less water, monitor conditions and find and repair leaks.

Under the D.C. region’s Water Supply and Drought Awareness Plan, a drought warning calls for local governments to encourage residents and businesses to adopt voluntary restrictions to help protect the Potomac River water supply.

Fairfax Water, however, is not imposing mandatory or voluntary restrictions. The utility, which provides drinking water to 2.2 million people in Northern Virginia, said its supplies are operating at normal capacity and that the region’s system is supported by backup reservoirs.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments has not found that regional conditions meet its drought-warning threshold. Normal reservoir levels and stable Potomac River flows have prevented immediate concerns about the water supply.

COG, which generally releases regular drought reports from April through October, plans to convene its Drought Technical Committee in early March. A regional drought watch could follow if conditions fail to improve.

Fairfax County’s Department of Emergency Management and Security described the state warning as a serious step. Some nearby communities, including the Town of Purcellville, have already declared emergencies that triggered mandatory restrictions.

Residents urged to conserve

Fairfax County is asking residents and workers to reduce water use voluntarily. Its recommendations include checking toilets for hidden leaks, limiting showers to five minutes or less and running dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads.

People can also conserve water by turning off faucets while brushing their teeth, shaving or washing their faces. Outdoors, the county recommends sweeping pavement instead of hosing it down, draining winter spigots and postponing home car washing or using a commercial facility that recycles water.

At workplaces, employees are encouraged to report dripping faucets and running toilets immediately and avoid leaving breakroom faucets running while rinsing dishes.

Rain and snow could bring limited relief

Although parts of the Mid-Atlantic received above-average snowfall in December during an early polar vortex, Northern Virginia largely missed out despite two accumulating snow events in the first half of the month.

A persistent ridge of high pressure over the Southwest, combined with climate change causing some potential snow to fall as rain or mixed precipitation, contributed to a snow deficit across much of the country in early January.

The National Weather Service forecast a 60% chance of rain, possibly mixed with snow, for Jan. 14. It was unclear whether that precipitation, combined with rain on Jan. 10, would provide even temporary drought relief.

DEQ’s Drought Monitoring Task Force is scheduled to meet again on Jan. 20.