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A punishing mix of snow and ice brought Northern Virginia roads, schools and deliveries to a standstill as crews confronted the storm’s aftermath and three Fairfax County-area residents died during the extreme weather.
Forecasts had warned that January’s storm could produce heavy accumulations. Facing her first weather emergency as Virginia’s governor, Abigail Spanberger declared a state of emergency, urged residents to prepare their homes and asked them to stay off the roads.
By early Saturday, crews had pretreated many roads and interstates across Northern Virginia with brine. That afternoon, contract drivers were already stationed in heavy trucks, waiting to salt or plow once the storm arrived.
Edgar Kombe of Hyattsville, Maryland, sat in one of two rock-salt trucks positioned near Richmond Highway in Lorton. His truck would begin spreading salt after snow reached the one- to two-inch depth needed for the treatment to work effectively.
The trucks were part of a Virginia Department of Transportation response fleet comprising 3,200 pieces of equipment. Heavy trucks and front-end loaders were among the machinery owned or directed by VDOT to clear Fairfax County roads.
Crews were deployed well ahead of the storm so they could reach their assigned areas. Kombe expected a long wait and kept his truck running to avoid engine-restart problems and stay warm. The engine was designed for extended operation with limited fuel use, leaving enough fuel for the job ahead. Until a text arrived directing him to begin spreading salt, he planned to pass the time with his phone and a nap.
Fairfax County Public Schools students and teachers also waited for news as snow and sleet fell Sunday morning. Schools ultimately closed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. With previously scheduled days off Thursday and Friday, students avoided hazardous travel and gained several days for playing outside.
The fine, icy snow proved better suited to fast sledding and tunnel building than snowmen or snowball fights. Difficult steering on slick hills raised concerns about broken bones and head injuries, prompting pediatricians and emergency departments to recommend helmets as protection against collisions with trees or the frozen ground.
Buried cars and blocked sidewalks
After the storm, residents who relied on street parking often found their vehicles buried beneath fallen and plowed snow.
People in several District 18 neighborhoods complained to Del. Kathy Tran about streets that had received little or no plowing. Their reports prompted Tran to send VDOT a letter expressing concern.
The Brookfield postal branch in Springfield attempted some parcel deliveries early in the week. Carriers resumed broader delivery efforts Thursday after finding more streets had been plowed.
Many homeowners followed Fairfax County’s recommendation—though not a requirement—to clear the sidewalks outside their properties. Residents helped neighbors, and volunteers shoveled at local schools. Other walkways remained blocked, forcing pedestrians to navigate indirect routes or walk in streets.
Three deaths reported amid extreme cold
The severe conditions proved deadly for three local residents.
Police responding to Kings Park West found a man in his 70s who had collapsed while clearing snow outside his home. He died at the scene.
In Springfield, a friend checking on a 50-year-old man found him dead inside a tent on a Backlick Road property.
An elderly woman was also discovered in the backyard of her School Lane home in Falls Church. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The deaths underscored the risks posed by winter storms even after the snow stops falling.