NOW HERE'S KATIE AND LEX.
OUR TIME NOW IS 9:33.
THIS WINTER STORM CONTINUES TO
WREAK HAVOC ON THE ROADS.
V-DOT CREWS HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY
OPERATING AROUND THE CLOCK.
MORE THAN 1,500 CREW MEMBERS
WITH MORE THAN 1,400 PIECES OF
EQUIPMENT ARE OUT TRYING TO
KEEP THOSE ROADS SAFE.
OUR MARIA HAS BEEN OUT IN
VIRGINIA BEACH SINCE EARLY THIS
MORNING.
WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?
IT'S LOT OF THE SAME THINGS.
SNOW DEFINITELY GETTING
HEAVIER, BUT THE WIND, THAT'S
WHAT'S REALLY BEEN THE CONSTANT
THING THIS MORNING.
THAT'S REALLY MAKING IT COLD IF
YOU ARE OUT HERE.
THAT WIND GUST CAN MOVE YOU,
LOSE OUR CAMERA.
IT'S REALLY STRONG NOW.
THROUGHOUT THE MORNING, WE'VE
SEEN MORE CARS COMING OUT.
YOU SEE THE FIRE TRUCK OVER
THERE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HERE.
WE ARE AT INDEPENDENCE
BOULEVARD AND TOWN CENTER.
WE GOT SOME BIG TRUCKS DOWN
THERE, DOWN TOWARD THE END OF
THE STREET NEAR THE ON-RAMP
THERE, AND THEY ARE WORKING TO
CLEAR SOME OF THE SNOW OFF THE
SIDE OF THE STREET.
BUT THE ROADS STILL AREN'T
REALLY LOOKING GREAT.
THERE'S STILL A GOOD LAYER OF
SNOW OUT HERE, AND THERE'S SOME
SAND.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO POINT
OUT, IF YOU NEED TO GO OUT AND
MIGHT BE WALKING ARK LOT OF THE
SIDEWALKS ARE ICY.
THERE'S A LAYER OF SNOW.
UNDERNEATH THE SNOW, YOU HAVE
SOME ICE, SO YOU GOT TO BE
CAREFUL THAT EVEN IF IT DOESN'T
LOOK SUPER ICY, IT'S RIGHT
UNDERNEATH THAT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE
SIDEWALKS, EVEN THE EDGES OF
THE STREET, THE ICE FORMING
UNDERNEATH THE SNOW.
AS WE CONTINUE TO GO ON WITH
THE DAY, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE HAVING
SOME VISIBILITY PROBLEMS THAT
WE'VE BEEN HAVING ALL MORNING
THAT SEEM TO BE IMPROVING.
THE SNOW IS STILL COMING DOWN.
THE WIND IS STILL BLOWING, AND
THAT ICE IS WHAT'S FORMING.
SO IF YOU'RE ONE OF THE PEOPLE
WITHOUT POWER, WE HAVE
MENTIONED THIS THIS MORNING, A
HIGH SCHOOL IS OPENING UP AS A
TEMPORARY SHELTER.
SO IF YOU NEED TO GET WARM,
TAKE BLANKETS, FOOD, CLOTHES,
THAT IS THE PLACE TO GO.
WE'LL BE OUT HERE, WAVY CREWS
OUT HERE KEEPING AN EYE ON WHAT
THE CONDITIONS ARE LIKE, SO
THAT IF YOU'RE ABLE TO STAY
INSIDE, YOU CAN DO SO.
LIVE FOR NOW IN VIRGINIA BEACH,
10 ON YOUR SIDE.
AND NOW WE ARE TRACKING
MAJOR POWER OUTAGES IN OUR
AREA.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE
BEFORE WE STARTED AT 4:00 THIS
MORNING.
AND IT JUST KEEPS CLIMBING
RIGHT NOW, NEARLY 50,000 PEOPLE
IN OUR VIEWING AREA ACROSS
SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA,
NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA, ALL
WITHOUT LIGHTS AND HEAT RIGHT
NOW.
DOMINION ENERGY IS ON THE PHONE
RIGHT NOW.
WHAT ARE YOUR TEAMS DOING RIGHT
NOW?
THEY ARE WORKING STEADILY.
THERE ARE DEFINITELY A LOT OF
POWER OUTAGES.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ABOUT 49,480
CUSTOMERS THAT ARE WITHOUT
POWER, BUT TO GIVE YOU SOME
PERSPECTIVE, ABOUT 76,650, SO
THAT'S ABOUT, WHAT, 30,000 MORE
HAVE HAD POWER OUTAGES.
THAT SHOWS YOU HOW MANY FOLKS
THAT OUR VIEWS HAVE GOTTEN ON,
AND THEN THEY'RE STEADILY
WORKING AS MORE FOLKS
EXPERIENCE POWERAGES TODAY.
THAT'S ALL OF OUR REGION.
AND FOCUSING ON VIRGINIA BEACH,
WHERE WE HAVE THE VAST MAJORITY
OF THE TROUBLE, WE STILL HAVE
29,600 CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER
ALL OVER VIRGINIA BEACH.
SO WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE MAIN
PROBLEM IN VIRGINIA BEACH,
ICING, THE WIND, HEAVY SNOW, A
COMBINATION?
YEP.
PRETTY MUCH.
[LAUGHTER]
ALL OF THE ABOVE.
AND VIRGINIA BEACH BEING A
COASTAL CITY DOES HAVE STRONGER
WIND GUSTS, AND SO THAT IS
DEFINITELY CREATING A CHALLENGE
FOR OUR FOLKS OUT THERE.
BUT OUR CREWS HAVE GOTTEN POWER
ON FOR OVER 10,000 CUSTOMERS IN
VIRGINIA BEACH.
SO WE JUST APPRECIATE
EVERYONE'S PATIENCE KNOWING
THAT WE ARE WORKLY AS QUICKLY
AND SAFELY AS POSSIBLE.
THE WORK REPAIR LOCATIONS
THEMSELVES AREN'T AS
COMPLICATED AS THE TRAVEL IS
GETTING THERE.
WE JUST APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S
PATIENCE AND ASK THEM TO LOOK
OUT FOR THE CREWS ON THE SIDE
OF THE ROAD.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT
CUSTOMERS CAN DO TO EXPEDITE
THAT PROCESS, WHETHER IT'S TO
REPORT OUTAGES, TO STOP
REPORTING THEM IF THEY'VE DONE
SO MULTIPLE TIMES, ANYTHING?
YES, DEFINITELY REPORT
OUTAGES IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY.
WE DON'T NEED IT TO BE MULTIPLE
TIMES, BUT DEFINITELY REPORT
OUTAGES.
EASIEST WAY IS ON OUR WEBSITE,
DOM.COM, OR CALL OUR CUSTOMER
CALL CENTER AT 1-866-DOM-HELP.
ANOTHER THING THAT'S VERY
HELPFUL IS TO REDUCE YOUR
USAGE.
SO IF YOU'RE AT SCOMMOME YOU
DON'T HAVE POWER, MAYBE YOU CAN
TURN A LOT OF YOUR LIGHTS OFF.
TURN SOME OF YOUR MAJOR
ELECTRIC APPLIANCES OFF SO THAT
IT WILL HELP US GET THE LOAD
BACK ON QUICKER, IF YOU
UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO IT DOESN'T TRIP BACK OUT.
BONITY A, WHAT SEEMS TO BE,
FOR THE CREWS, THE MOST PROBLEM
-- THE MOST PROBLEMS THEY'RE
SEEING?
IS IT TREES HAVE FALL ONWIRES,
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS
THEY HAVE SEEN IN THE FIELD
THEY ARE TRYING TO FIX?
YES, THEY'RE SEEING A LOT OF
TREE LIMBS ON WIRES, AND JUST,
YOU KNOW, TROUBLE GETTING TO
LOCATIONS.
AND THEN ON DAYS LIKE TODAY,
WHEN THE KIDS ARE ALL OUT OF
SCHOOL AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, NOT
US, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
HOME FROM WORK, EVERYBODY IS
INSIDE USING ELECTRICITY AND
PUMPING HEAT SO.
THAT MAKES THE PROCESS GO A
LITTLE BIT SCLORE SO.
THAT'S WHY, THANK YOU FOR THAT
QUESTION, IT IS HELPFUL IF
PEOPLE CAN TURN SOME THINGS OFF
AND MAYBE LEAVE A COUPLE OF
LIGHTS ON SO THEY KNOW WHEN THE
POWER IS RESTORED.
AND YOU ALSO HAD MENTIONED
HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR YOUR
CREW AS SOON AS GET AROUND, SO
I WOULD IMAGINE IT'S HELPFUL IF
PEOPLE STAY OFF THE ROADS AND
OUT OF THE WAY.
ABSOLUTELY.
STAY OFF THE ROADS, BECAUSE THE
ROADS ARE HAZARDOUS, BUT ALSO,
WHEN TREE LIMBS PULL DOWN POWER
LINES, YOU HAVE TO ASSUME THEY
ARE ENERGIZED, AND ANYTHING
TOUCHING THEM COULD BE
ENERGIZED.
STAY AT LEAST 30 FEET AWAY FROM
THEM AND CALL US AS SOON AS YOU
SEE ONE, BUT DEFINITELY IT'S
BEST IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO
OUT, YOU'VE BEEN SAYING IT ALL
MORNING, AND WE APPRECIATE IT,
DON'T GO OUT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY EXTRA CREWS
FROM AROUND THE STATE THAT HAVE
COME IN TO HELP TRY TO RESTORE
POWER?
WE DO.
WE TRIPLED UP ON OUR CREWS HERE
LOCALLY, AND WE ALSO HAVE CREWS
FROM RICHMOND AND NORTHERN
VIRGINIA ON THE WAY DOWN TO
HELP.
WE HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES
AVAILABLE T. JUST TAKES TIME TO
GET TO THESE LOCATIONS, BUT WE
ARE STEADILY PUSHING AWAY AND
MAKE SURE WE WILL NOT REST
UNTIL EVERYONE'S LIGHTS ARE
BACK ON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE CREWS
BUT FOR NOW, FERRY ROUTE
SUSPENDED.
IT'S 9:42.
JEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
9:42.
WE ARE STAYING ON TOP OF THIS
MAJOR WINTER STORM SYSTEM
MOVING ACROSS OUR REGION.
WAVY CREWS HAVE BEEN MONITORING
CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE
NIGHT.
RICO IS IN HAMPTON.
FIRST LET'S CHECK IN ON THE
PENINSULA.
IT'S BEEN SNOWING AFTERNOON
THERE.
THE WIND HAS BEEN PRETTY
STEADY.
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE NOW?
WELL, THE SNOW IS STILL
HERE.
IT HAS LET UP JUST A LITTLE
BIT.
WE ARE SEEING BIGGER FLAKES
HERE.
BUT AS WE'VE BEEN SAYING ALL
MORNING, THAT WIND IS STILL A
MAJOR ISSUE IN HAMPTON.
IT HAS WHIPPED AROUND, SNOW IN
ALL DIRECTIONS HERE.
NOT THAT MUCH ACCUMULATION
RIGHT NOW ON THE SIDEWALKS
HERE, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S
PRETTY, YOU KNOW, NOT THAT
DEEP.
BUT TO MY LEFT HERE TOWARD THE
STREETS, IT DOES GET A LITTLE
BIT DEERP.
YOU CAN ALSO SEE THESE SNOW ON
THE SIDEWALK AREA, AND THAT'S
BECAUSE PLOWS HAVE BEEN THROUGH
HERE SEVERAL TIMES THIS
MORNING, WORKING TO CLEAR THIS
MAJOR STREET HERE.
THIS IS JUST OFF OF MERCURY
BOULEVARD AND I-64.
YOU CAN SEE, AS CARS ARE
DRIVING ALONG, THE STREET RIGHT
NOW, THEY ARE NOT HAVING ANY
ISSUES ON THIS PARTICULAR
STREET.
WE KNOW THAT THE CITY OF HATCH
TON HAS HIT ABOUT 75% OF THE
MAIN ROADS HERE, BUT AS THE
MORNING STARS TO MOVE ALONG, WE
ARE SEEING A LOT MORE CARS OUT
ON THE ROADWAYS, AND, OF
COURSE, THAT MEANS MORE
ACCIDENTS AND MORE PEOPLE CAN
GET STUCK IN THIS SNOW.
SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE OUT,
DON'T GO OUT.
I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING
THAT JUST HAPPENED HERE JUST A
FEW SECONDS AGO.
TO MY LEFT, YOU CAN SEE THIS
CAR RIGHT HERE IS ACTUALLY
STUCK IN THE SNOW.
THAT DRIVER WAS JUST IN THE GAS
STATION HERE AND MOVED ALONG
AND INTO THE SNOW AND GOT
STUCK.
SO AS WE SAID ALL MORNING LONG,
IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE OUT,
DON'T GO OUT.
BUT IF YOU ARE OUT, DRIVE
SLOWLY AND DRIVE CAREFULLY.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE SEEN
ALL MORNING LONG, AS MORE CARS
START TO GET ON THE ROADS HERE.
VIZZBLET RIGHT NOW IS PRETTY
GOOD IN HAMPTON.
SNOWPLOW TRUCKS ARE OUT HERE
WORKING VERY HARD TO TRY TO GET
THESE ROADS CLEAR FOR DRIVERS.
BUT AGAIN, AS WE'VE BEEN SAYING
ALL MORNING, DON'T GO OUT IF
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT.
THE WIND WILL STILL BE A MAJOR
ISSUE THROUGHOUT THE MORNING
AND AS THE DAY MOVES ALONG
HERE.
SO RIGHT NOW, WE ARE TRYING TO
STAY PUT, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO
WATCH THESE WEATHER CONDITIONS
AS THE DAY MOVES ALONG.
IN THE MEANTIME, KARA DICKSON
IN NORFOLK, WATCHING THE
WEATHER CONDITIONS THERE.
AND KARA, TELL US ABOUT WHAT
YOU'RE SEEING DOWN IN NORFOLK.
YEAH, WE'RE ALSO SEEING SAME
BIG FLAKES DOWN HERE.
WE ALSO ARE SEEING THE WIND
THAT'S PICKING UP AT TIMES,
SLOWING DOWN OTHER TIMES.
RIGHT NOW, IT SEEMED TO CALM
DOWN FOR JUST A MINUTE OR SO,
BUT WE'RE NOT SEEING TOO MANY
PEOPLE IN DOWNTOWN NORFOLK.
AND WE'VE ONLY SEEN A COUPLE OF
CARS DRIVING THROUGH HERE
WITHIN THE PATH I'M IN, MAYBE
TWO OR THREE.
WE'VE HAD SOME PLOWS COME
THROUGH, BUT NOT THAT MUCH.
THE CITY SAYS THEY'VE HAD PLOWS
OUT SINCE LAST NIGHT, AND
THEY'VE BEEN PLOWING THE
PRIMARY ROADS.
THEY'VE ALREADY DWON PASSES ON
THOSE ROADS SO FAR, AND THEY
ALSO SAY THEY HAVE ABOUT 15
V-DOT TRUCKS IN THE CITY READY
TO PLOW THESE ROADS.
BUT RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT THE
SNOW TO STAY IN THE AREA FOR A
COUPLE OF DAYS, JUST BECAUSE OF
THE COLDER TEMPERATURES.
BUT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WHAT
THEY CAN TO CLEAR THESE ROADS.
NOW, THERE'S NOT REALLY THAT
MUCH SNOW ON THE ROADS RIGHT
NOW WHERE WE ARE, ONLY ABOUT
TWO INCHES.
IT HASN'T REALLY BEEN
ACCUMULATING.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THESE
ROADS HAVE ICE UNDERNEATH THEM,
AND THAT'S WHAT WILL CAUSE
PROBLEMS FOR DRIVERS LATER ON
TODAY IF YOU GUYS DO GO OUT,
BUT WE'RE TRYING TO TELL TO YOU
STAY HOME, STAY SAFE.
DON'T GET ON THE ROADS IF YOU
DON'T HAVE TO.
BUT IF YOU ARE OUT, LIKE
EVERYONE HAS SAID TODAY, PLEASE
DRIVE SAFE AND DRIVE SLOW.
ALSO KNOCK THE SNOW AND ICE
FROM YOUR CAR BECAUSE THAT
COULD FALL OFF, CAUSING
ACCIDENTS.
THE CITY SAYS THERE WAS AN
ACCIDENT LAST NIGHT INVOLVING A
VEHICLE SLIDING INTO A PLOW
TRUCK.
NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT IF YOU
ARE OUT, JUST MAKE SURE THAT
YOU TRY TO AVOID THE PLOW
TRUCKS SO THEY CAN DO THEIR JOB
OF PLOWING THE SNOW, GETTING
THE SNOW OFF THE ROADWAYS SO
PEOPLE CAN COME OUT LATER IN
THE WEEK TO DO WHAT THEY NEED
TO DO.
NOW, WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO
MONITOR THESE CONDITIONS AS WE
HAVE BEEN ALL MORNING LONG.
STAY WITH US ON AIR AND ONLINE
AS WE DO THAT.