Winter storm knocks out power to hundreds across Hampton Roads and Northeast North Carolina

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A powerful winter storm is continuing to impact Hampton Roads and Northeast North Carolina early this morning, leaving hundreds of customers without power as strong winds and lingering snow create hazardous travel conditions. Dominion Energy is reporting storm-related outages affecting multiple communities across the region, with the heaviest snowfall beginning to taper off in some areas but strong winds remaining a major concern.

Why it matters

The ongoing winter storm is disrupting power and creating dangerous travel conditions across a large swath of Virginia and North Carolina, potentially impacting thousands of residents and requiring significant restoration efforts by utility crews. Coastal flooding is also a concern as elevated water levels from strong onshore winds and ocean surge could lead to flooding during the Sunday morning high tide.

The details

According to Dominion Energy, storm-related outages are affecting multiple communities, with about 620 customers without power in Dare County, 263 in Currituck County, 412 in Norfolk, and 151 in Suffolk. The utility lists the cause of all reported outages as weather-related due to the ongoing storm. While the heaviest snowfall is beginning to taper off in some areas, strong winds remain a major concern, continuing to blow and drift snow across roadways and open areas. Those conditions not only complicate travel, especially on bridges and overpasses, but can also slow power restoration efforts as crews contend with reduced visibility and drifting snow.

• The winter storm is continuing to impact the region early this morning.

What’s next

Dominion Energy crews will continue restoration efforts as weather conditions allow, with a focus on safety as they work to return power to affected customers.